First Book of Kings, Chapter 8
1 Kings 8 NWT - New World TranslationChapter 8 of 1 Kings—New World Translation (NWT)
- ¶ At that time Solʹo·mon1 proceeded to congregate2 the older3 men[a] of Israel, all the heads of the tribes,4 the chieftains[b] of the fathers,5 of the sons of Israel, to King Solʹo·mon at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant6 of Jehovah out of the City of David,7 that is to say, Zion.8
- So all the men of Israel congregated themselves to King Solʹo·mon in the lunar month of Ethʹa·nim in the festival,9 that is, the seventh month.10
- So all the older men of Israel came, and the priests began to carry11 the Ark.12
- And they came bringing up the ark of Jehovah and the tent13 of meeting14 and all the holy utensils that were in the tent; and the priests and the Levites15 came bringing them up.16
- And King Solʹo·mon and with him all the assembly of Israel, those keeping their appointment with him, were before the Ark, sacrificing17 sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.18
- ¶ Then the priests brought in the ark19 of the covenant of Jehovah to its place,20 to the innermost room of the house, the Most Holy, to underneath the wings of the cherubs.21
- ¶ For the cherubs were spreading out their wings over the place of the Ark, so that the cherubs kept the Ark and its poles screened over from above.22
- But the poles23 proved to be long, so that the tips of the poles were visible from the Holy in front of the innermost room, but they were not visible outside. And there they continue down to this day.24
- There was nothing in the Ark but the two stone tablets[c]25 which Moses had deposited26 there in Hoʹreb, when Jehovah had covenanted[d]27 with the sons of Israel while they were coming out from the land of Egypt.28
- ¶ And it came about that when the priests came out from the holy place, the cloud29 itself filled the house of Jehovah.
- And the priests30 were unable to stand to do their ministering31 because of the cloud, for the glory32 of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.33
- At that time Solʹo·mon said: “Jehovah himself said he was to reside in the thick gloom.34
- I have successfully built a house of lofty abode for you,35 an established place36 for you to dwell in to time indefinite.”[e]37
- ¶ Then the king turned his face and began to bless38 all the congregation[f] of Israel, while all the congregation of Israel were standing up.
- And he went on to say: “Blessed is Jehovah39 the God of Israel, who spoke by his own mouth with David40 my father, and by his own hand has given fulfillment,41 saying,
- ‘From the day that I brought my people Israel out from Egypt I have not chosen42 a city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house43 for my name44 to continue there; but I shall choose David to come to be over my people Israel.’45
- And it came to be close to the heart of David my father to build a house to the name of Jehovah the God of Israel.46
- But Jehovah said to David my father, ‘For the reason that it proved to be close to your heart to build a house to my name, you did well, because it proved to be close to your heart.47
- Only you yourself will not build the house, but your son who is coming forth from your loins is the one that will build the house to my name.’48
- And Jehovah proceeded to carry out his word49 that he had spoken, that I might rise up in the place of David my father and sit upon the throne of Israel,50 just as Jehovah had spoken, and that I might build the house to the name of Jehovah the God of Israel,51
- and that I might locate a place there for the Ark where the covenant52 of Jehovah is that he concluded with our forefathers when he was bringing them out from the land of Egypt.”
- ¶ And Solʹo·mon began standing before the altar53 of Jehovah in front of all the congregation of Israel, and he now spread his palms out to the heavens;54
- and he went on to say: “O Jehovah the God of Israel,55 there is no God[g] like you56 in the heavens above or on the earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the loving-kindness[h]57 toward your servants58 who are walking before you with all their heart,59
- you who have kept toward your servant David my father that which you promised him, so that you made the promise[i] with your own mouth, and with your own hand you have made the fulfillment, as at this day.60
- And now, O Jehovah the God of Israel, keep toward your servant David my father that which you promised him, saying, ‘There will not be cut off a man of yours from before me to sit upon the throne of Israel,61 if only your sons will take care of their way by walking before me just as you have walked before me.’
- And now, O God of Israel,[j] let your promise[k]62 that you have promised to your servant David my father prove trustworthy, please.
- ¶ “But will God truly dwell upon the earth?63 Look! The heavens,64 yes, the heaven of the heavens,65 themselves cannot contain you;66 how much less, then, this house67 that I have built!
