Fire from Heaven (Psalm 136:1–26)
1 UEB Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glory of Yahweh filled the house. BSB BSB: When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2 UEB The priests could not enter the house of Yahweh, because his glory filled his house. BSB BSB: The priests were unable to enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled it.
3 UEB When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of Yahweh over the house, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the stone pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to Yahweh. They said, "For he is good, for his covenant loyalty endures forever." BSB BSB: When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”
Sacrifices of Dedication (1 Kings 8:62–66)
4 UEB So the king and all the people offered sacrifices to Yahweh. BSB BSB: Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.
5 UEB King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen and 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. BSB BSB: And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
6 UEB The priests stood, each standing where they serve; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh in the song, "For his covenant faithfulness endures for ever." All the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. BSB BSB: The priests stood at their posts, as did the Levites with the musical instruments of the LORD, which King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD and with which David had offered praise, saying, “For His loving devotion endures forever.” Across from the Levites, the priests sounded trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.
7 UEB Solomon set apart the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of Yahweh. There he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that he had made was not able to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat. BSB BSB: Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar he had made could not hold all these offerings.
8 UEB So Solomon held the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the brook of Egypt. BSB BSB: So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a very great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast for seven days.
9 UEB On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and the feast for seven days. BSB BSB: On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar had lasted seven days, and the feast seven days more.
10 UEB On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people away to their homes with glad and joyful hearts because of the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, Solomon, and Israel, his people. BSB BSB: On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the good things that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel.
The LORD’s Response to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1–9)
11 UEB Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh and his own house. Everything that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Yahweh and in his own house, he successfully carried out. BSB BSB: When Solomon had finished the house of the LORD and the royal palace, successfully carrying out all that was in his heart to do for the house of the LORD and for his own palace,
12 UEB Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. BSB BSB: the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
13 UEB Suppose that I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send disease among my people, BSB BSB: If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people,
14 UEB then if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. BSB BSB: and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
15 UEB Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers that are made in this place. BSB BSB: Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
16 UEB For I have now chosen and set apart this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there every day. BSB BSB: For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
17 UEB As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, obeying all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my decrees, BSB BSB: And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
18 UEB then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I said in a covenant with David your father, when I said, 'A descendant of yours will never fail to be ruler in Israel.' BSB BSB: then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with your father David when I said, ‘You will never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.’
19 UEB But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have placed before you, and if you go worship other gods and bow down to them, BSB BSB: But if you turn away and forsake the statutes and commandments I have set before you, and if you go off to serve and worship other gods,
20 UEB then I will uproot them from out of my ground that I have given them. This house that I have set apart for my name, I will cast away from before me, and I will make it a proverb and a joke among all the peoples. BSB BSB: then I will uproot Israel from the soil I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.
21 UEB Even though this temple is so lofty now, everyone who passes by it will be shocked and will hiss. They will ask, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?' BSB BSB: And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’
22 UEB Others will answer, 'Because they forsook Yahweh, their God, who had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and they laid hold of other gods and bowed down to them and worshiped them. That is why Yahweh has brought all this disaster on them.'" BSB BSB: And others will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—because of this, He has brought all this disaster upon them.’”
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