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1 Kings 8

New International Reader’s Version



1 Then King Solomon sent for the elders of Israel. He told them to come to him in Jerusalem. They included all the leaders of the tribes. They also included the chiefs of the families of Israel. Solomon wanted them to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion. Zion was the City of David. 2 All the Israelites came together to where King Solomon was. It was at the time of the Feast of Booths. The feast was held in the month of Ethanim. That’s the seventh month. 3 All the elders of Israel arrived. Then the priests picked up the ark and carried it. 4 They brought up the ark of the LORD. They also brought up the tent of meeting and all the sacred things in the tent. The priests and Levites carried everything up. 5 The entire community of Israel had gathered around King Solomon. All of them were in front of the ark. They sacrificed huge numbers of sheep and cattle. There were so many animals that they couldn’t be recorded. In fact, they couldn’t even be counted. 6 The priests brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant law to its place in the Most Holy Room of the temple. They put it under the wings of the cherubim. 7 Their wings were spread out over the place where the ark was. They covered the ark. They also covered the poles used to carry it. 8 The poles were very long. Their ends could be seen from the Holy Room in front of the Most Holy Room. But they couldn’t be seen from outside the Holy Room. They are still there to this day. 9 There wasn’t anything in the ark except the two stone tablets. Moses had placed them in it at Mount Horeb. That’s where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites. He made it after they came out of Egypt. 10 The priests left the Holy Room. Then the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 The priests couldn’t do their work because of it. That’s because the glory of the LORD filled his temple. 12 Then Solomon said, ‘LORD, you have said you would live in a dark cloud. 13 As you can see, I’ve built a beautiful temple for you. You can live in it for ever.’ 14 The whole community of Israel was standing there. The king turned round and gave them his blessing. 15 Then he said, ‘I praise the LORD. He is the God of Israel. With his own mouth he made a promise to my father David. With his own powerful hand he made it come true. He said, 16 “I brought my people Israel out of Egypt. Ever since, I haven’t chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple could be built for my Name. But I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.” 17 ‘With all his heart my father David wanted to build a temple. He wanted to do it so the LORD could put his Name there. The LORD is the God of Israel. 18 But the LORD spoke to my father David. He said, “With all your heart you wanted to build a temple for my Name. It is good that you wanted to do that. 19 But you will not build the temple. Instead, your son will build the temple for my Name. He is your own flesh and blood.” 20 ‘The LORD has kept the promise he made. I’ve become the next king after my father David. Now I’m sitting on the throne of Israel. That’s exactly what the LORD promised would happen. I’ve built the temple where the LORD will put his Name. He is the God of Israel. 21 I’ve provided a place for the ark there. The tablets of the LORD’s covenant law are inside it. He made that covenant with our people of long ago. He made it when he brought them out of Egypt.’ 