- And you must turn toward the prayer68 of your servant and to his request for favor,69 O Jehovah my God, to listen to the entreating cry and to the prayer with which your servant is praying before you today;70
- that your eyes may prove to be opened71 toward this house night and day, toward the place of which you said, ‘My name will prove to be there,’72 to listen to the prayer with which your servant prays toward this place.73
- And you must listen to the request for favor74 on the part of your servant and of your people Israel with which they pray toward this place; and may you yourself hear at the place of your dwelling, in the heavens,75 and you must hear and forgive.76
- ¶ “When a man sins against his fellowman,77 and he actually lays a cursing upon him to bring him under liability to the curse,78 and he actually comes [within] the curse before your altar in this house,
- then may you yourself hear from the heavens, and you must act and judge your servants by pronouncing the wicked one wicked by putting his way upon his own head,79 and by pronouncing the righteous one righteous80 by giving to him according to his own righteousness.81
- ¶ “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy,82 because they kept sinning against you,83 and they indeed return to you84 and laud your name85 and pray86 and make request for favor toward you in this house,87
- then may you yourself hear from heaven, and you must forgive the sin of your people Israel88 and you must bring them back89 to the ground that you gave to their forefathers.90
- ¶ “When heaven is shut up so that no rain occurs,91 because they kept sinning92 against you, and they actually pray toward this place93 and laud your name, and from their sin they turn back, because you kept afflicting them,94
- then may you yourself hear from the heavens, and you must forgive the sin of your servants, even of your people Israel, because you teach95 them the good way in which they should walk;96 and you must give rain97 upon your land that you have given to your people as a hereditary possession.
- ¶ “In case a famine98 occurs in the land, in case a pestilence99 occurs, in case scorching, mildew,100 locusts,101 cockroaches102 occur; in case their enemy besieges them in the land of their gates[l]—any sort of plague, any sort of malady—
- whatever prayer,103 whatever request for favor104 there may occur on the part of any man [or] of all your people Israel,105 because they know each one the plague of his own heart,106 and they actually spread out their palms to this house,107
- then may you yourself hear from the heavens,108 your established place of dwelling,109 and you must forgive110 and act111 and give to each one according to all his ways,112 because you know his heart113 (for you yourself alone well know the heart of all the sons of mankind[m]);114
- to the end that they may fear115 you all the days that they are alive upon the surface of the ground that you gave to our forefathers.116
- ¶ “And also to the foreigner,117 who is no part of your people Israel and who actually comes from a distant land by reason of your name118
- (for they shall hear of your great name119 and of your strong hand120 and of your stretched-out arm), and he actually comes and prays toward this house,121
- may you yourself listen from the heavens, your established place of dwelling,122 and you must do according to all that for which the foreigner calls to you;123 in order that all the peoples of the earth may get to know your name124 so as to fear you the same as your people Israel do, and so as to know that your name itself has been called upon this house that I have built.125
- ¶ “In case your people go out to the war126 against their enemy in the way that you send them,127 and they indeed pray128 to Jehovah in the direction of the city that you have chosen129 and the house that I have built to your name,130
- you must also hear from the heavens their prayer and their request for favor, and you must execute judgment for them.131
- ¶ “In case they sin against you132 (for there is no man that does not sin),133 and you have to be incensed at them and abandon them to the enemy, and their captors actually carry them off captive to the land of the enemy distant or nearby;134
- and they indeed come to their senses[n] in the land where they have been carried off captive,135 and they actually return136 and make request137 to you for favor in the land of their captors,138 saying, ‘We have sinned139 and erred,140 we have acted wickedly’;141
- and they indeed return to you with all their heart142 and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who carried them off captive, and they indeed pray to you in the direction of their land that you gave to their forefathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built to your name;143
- you must also hear from the heavens, your established place of dwelling,144 their prayer and their request for favor, and you must execute judgment for them,145
- and you must forgive146 your people who had sinned147 against you and all their transgressions148 with which they transgressed against you;149 and you must make them objects of pity150 before their captors and they must pity them
- (for they are your people and your inheritance,151 whom you brought out from Egypt,152 from inside the iron furnace),153
- that your eyes may prove to be opened to the request for favor of your servant and to the request for favor154 of your people Israel, by listening to them in all for which they call to you.155
- For you yourself separated them as your inheritance out of all the peoples of the earth,156 just as you have spoken by means of Moses157 your servant[o] when you were bringing our forefathers out from Egypt, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah.”
- ¶ And it came about that, as soon as Solʹo·mon finished praying to Jehovah with all this prayer and request for favor, he rose up from before the altar of Jehovah, from bending down upon his knees158 with his palms spread out to the heavens;159
- and he began to stand160 and bless161 all the congregation[p] of Israel with a loud voice, saying:
- “Blessed be Jehovah,162 who has given a resting-place to his people Israel according to all that he has promised.163 There has not failed one word164 of all his good promise that he has promised[q] by means of Moses his servant.165
- May Jehovah our God prove to be with us166 just as he proved to be with our forefathers.167 May he neither leave us nor forsake us,168
- so as to incline our heart169 to himself to walk in all his ways170 and to keep his commandments171 and his regulations172 and his judicial decisions,173 which he gave in command to our forefathers.
