Solomon Blesses the LORD (1 Kings 8:12–21)
1 DRA Then Solomon said: The Lord promised that he would dwell in a cloud. BSB BSB: Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
2 DRA But I have built a house to his name, that he might dwell there for ever. BSB BSB: But I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”
3 DRA And the king turned his face, and blessed all the multitude of Israel (for all the multitude stood attentive) and he said: BSB BSB: And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
4 DRA Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath accomplished in deed that which he spoke to David my father, saying: BSB BSB: and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,
5 DRA From the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel, for a house to be built in it to my name: neither chose I any other man, to be the ruler of my people Israel. BSB BSB: ‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel.
6 DRA But I chose Jerusalem, that my name might be there: and I chose David to set him over my people Israel. BSB BSB: But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
7 DRA And whereas David my father had a mind to build a house to the name of the Lord the God of Israel, BSB BSB: Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
8 DRA The Lord said to him: Forasmuch as it was thy will to build a house to my name, thou hast done well indeed in having such a will: BSB BSB: But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.
9 DRA But thou shalt not build the house, but thy son, who shall come out of thy loins, he shall build a house to my name. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
10 DRA The Lord therefore hath accomplished his word which he spoke: and I am risen up in the place of David my father, and sit upon the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised: and have built a house to the name of the Lord God of Israel. BSB BSB: Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
11 DRA And I have put in it the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with the children of Israel. BSB BSB: And there I have placed the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with the children of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (1 Kings 8:22–53)
12 DRA And he stood before the altar of the I Lord, in presence of all the multitude of Israel, and stretched forth his hands. BSB BSB: Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
13 DRA For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, and had set it in the midst of the temple, which was five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high: and he stood upon it: then kneeling down in the presence of all the multitude of Israel, and lifting up his hands towards heaven, BSB BSB: Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
14 DRA He said: O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven nor in earth: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: BSB BSB: and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
15 DRA Who hast performed to thy servant David my father all that thou hast promised him: and hast accomplished in fact, what thou hast spoken with thy mouth, as also the present time proveth. BSB BSB: You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.
16 DRA Now then, O Lord God of Israel, fulfill to thy servant David my father, whatsoever thou hast promised him, saying: There shall not fail thee a man in my sight, to sit upon the throne of Israel: yet so that thy children take heed to their ways, and walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me. BSB BSB: Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’
17 DRA And now, Lord God of Israel, let thy word be established which thou hast spoken to thy servant David. BSB BSB: And now, O LORD, God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.
18 DRA Is it credible then that God should dwell with men on the earth? If heaven and the heavens of heavens do not contain thee, how much less this house, which I have built? BSB BSB: But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
19 DRA But to this end only it is made, that thou mayest regard the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, O Lord my God: and mayest hear the prayers which thy servant poureth out before thee. BSB BSB: Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.
20 DRA That thou mayest open thy eyes upon this house day and night, upon the place wherein thou hast promised that thy name should be called upon, BSB BSB: May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
21 DRA And that thou wouldst hear the prayer which thy servant prayeth in it: hearken then to the prayers of thy servant, and of thy people Israel. Whosoever shall pray in this place, hear thou from thy dwelling place, that is, from heaven, and shew mercy. BSB BSB: Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
22 DRA If any man sin against his neighbour, and come to swear against him, and bind himself with a curse before the altar in this house: BSB BSB: When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple,
23 DRA Then hear thou from heaven, and do justice to thy servants, so as to requite the wicked by making his wickedness fall upon his own head, and to revenge the just, rewarding him according to his justice. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
24 DRA If thy people Israel be overcome by their enemies, (for they will sin against thee,) and being converted shall do penance, and call upon thy name, and pray to thee in this place, BSB BSB: When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading before You in this temple,
25 DRA Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them back into the land, which thou gavest to them, and their fathers. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to them and their fathers.
26 DRA If the heavens be shut up, and there fall no rain by reason of the sins of the people, and they shall pray to thee in this place, and confess to thy name, and be converted from their sins, when thou dost afflict them, BSB BSB: When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them,
27 DRA Then hear thou from heaven, O Lord, and forgive the sins of thy servants and of thy people Israel, and teach them the good way, in which they may walk: and give rain to thy land which thou hast given to thy people to possess. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.
28 DRA If a famine arise in the land, or a pestilence or blasting, or mildew, or locusts, or caterpillars: or if their enemies waste the country, and besiege the cities, whatsoever scourge or infirmity shall be upon them: BSB BSB: When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,
29 DRA Then if any of thy people Israel, knowing his own scourge and infirmity shall pray, and shall spread forth his hands in this house, BSB BSB: then may whatever prayer or plea Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
30 DRA Hear thou from heaven, from thy high dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every one according to his ways, which thou knowest him to have in his heart: (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) BSB BSB: be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men—
31 DRA That they may fear thee, and walk in thy ways all the days that they live upon the face of the land, which thou hast given to our fathers. BSB BSB: so that they may fear You and walk in Your ways all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.
32 DRA If the stranger also, who is not of thy people Israel, come from a far country, for the sake of thy great name, and thy strong hand, and thy stretched out arm, and adore in this place: BSB BSB: And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your great name and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,
33 DRA Hear thou from heaven thy firm dwelling place, and do all that which that stranger shall call upon thee for: that all the people of the earth may know thy name, and may fear thee, as thy people Israel, and may know, that thy name is invoked upon this house, which I have built. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.
34 DRA If thy people go out to war against their enemies, by the way that thou shalt send them, and adore thee towards the way of this city, which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built to thy name: BSB BSB: When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You in the direction of this city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name,
35 DRA Then hear thou from heaven their prayers, and their supplications, and revenge them. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.
36 DRA And if they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them up to their enemies, and they lead them away captive to a land either afar off, or near at hand, BSB BSB: When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near,
37 DRA And if they be converted in their heart in the land to which they were led captive, and do penance, and pray to thee in the land of their captivity, saying: We have sinned, we have done wickedly, we have dealt unjustly: BSB BSB: and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’
38 DRA And return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity, to which they were led away, and adore thee towards the way of their own land which thou gavest their fathers, and of the city, which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built to thy name: BSB BSB: and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,
39 DRA Then hear thou from heaven, that is, from thy firm dwelling place, their prayers, and do judgment, and forgive thy people, although they have sinned: BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and pleas, and may You uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.
40 DRA For thou art my God: let thy eyes, I beseech thee, be open, and let thy ears be attentive to the prayer, that is made in this place. BSB BSB: Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
41 DRA Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, put on salvation, and thy saints rejoice in good things. BSB BSB: Now therefore, arise, O LORD God, and enter Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and may Your godly ones rejoice in goodness.
42 DRA O Lord God, turn not away the face of thy anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant. BSB BSB: O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one. Remember Your loving devotion to Your servant David.”
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