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1 Kings 5-10
English Standard Version

Preparations for Building the Temple

5 [a] Now (A)Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, (B)for Hiram always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, 3 (C)“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God (D)because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4 (E)But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, (F)as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ 6 Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. 9 My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes (G)by providing food for my household.” 10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, 11 while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors[b] of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000[c] cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. 12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, (H)as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted (I)forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. (J)Adoniram was in charge of the draft. 15 Solomon also (K)had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, 16 besides Solomon's 3,300 (L)chief officers who were over the work, (M)who had charge of the people who carried on the work. 17 At the king's command (N)they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and (O)the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.

Solomon Builds the Temple

6 (P)In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, (Q)he began to build the house of the Lord. 2 (R)The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits[d] long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. 3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. 4 And (S)he made for the house windows with recessed frames.[e] 5 (T)He also built a structure[f] against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and (U)the inner sanctuary. And he made (V)side chambers all around. 6 The lowest story[g] was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

7 When the house was built, (W)it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.

8 The entrance for the lowest[h] story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. 9 (X)So he built the house and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar. 10 He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, (Y)if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, (Z)which I spoke to David your father. 13 And (AA)I will dwell among the children of Israel (AB)and will not forsake my people Israel.”

14 (AC)So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15 He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, (AD)and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16 (AE)He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as (AF)the Most Holy Place. 17 The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long. 18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of (AG)gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen. 19 The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 20 The inner sanctuary[i] was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid[j] an altar of cedar. 21 And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. 22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. (AH)Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

23 (AI)In the inner sanctuary (AJ)he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. 24 Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. 25 The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. 26 The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. 27 He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. (AK)And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. 28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. 30 The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms.

31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided.[k] 32 He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

33 So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood, in the form of a square, 34 and two doors of cypress wood. (AL)The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35 On them he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work. 36 (AM)He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.

37 (AN)In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. 38 And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

Solomon Builds His Palace

7 Solomon was (AO)building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

2 He built (AP)the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits[l] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four[m] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 4 There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. 5 All the doorways and windows[n] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

6 And he made (AQ)the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and (AR)a canopy in front of them.

7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. (AS)It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.[o]

8 His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter (AT)whom he had taken in marriage.

9 All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12 (AU)The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and (AV)the vestibule of the house.

The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought (AW)Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And (AX)he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 (AY)He cast (AZ)two pillars of bronze. (BA)Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.[p] 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and (BB)the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice[q] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates[r] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were (BC)two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 (BD)He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (BE)Then he made (BF)the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were (BG)gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on (BH)twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth,[s] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.[t]

27 He also made the (BI)ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made (BJ)the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made (BK)ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

40 (BL)Hiram also made (BM)the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two (BN)latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; 42 and the (BO)four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43 the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; 44 and (BP)the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

45 Now (BQ)the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between (BR)Succoth and (BS)Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; (BT)the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: (BU)the golden altar, (BV)the golden table for (BW)the bread of the Presence, 49 (BX)the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; (BY)the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50 the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and (BZ)fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, (CA)the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in (CB)the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

The Ark Brought into the Temple

8 (CC)Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, (CD)the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, (CE)to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of (CF)the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at (CG)the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and (CH)the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, (CI)the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, (CJ)sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 (CK)Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord (CL)to its place in (CM)the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 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 (CN)And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before (CO)the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except (CP)the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where (CQ)the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, (CR)a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 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.

Solomon Blesses the Lord

12 (CS)Then Solomon said, “The Lord[u] has said that he would dwell (CT)in thick darkness. 13 (CU)I have indeed built you an exalted house, (CV)a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and (CW)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, (CX)“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled (CY)what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 (CZ)‘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, (DA)that my name might be there. (DB)But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 (DC)Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 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 (DD)Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 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, (DE)as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, (DF)in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon (DG)stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and (DH)spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, (DI)there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, (DJ)keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 24 you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. (DK)You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, (DL)‘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.’ 26 (DM)Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (DN)heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 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 (DO)that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, (DP)‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 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 (DQ)an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, (DR)condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

33 (DS)“When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and (DT)if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 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 (DU)“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, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when (DV)you teach them (DW)the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

37 (DX)“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,[v] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 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 ((DY)for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you (DZ)all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.