- And may these words of mine with which I have made request for favor before Jehovah prove to be near174 to Jehovah our God by day and night, that he may execute judgment for his servant and judgment for his people Israel as it may require day175 by day;
- to the end that all the peoples of the earth may know176 that Jehovah is the [true] God.177 There is no other.178
- And YOUR heart must prove to be complete179 with Jehovah our God by walking in his regulations and by keeping his commandments as at this day.”
- ¶ And the king and all Israel with him were offering a grand sacrifice before Jehovah.180
- And Solʹo·mon proceeded to offer the communion sacrifices181 that he had to offer to Jehovah, twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep,182 that the king and all the sons of Israel might inaugurate183 the house of Jehovah.
- On that day the king had to sanctify the middle of the courtyard that is before the house of Jehovah,184 because there he had to render up the burnt sacrifice and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the communion sacrifices; for the copper altar185 that is before Jehovah was too small to contain the burnt sacrifice and the grain offering and the fat186 pieces of the communion sacrifices.
- And Solʹo·mon proceeded to carry on at that time the festival,187 and all Israel with him, a great congregation188 from the entering in of Haʹmath[r]189 down to the torrent valley of Egypt,190 before Jehovah our God[s] seven days and another seven days,191 fourteen days.
- On the eighth day he sent the people away;192 and they began to bless the king and to go to their homes,[t] rejoicing193 and feeling merry of heart194 over all the goodness195 that Jehovah had performed for David his servant and for Israel his people.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Or, “elders.”
- ^ Or, “nasis.”
- ^ LXX adds “tablets of the covenant.”
- ^ Lit., “had cut [a covenant].”
- ^ “To time indefinite.” Lit., “times indefinite.” Heb., ʽoh·la·mimʹ, pl.
- ^ “Congregation of.” Heb., qehalʹ; LXXVg, “ecclesia.”
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼElo·himʹ; Gr., The·osʹ.
- ^ Or, “loyal love.”
- ^ Lit., “you spoke.”
- ^ “O God of Israel,” M; TLXXSyVgc and 35 Heb. mss, “O Jehovah the God of Israel.”
- ^ Lit., “word.”
- ^ Or, “cities,” represented by the “gates,” by a figure of speech, synecdoche.
- ^ Or, “humankind.” Heb., ha·ʼa·dhamʹ; LXXVg, “men.”
- ^ Lit., “and they indeed cause a returning to their heart.”