22 Then Solomon stood in front of the LORD’s altar. He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He spread out his hands towards heaven. 23 He said, ‘LORD, you are the God of Israel. There is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep the covenant you made with us. You show us your love. You do that when we follow you with all our hearts. 24 You have kept your promise to my father David. He was your servant. With your mouth you made a promise. With your powerful hand you have made it come true. And today we can see it. 25 ‘LORD, you are the God of Israel. Keep the promises you made to my father David. Do it for him. He was your servant. Here is what you said to him. “A son from your family line will sit before me on the throne of Israel. This will always be true if your children after you are careful in everything they do. They must live in my sight faithfully the way you have lived.” 26 God of Israel, let your promise to my father David come true. 27 ‘But will you really live on earth? After all, the heavens can’t hold you. In fact, even the highest heavens can’t hold you. So this temple I’ve built certainly can’t hold you! 28 But please pay attention to my prayer. LORD my God, be ready to help me as I make my appeal to you. Listen to my cry for help. Hear the prayer I’m praying to you today. 29 Let your eyes look towards this temple night and day. You said, “I will put my Name there.” So please listen to the prayer I’m praying towards this place. 30 Hear me when I ask you to help us. Listen to your people Israel when they pray towards this place. Listen to us from heaven. It’s the place where you live. When you hear us, forgive us. 31 ‘Suppose someone does something wrong to their neighbour. And the person who has done something wrong is required to give their word. They must tell the truth about what they have done. They must come and do it in front of your altar in this temple. 32 When they do, listen to them from heaven. Take action. Judge between the person and their neighbour. Punish the guilty one. Do to that person what they have done to their neighbour. Deal with the one who isn’t guilty in a way that shows they are free from blame. That will prove they aren’t guilty. 33 ‘Suppose your people Israel have lost the battle against their enemies. And suppose they’ve sinned against you. But they turn back to you and praise your name. They pray to you in this temple. And they ask you to help them. 34 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Bring them back to the land you gave to their people who lived long ago. 35 ‘Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn’t any rain. But your people pray towards this place. They praise you by admitting they’ve sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer. 36 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share. 37 ‘Suppose there isn’t enough food in the land. And a plague strikes the land. The hot winds completely dry up our crops. Or locusts or grasshoppers come and eat them up. Or an enemy surrounds one of our cities and gets ready to attack it. Or trouble or disease comes. 38 But suppose one of your people prays to you. They ask you to help them. They are aware of how much their own heart is suffering. And they spread out their hands towards this temple to pray. 39 Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Forgive them. Take action. Deal with everyone in keeping with everything they do. You know their hearts. In fact, you are the only one who knows every human heart. 40 Your people will have respect for you. They will respect you as long as they are in the land you gave our people long ago. 41 ‘Suppose there are outsiders who don’t belong to your people Israel. And they have come from a land far away. They’ve come because they’ve heard about your name. 42 When they get here, they will find out even more about your great name. They’ll hear about how you reached out your mighty hand and powerful arm. So they’ll come and pray towards this temple. 43 Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Do what those outsiders ask you to do. Then all the nations on earth will know you. They will have respect for you. They’ll respect you just as your own people Israel do. They’ll know that your Name is in this house I’ve built. 44 ‘Suppose your people go to war against their enemies. It doesn’t matter where you send them. And suppose they pray to you towards the city you have chosen. They pray towards the temple I’ve built for your Name. 45 Then listen to them from heaven. Listen to their prayer for your help. Stand up for them. 46 ‘Suppose your people sin against you. After all, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t sin. And suppose you get angry with them. You hand them over to their enemies. They take them as prisoners to their own lands. It doesn’t matter whether those lands are near or far away. 47 But suppose your people change their ways in the land where they are held as prisoners. They turn away from their sins. They beg you to help them in the land of those who won the battle over them. They say, “We have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong. We’ve done what is evil.” 48 And they turn back to you with all their heart and soul. Suppose it happens in the land of their enemies who took them away as prisoners. There they pray to you towards the land you gave their people long ago. They pray towards the city you have chosen. And they pray towards the temple I’ve built for your Name. 49 Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Listen to their prayer. Listen to them when they ask you to help them. Stand up for them. 50 Your people have sinned against you. Please forgive them. Forgive them for all the wrong things they’ve done against you. And make those who won the battle over them show mercy to them. 51 After all, they are your people. They belong to you. You brought them out of Egypt. You brought them out of that furnace that melts iron down and makes it pure. 52 ‘Let your eyes be open to me when I ask you to help us. Let them be open to your people Israel when they ask you to help them. Pay attention to them every time they cry out to you. 53 After all, you chose them out of all the nations in the world. You made them your very own people. You did it just as you had announced through your servant Moses. That’s when you brought out of Egypt our people of long ago. You are our LORD and King.’ 54 Solomon finished praying. He finished asking the LORD to help his people. Then he got up from in front of the LORD’s altar. He had been down on his knees with his hands spread out towards heaven. 55 He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He blessed them with a loud voice. He said, 56 ‘I praise the LORD. He has given peace and rest to his people Israel. That’s exactly what he promised to do. He gave his people good promises through his servant Moses. Every single word of those promises has come true. 57 May the LORD our God be with us, just as he was with our people who lived long ago. May he never leave us. May he never desert us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him. Then we will live the way he wants us to. We’ll obey the commands, rules and directions he gave our people of long ago. 59 I’ve prayed these words to the LORD our God. May he keep them close to him day and night. May he stand up for me. May he also stand up for his people Israel. May he give us what we need every day. 60 Then all the nations on earth will know that the LORD is God. They’ll know that there isn’t any other god. 61 And may you commit your lives completely to the LORD our God. May you live by his rules. May you obey his commands. May you always do as you are doing now.’ 



62 Then the king and the whole community of Israel offered sacrifices to the LORD. 63 Solomon sacrificed friendship offerings to the LORD. He sacrificed 22,000 oxen. He also sacrificed 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and the whole community set the temple of the LORD apart to him. 64 On that same day the king set the middle area of the courtyard apart to the LORD. It was in front of the LORD’s temple. There Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings. He also sacrificed the fat of the friendship offerings there. He did it there because the bronze altar that stood in front of the LORD was too small. It wasn’t big enough to hold all the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the friendship offerings. 65 At that time Solomon celebrated the Feast of Booths. The whole community of Israel was with him. It was a huge crowd. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the Wadi of Egypt. For seven days they celebrated in front of the LORD our God. The feast continued for seven more days. That made a total of 14 days. 66 On the following day Solomon sent the people away. They asked the LORD to bless the king. Then they went home. The people were glad. Their hearts were full of joy. That’s because the LORD had done so many good things for his servant David and his people Israel. 