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 (EA)and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order (EB)that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and (EC)fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord (ED)toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

46 “If they sin against you—(EE)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 (EF)to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet (EG)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, (EH)‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 (EI)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 (EJ)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, 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 (EK)grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 ((EL)for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, (EM)from the midst of the iron furnace). 52 (EN)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. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, (EO)as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

Solomon's Benediction

54 (EP)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 (EQ)knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (ER)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. (ES)Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. (ET)May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may (EU)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. 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 (EV)all the peoples of the earth may know that (EW)the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 (EX)Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”

Solomon's Sacrifices

62 (EY)Then (EZ)the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 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 (FA)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.

65 So Solomon held (FB)the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from (FC)Lebo-hamath to (FD)the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days.[w] 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.

The Lord Appears to Solomon

9 (FE)As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord (FF)and the king's house and (FG)all that Solomon desired to build, 2 (FH)the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, (FI)by putting my name there forever. (FJ)My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 4 And as for you, if you will (FK)walk before me, (FL)as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 (FM)then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 (FN)But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 (FO)then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, (FP)and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, (FQ)and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins.[x] Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, (FR)‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because (FS)they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”

Solomon's Other Acts

10 (FT)At the end of (FU)twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house, 11 and Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, they did not please him. 13 Therefore he said, “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?” So they are called the land of (FV)Cabul to this day. 14 Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents[y] of gold.

15 And this is the account of (FW)the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and (FX)the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and (FY)Hazor and (FZ)Megiddo and Gezer 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and had killed (GA)the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to (GB)his daughter, Solomon's wife; 17 so Solomon rebuilt Gezer) and (GC)Lower Beth-horon 18 and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah,[z] 19 and all the store cities that Solomon had, and (GD)the cities for his chariots, and the cities for (GE)his horsemen, and whatever Solomon (GF)desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel— 21 (GG)their descendants who were left after them in the land, (GH)whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction[aa]—(GI)these Solomon drafted to be (GJ)slaves, and so they are to this day. 22 But (GK)of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves. They were the soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, his chariot commanders and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work: (GL)550 (GM)who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

24 But (GN)Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to (GO)her own house that Solomon had built for her. (GP)Then he built (GQ)the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to the Lord, making offerings with it[ab] before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships at (GR)Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent (GS)with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to (GT)Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba

10 (GU)Now when (GV)the queen of (GW)Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came (GX)to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels (GY)bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.

6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 (GZ)Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 (HA)Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! (HB)Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, (HC)that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 (HD)Then she gave the king 120 talents[ac] of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 Moreover, (HE)the fleet of Hiram, which brought (HF)gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

Solomon's Great Wealth

14 (HG)Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels[ad] of gold went into each shield. 17 And he made 300 (HH)shields of beaten gold; three minas[ae] of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in (HI)the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top,[af] and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of (HJ)the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had (HK)a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[ag]