- ^ “Moses your servant.” The first of three occurrences of this expression. See Ne 1:8; Ne 9:14.
- ^ “Congregation of.” Heb., qehalʹ; Gr., ek·kle·siʹan; Lat., ec·cleʹsi·ae.
- ^ Lit., “his good word that he has spoken.”
- ^ See Jos 13:5 ftn, “Hamath.”
- ^ “Before Jehovah our God in the house that he built, eating and drinking and rejoicing before Jehovah our God,” LXX.
- ^ Lit., “tents.”
REFERENCES
- ^ 2Ch 5:2
- ^ 1Ch 28:1; Ec 1:1
- ^ Jos 23:2
- ^ Jos 24:1
- ^ Nu 7:2
- ^ 2Sa 6:17
- ^ 2Sa 5:7
- ^ 1Ch 11:5
- ^ 2Ch 5:3
- ^ Le 16:29; 23:34; De 16:13
- ^ 1Ch 15:2
- ^ 2Ch 5:4
- ^ 2Ch 1:13
- ^ Ex 40:2
- ^ 1Ch 23:27
- ^ 2Ch 5:5
- ^ 1Ch 16:1; Pr 3:9
- ^ 2Ch 5:6
- ^ 2Sa 6:17; 2Ch 5:7; Re 11:19
- ^ Ex 26:33; 40:21
- ^ 1Ki 6:27; Ps 80:1; Eze 10:5
- ^ Ex 25:20; 37:9; 2Ch 5:8
- ^ Ex 25:14; 37:4
- ^ 2Ch 5:9
- ^ De 4:13; 10:5; Heb 9:4
- ^ Ex 40:20
- ^ Ex 24:8
- ^ Ex 19:1; Nu 10:11
- ^ Ex 40:34; Le 16:2; 2Ch 5:14
- ^ Nu 3:10
- ^ Nu 3:6; 1Ch 26:12
- ^ Eze 10:4; 43:4; Ac 7:55; 2Co 3:18; Re 21:23
- ^ Ex 40:35; 2Ch 5:14; Eze 44:4
- ^ Ex 20:21; De 5:22; Ps 18:11; 97:2
- ^ 2Sa 7:13; 1Ch 17:12
- ^ Ps 78:69
- ^ 2Ki 21:7; Ps 132:14
- ^ Nu 6:23; 1Ch 16:2; 2Ch 6:3
- ^ 1Ch 29:10; 2Ch 6:4; Ne 9:5; Ps 41:13; Lu 1:68; Re 4:11
- ^ 2Sa 7:5; 1Ch 17:12
- ^ Is 44:26; 55:11; Ti 1:2; Heb 6:18
- ^ 1Ch 17:5
- ^ 2Sa 7:6; 2Ch 6:5
- ^ De 12:11; 2Ki 23:27
- ^ 2Sa 7:8
- ^ 2Sa 7:2; 1Ch 17:2
- ^ De 6:5; 2Ch 6:8; 2Co 8:12
- ^ 2Sa 7:13; 2Ch 6:9
- ^ Is 55:11
- ^ 1Ch 28:5
- ^ 1Ch 28:6; 2Ch 6:10
- ^ Ex 34:28; De 9:9; 31:26
- ^ 2Ch 6:12
- ^ Ex 9:29; Ezr 9:5; Ps 63:4
- ^ Ge 32:28; Ex 3:15; 1Ch 29:10
- ^ Ex 15:11; 1Sa 2:2; 2Sa 7:22; Ps 86:8; Je 10:6; Mc 7:18
- ^ De 7:9; Ne 1:5
- ^ 2Ch 6:42
- ^ Ge 17:1; 2Ki 20:3
- ^ 2Sa 7:16; 2Ch 6:15
- ^ 1Ch 28:8; 2Ch 6:16
- ^ 2Sa 7:25; 1Ch 17:14; 2Ch 1:9; Ps 119:49
- ^ 2Ch 6:18; Is 66:1
- ^ 2Ki 2:1
- ^ De 10:14; 2Ch 2:6; Ne 9:6; 2Co 12:2
- ^ Ps 113:4; 148:13; Je 23:24; Ac 7:49
- ^ Ac 17:24
- ^ Ps 141:2; Da 9:17; Lu 18:1
- ^ 2Ch 6:29; 33:13; Ps 6:9
- ^ 2Ch 6:19
- ^ 2Ki 19:16; Zc 4:10; 1Pe 3:12
- ^ Ex 20:24; 2Sa 7:13; Ne 1:9
- ^ 2Ch 6:20; Da 6:10
- ^ 2Ch 20:9; Ne 1:6
- ^ 2Ch 6:21; Ps 33:13
- ^ Ex 34:7; 2Ch 7:14; Ps 103:3; Da 9:19
- ^ 1Sa 2:25
- ^ Nu 5:21; De 29:20; 2Ch 34:24
- ^ Nu 5:27; Pr 1:31
- ^ De 25:1
- ^ Ex 23:7; Jb 34:11; Pr 17:15; Is 3:10; Ga 6:7
- ^ Le 26:17; De 28:25; Jos 7:8
- ^ Jos 7:11; 2Ki 17:7
- ^ Le 26:40; 2Ki 22:19; Ne 9:2
- ^ Ne 1:11; Da 9:19
- ^ 2Ki 19:20; Ezr 9:5; Da 9:3
- ^ 2Ch 6:24
- ^ 2Ch 6:25
- ^ Ps 106:47
- ^ Ge 13:15; Ex 6:8; Jos 21:43
- ^ Le 26:19; De 11:17; 28:23
- ^ Eze 14:13
- ^ 2Ch 6:26
