[1] Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from
heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory
of Yahweh filled the house. [2] The priests could not enter into the house
of Yahweh, because the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh`s house. [3] All the
children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of
Yahweh was on the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the
ground on the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks to Yahweh,
[saying], For he is good; for his lovingkindness endures for ever. [4] Then
the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Yahweh. [5] King
Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and
twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house
of God. [6] The priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also
with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give
thanks to Yahweh, (for his lovingkindness endures for ever,) when David
praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them;
and all Israel stood. [7] Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court
holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt
offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar
which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, and the
meal-offering, and the fat. [8] So Solomon held the feast at that time
seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the
entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. [9] On the eighth day they held a
solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and
the feast seven days. [10] On the three and twentieth day of the seventh
month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for
the goodness that Yahweh had showed to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel
his people. [11] Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh, and the king`s
house: and all that came into Solomon`s heart to make in the house of
Yahweh, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. [12] Yahweh
appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, I have heard your prayer,
and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. [13] If I
shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to
devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; [14] if my
people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. [15] Now my
eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in
this place. [16] For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my
name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there
perpetually. [17] As for you, if you will walk before me as David your
father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will
keep my statutes and my ordinances; [18] then I will establish the throne
of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying,
There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel. [19] But if you turn
away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before
you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; [20] then will I
pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this
house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and
I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. [21] This house,
which is so high, everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall
say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house? [22] They
shall answer, Because they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who
brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods,
and worshipped them, and served them: therefore has he brought all this
evil on them.