23 (HL)Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh,[ah] spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 (HM)And Solomon gathered together (HN)chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the (HO)chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as (HP)the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's (HQ)import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of (HR)the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:1 Ch 5:15 in Hebrew
  2. 1 Kings 5:11 A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters
  3. 1 Kings 5:11 Septuagint; Hebrew twenty
  4. 1 Kings 6:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  5. 1 Kings 6:4 Or blocked lattice windows
  6. 1 Kings 6:5 Or platform; also verse 10
  7. 1 Kings 6:6 Septuagint; Hebrew structure, or platform
  8. 1 Kings 6:8 Septuagint, Targum; Hebrew middle
  9. 1 Kings 6:20 Vulgate; Hebrew And before the inner sanctuary
  10. 1 Kings 6:20 Septuagint made
  11. 1 Kings 6:31 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
  12. 1 Kings 7:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  13. 1 Kings 7:2 Septuagint three
  14. 1 Kings 7:5 Septuagint; Hebrew posts
  15. 1 Kings 7:7 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew floor
  16. 1 Kings 7:15 Targum, Syriac (compare Septuagint and Jeremiah 52:21); Hebrew and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second pillar
  17. 1 Kings 7:17 Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse
  18. 1 Kings 7:18 Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars
  19. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  20. 1 Kings 7:26 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters
  21. 1 Kings 8:12 Septuagint The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but
  22. 1 Kings 8:37 Septuagint, Syriac in any of their cities
  23. 1 Kings 8:65 Septuagint; Hebrew seven days and seven days, fourteen days
  24. 1 Kings 9:8 Syriac, Old Latin; Hebrew will become high
  25. 1 Kings 9:14 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  26. 1 Kings 9:18 Hebrew lacks of Judah
  27. 1 Kings 9:21 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
  28. 1 Kings 9:25 Septuagint lacks with it
  29. 1 Kings 10:10 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  30. 1 Kings 10:16 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  31. 1 Kings 10:17 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
  32. 1 Kings 10:19 Or and at the back of the throne was a calf's head
  33. 1 Kings 10:22 Or baboons
  34. 1 Kings 10:25 Or armor
Listen to 1 Kings 5-10
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1 Kings 5-10
New International Version

Preparations for Building the Temple(A)

5 [a]When Hiram(B) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. 2 Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

3 “You know that because of the wars(C) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build(D) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet.(E) 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest(F) on every side, and there is no adversary(G) or disaster. 5 I intend, therefore, to build a temple(H) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’(I)

6 “So give orders that cedars(J) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord(K) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. 9 My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea(L), and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food(M) for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors[b] of wheat as food(N) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths[c][d] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom,(O) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.(P)

13 King Solomon conscripted laborers(Q) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram(R) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred[e] foremen(S) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry(T) large blocks of high-grade stone(U) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram(V) and workers from Byblos(W) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Solomon Builds the Temple(X)

6 In the four hundred and eightieth[f] year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month,(Y) he began to build the temple of the Lord.(Z)

2 The temple(AA) that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high.[g] 3 The portico(AB) at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits,[h] and projected ten cubits[i] from the front of the temple. 4 He made narrow windows(AC) high up in the temple walls. 5 Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.(AD) 6 The lowest floor was five cubits[j] wide, the middle floor six cubits[k] and the third floor seven.[l] He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.

7 In building the temple, only blocks dressed(AE) at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool(AF) was heard at the temple site while it was being built.

8 The entrance to the lowest[m] floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third. 9 So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar(AG) planks. 10 And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.

11 The word of the Lord came(AH) to Solomon: 12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands(AI) and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise(AJ) I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon(AK) my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon(AL) built the temple and completed(AM) it. 15 He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, paneling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling,(AN) and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper.(AO) 16 He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.(AP) 17 The main hall in front of this room was forty cubits[n] long. 18 The inside of the temple was cedar,(AQ) carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen.

19 He prepared the inner sanctuary(AR) within the temple to set the ark of the covenant(AS) of the Lord there. 20 The inner sanctuary(AT) was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.(AU) 21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

23 For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim(AV) out of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24 One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. 25 The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. 26 The height of each cherub was ten cubits. 27 He placed the cherubim(AW) inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. 28 He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 On the walls(AX) all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim,(AY) palm trees and open flowers. 30 He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.

31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors out of olive wood that were one fifth of the width of the sanctuary. 32 And on the two olive-wood doors(AZ) he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold. 33 In the same way, for the entrance to the main hall he made doorframes out of olive wood that were one fourth of the width of the hall. 34 He also made two doors out of juniper wood, each having two leaves that turned in sockets. 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.