- ^ Jg 2:15; Is 9:13; Eze 18:30
- ^ Ps 25:4; 27:11; 86:11; 94:12; 119:102; Is 30:20; 54:13
- ^ 2Ch 6:27
- ^ 1Ki 18:1; Ps 68:9
- ^ Le 26:16; 2Ki 6:25
- ^ De 28:21
- ^ De 28:22; Am 4:9
- ^ Ps 105:34
- ^ Ps 78:46
- ^ 2Ch 20:6
- ^ 2Ch 33:13; Ps 6:9; 119:170
- ^ 2Ch 6:29
- ^ Jb 7:11; Ps 73:21; Pr 14:10; Ro 7:24
- ^ 1Ki 8:22
- ^ Ps 103:19; Mt 23:22
- ^ Ps 33:14; Is 63:15
- ^ Ps 130:4
- ^ De 32:4
- ^ Jb 34:11; Ps 18:20
- ^ Je 17:10
- ^ 1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 28:9; 2Ch 6:30; Je 17:10; Ac 1:24
- ^ Ex 20:20; De 6:2; Pr 8:13
- ^ Ge 12:7; Jos 1:2; 2Ch 6:31
- ^ Ru 1:16
- ^ Nu 9:14; 2Ki 5:15; 2Ch 6:32; Is 56:6; Ac 8:27
- ^ Ne 9:10
- ^ De 3:24; Ps 93:1
- ^ 2Ch 6:33
- ^ Ps 11:4; Heb 9:24
- ^ Ro 3:29
- ^ 1Sa 17:46; Ps 67:2; 102:15
- ^ 1Ki 14:28; 2Ch 24:16
- ^ Ex 23:31
- ^ 1Ki 20:13
- ^ 2Ch 14:11; 20:6
- ^ Ps 78:68; 132:13; Da 9:16
- ^ 2Ch 6:34
- ^ 2Ch 6:35; Ps 3:4; 9:4
- ^ 2Ch 6:36
- ^ Ps 51:5; 130:3; 143:2; Pr 20:9; Ec 7:20; Is 53:6; Ro 3:23; Ga 3:22; 1Jo 1:8
- ^ De 28:36; 2Ki 17:6; 25:21; Da 9:7; Lu 21:24
- ^ Le 26:40; 2Ch 33:13
- ^ De 30:2
- ^ De 4:29; 2Ch 33:12
- ^ 2Ch 6:37
- ^ Ne 1:6; Ps 106:6
- ^ Da 9:5
- ^ Ezr 9:6; Pr 28:13
- ^ De 4:29; Jg 10:15; 1Sa 7:3; Je 29:13
- ^ 2Ch 6:38; Da 6:10
- ^ 2Ch 6:39; Is 63:15; Heb 9:24
- ^ Ge 15:14; De 30:3; 2Ki 19:19
- ^ 1Ki 8:30
- ^ 1Ki 8:35
- ^ Ps 25:7
- ^ Mr 3:28; Lu 23:34
- ^ 2Ch 30:9; Ezr 7:28; Ne 2:8; Ps 106:46
- ^ Ex 19:5; De 9:26; 32:8
- ^ Ex 14:30; Ne 1:10
- ^ De 4:20; Je 11:4
- ^ 2Ch 6:40
- ^ Ps 86:5; 145:18
- ^ Ex 19:6; Nu 23:9; De 4:34; 32:9
- ^ Nu 12:8; Ps 103:7
- ^ 2Ch 6:13; Ps 95:6; Lu 22:41; Ac 20:36
- ^ 2Ch 6:12; Ezr 9:5
- ^ Ne 9:5
- ^ Nu 6:23; 2Sa 6:18
- ^ 1Ch 29:10; 2Ch 20:26; Ps 41:13
- ^ 1Ki 4:24; 2Ch 14:6; Heb 4:3
- ^ Jos 21:45; 1Sa 3:19; Heb 6:18
- ^ De 10:11
- ^ Mt 1:23
- ^ 2Ch 32:7; Ps 46:7
- ^ De 31:6; Jos 1:5; Is 41:10; Heb 13:5
- ^ Ps 86:11; 119:36; 2Th 3:5
- ^ Is 55:9; Je 10:23
- ^ De 6:1
- ^ De 4:45
- ^ De 4:1; 1Ki 6:12
- ^ Ps 102:1; 141:2
- ^ Ps 101:8
- ^ Jos 4:24; 1Sa 17:46
- ^ De 4:39; 1Ki 18:39; Je 10:10; Eze 36:23; 39:7
- ^ De 4:35; Is 44:6; 45:5
- ^ De 18:13; 1Ki 11:4; 2Ki 20:3; 1Ch 28:9; Ps 37:37; Mt 22:37
- ^ 2Sa 6:17
- ^ Le 3:1
- ^ 2Ch 7:5
- ^ 2Ch 2:4; 7:5; Ezr 6:16; Ne 12:27
- ^ 2Ch 7:7
- ^ Ex 38:2; Nu 16:38; 2Ch 4:1
- ^ Le 3:16
- ^ Le 23:34; 2Ch 7:8
- ^ 2Ch 30:13; Ps 40:9
- ^ Nu 34:8; Jos 13:5; 2Ki 14:25; Am 6:14
- ^ Ge 15:18; Nu 34:5
- ^ 2Ch 7:9
- ^ 2Ch 7:10
- ^ De 16:11; Ps 95:1
- ^ Zp 3:14
- ^ Ps 31:19; Is 63:7; Je 31:12
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