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1 Kings 8

English Standard Version



1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. (Nu 1:16; 2Sa 5:7; 2Sa 6:17; 2Ch 5:2) 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. (Le 23:34; 1Ki 8:65; 2Ch 7:8) 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. (Nu 4:15; De 31:9; Jos 3:3; Jos 3:6; 1Ch 15:14) 4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. (1Ki 3:4; 2Ch 1:3) 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. (2Sa 6:13) 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. (Ex 26:33; 2Sa 6:17; 1Ki 6:5) 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. (Ex 25:13; 1Ki 8:6) 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. (Ex 25:21; Ex 34:27; Ex 40:20; De 4:13; De 10:2; De 10:5; Heb 9:4) 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, (Ex 40:34; 2Ch 5:13; 2Ch 7:1; Eze 10:3) 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 



12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord[1] has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. (Le 16:2; 2Ch 6:1; Ps 18:11; Ps 97:2) 13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” (Ex 15:17; 2Sa 7:13; Ps 132:14) 14 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. (2Sa 6:18; 1Ki 8:55) 15 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, (1Ki 6:12; Lu 1:68) 16 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ (De 12:11; 1Sa 16:1; 2Sa 7:4; 2Sa 7:8; 2Sa 7:25; 1Ki 8:29; 1Ch 28:4) 17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. (2Sa 7:2; 1Ch 17:1) 18 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ (2Sa 7:5; 2Sa 7:12; 1Ki 5:3; 1Ki 5:5) 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. (1Ch 28:5) 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.” (De 31:26; 1Ki 8:9) 



22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, (Ex 9:33; 1Ki 8:54; 2Ch 6:12; Ezr 9:5; Isa 1:15) 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; (Ex 15:11; De 7:9; 2Sa 7:22) 24 you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. (1Ki 8:15) 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ (1Ki 2:4) 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father. (2Sa 7:25) 27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (2Ch 2:6; Isa 66:1; Jer 23:24; Ac 7:49; Ac 17:24) 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. (De 12:11; 1Ki 8:16; 1Ki 8:52; 1Ki 9:3; 2Ch 7:15; Ne 1:6) 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, (Ex 22:11) 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. (De 25:1) 33 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, (Le 26:17; Le 26:40; De 28:45; Ne 1:9) 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers. 35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, (Le 26:17; De 11:17; De 28:25; Lu 4:25) 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance. (1Sa 12:23; Ps 25:4; Ps 27:11; Ps 86:11) 37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates,[2] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, (Le 26:16; Le 26:25; De 28:21; De 28:37; De 28:42; De 28:52; 2Ch 20:9) 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), (1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 28:9; Jer 17:10; Ac 1:24) 40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers. (De 12:1) 41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, (De 3:24; 2Ch 6:32) 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name. (Jos 4:24; 1Ki 8:60; Ps 102:15) 44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, (1Ki 8:48) 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause. 46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, (Le 26:34; Le 26:44; De 28:36; De 28:64; Pr 20:9; Ec 7:20; Ro 3:23; Jas 3:2; 1Jo 1:8; 1Jo 1:10) 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ (Le 26:40; Ne 1:6; Ps 106:6; Da 9:5) 48 if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, (1Sa 7:3; 1Ki 8:44; Ps 5:7; Jer 29:12; Da 6:10; Jon 2:4) 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them (Ps 106:46) 51 (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). (De 4:20; De 9:29; Ne 1:10; Jer 11:4) 52 Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. (1Ki 8:29) 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.” (Ex 19:5; De 9:26; De 9:29; De 14:2) 



54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. (2Ch 6:13; 2Ch 7:1) 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, (1Ki 8:14) 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. (Jos 21:45; Jos 23:14) 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, (De 31:6; Jos 1:5; 1Sa 12:22) 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. (Ps 119:36) 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. (De 4:35; De 4:39; 1Ki 8:43; 1Ki 18:39) 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.” (1Ki 11:4; 1Ki 15:3; 1Ki 15:14; 2Ki 20:3) 



62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. (2Ch 7:4; Ezr 6:16) 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings. (2Ch 4:1) 65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days.[3] (Le 23:34; Nu 13:21; Nu 34:5; Nu 34:8; 1Ki 8:2; 2Ki 24:7) 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people. 

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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.