36 And he built the inner courtyard(BA) of three courses(BB) of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.

37 The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details(BC) according to its specifications.(BD) He had spent seven years building it.

Solomon Builds His Palace

7 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.(BE) 2 He built the Palace(BF) of the Forest of Lebanon(BG) a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high,[o] with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. 3 It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. 4 Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. 5 All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other.[p]

6 He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide.[q] In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.

7 He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge,(BH) and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling.[r](BI) 8 And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.(BJ)

9 All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces. 10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits[s] and some eight.[t] 11 Above were high-grade stones, cut to size, and cedar beams. 12 The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses(BK) of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the Lord with its portico.

The Temple’s Furnishings(BL)(BM)

13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram,[u](BN) 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom,(BO) with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all(BP) the work assigned to him.

15 He cast two bronze pillars,(BQ) each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.[v] 16 He also made two capitals(BR) of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits[w] high. 17 A network of interwoven chains adorned the capitals on top of the pillars, seven for each capital. 18 He made pomegranates in two rows[x] encircling each network to decorate the capitals on top of the pillars.[y] He did the same for each capital. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits[z] high. 20 On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates(BS) in rows all around. 21 He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin[aa] and the one to the north Boaz.[ab](BT) 22 The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars(BU) was completed.

23 He made the Sea(BV) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line(BW) of thirty cubits[ac] to measure around it. 24 Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

25 The Sea stood on twelve bulls,(BX) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 It was a handbreadth[ad] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.[ae]

27 He also made ten movable stands(BY) of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high.[af] 28 This is how the stands were made: They had side panels attached to uprights. 29 On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim—and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work. 30 Each stand(BZ) had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side. 31 On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit[ag] deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half.[ah] Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all of cast metal.

34 Each stand had four handles, one on each corner, projecting from the stand. 35 At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit[ai] deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand. 36 He engraved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around. 37 This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same molds and were identical in size and shape.

38 He then made ten bronze basins,(CA) each holding forty baths[aj] and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands. 39 He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple. 40 He also made the pots[ak] and shovels and sprinkling bowls.(CB)

So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the Lord:

41 the two pillars;

the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network decorating the bowl-shaped capitals(CC) on top of the pillars);

43 the ten stands with their ten basins;

44 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it;

45 the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls.(CD)

All these objects that Huram(CE) made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain(CF) of the Jordan between Sukkoth(CG) and Zarethan.(CH) 47 Solomon left all these things unweighed,(CI) because there were so many;(CJ) the weight of the bronze(CK) was not determined.

48 Solomon also made all(CL) the furnishings that were in the Lord’s temple:

the golden altar;

the golden table(CM) on which was the bread of the Presence;(CN)

49 the lampstands(CO) of pure gold (five on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary);

the gold floral work and lamps and tongs;

50 the pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes(CP) and censers;(CQ)

and the gold sockets for the doors of the innermost room, the Most Holy Place, and also for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

51 When all the work King Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated(CR)—the silver and gold and the furnishings(CS)—and he placed them in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.

The Ark Brought to the Temple(CT)

8 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs(CU) of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark(CV) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.(CW) 2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival(CX) in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.(CY)

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests(CZ) took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting(DA) and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites(DB) carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing(DC) so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

6 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant(DD) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,(DE) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.(DF) 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed(DG) the ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.(DH) 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets(DI) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud(DJ) filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And the priests could not perform their service(DK) because of the cloud, for the glory(DL) of the Lord filled his temple.

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;(DM) 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell(DN) forever.”

14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed(DO) them. 15 Then he said:

“Praise be to the Lord,(DP) the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt,(DQ) I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name(DR) might be there, but I have chosen(DS) David(DT) to rule my people Israel.’

17 “My father David had it in his heart(DU) to build a temple(DV) for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 19 Nevertheless, you(DW) are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’(DX)

20 “The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded(DY) David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built(DZ) the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(EA)

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands(EB) toward heaven 23 and said:

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like(EC) you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love(ED) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises(EE) you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised(EF) your servant David my father come true.

27 “But will God really dwell(EG) on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven,(EH) cannot contain(EI) you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open(EJ) toward(EK) this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name(EL) shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray(EM) toward this place. Hear(EN) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.(EO)

31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(EP) before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.(EQ)

33 “When your people Israel have been defeated(ER) by an enemy because they have sinned(ES) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,(ET) 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(EU) because your people have sinned(EV) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach(EW) them the right way(EX) to live, and send rain(EY) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 “When famine(EZ) or plague(FA) comes to the land, or blight(FB) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(FC) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(FD) toward this temple— 39 then hear(FE) from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive(FF) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know(FG) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40 so that they will fear(FH) you all the time they live in the land(FI) you gave our ancestors.

41 “As for the foreigner(FJ) who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for they will hear(FK) of your great name and your mighty hand(FL) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know(FM) your name and fear(FN) you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.(FO)

44 “When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray(FP) to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.(FQ)

46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(FR)—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive(FS) to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead(FT) with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;(FU) 48 and if they turn back(FV) to you with all their heart(FW) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray(FX) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple(FY) I have built for your Name;(FZ) 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;(GA) 51 for they are your people and your inheritance,(GB) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.(GC)

52 “May your eyes be open(GD) to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.(GE) 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance,(GF) just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”

54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed(GG) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

56 “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(GH) to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(GI) he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(GJ) us. 58 May he turn our hearts(GK) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60 so that all the peoples(GL) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.(GM) 61 And may your hearts(GN) be fully committed(GO) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

The Dedication of the Temple(GP)

62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices(GQ) before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated(GR) the temple of the Lord.

64 On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat(GS) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar(GT) that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.(GU)

65 So Solomon observed the festival(GV) at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath(GW) to the Wadi of Egypt.(GX) They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good(GY) things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

The Lord Appears to Solomon(GZ)

9 When Solomon had finished(HA) building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared(HB) to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

“I have heard(HC) the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name(HD) there forever. My eyes(HE) and my heart will always be there.

4 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart(HF) and uprightness, as David(HG) your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,(HH) 5 I will establish(HI) your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail(HJ) to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

6 “But if you[al] or your descendants turn away(HK) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[am] and go off to serve other gods(HL) and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land(HM) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(HN) Israel will then become a byword(HO) and an object of ridicule(HP) among all peoples. 8 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[an] who pass by will be appalled(HQ) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(HR) 9 People will answer,(HS) ‘Because they have forsaken(HT) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(HU) on them.’”

Solomon’s Other Activities(HV)

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold(HW) he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul,[ao](HX) a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents[ap] of gold.(HY)

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted(HZ) to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[aq](IA) the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,(IB) Megiddo and Gezer.(IC) 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter,(ID) Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,(IE) 18 Baalath,(IF) and Tadmor[ar] in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities(IG) and the towns for his chariots(IH) and for his horses[as]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,(II) Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(IJ) (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(IK) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[at](IL)—to serve as slave labor,(IM) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(IN) of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials(IO) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter(IP) had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.(IQ)

25 Three(IR) times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built ships(IS) at Ezion Geber,(IT) which is near Elath(IU) in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.[au] 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailors(IV) who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophir(IW) and brought back 420 talents[av] of gold,(IX) which they delivered to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon(IY)

10 When the queen of Sheba(IZ) heard about the fame(JA) of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.(JB) 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan(JC)—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table,(JD) the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at[aw] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe(JE) these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth(JF) you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear(JG) your wisdom! 9 Praise(JH) be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love(JI) for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice(JJ) and righteousness.”

10 And she gave the king 120 talents[ax] of gold,(JK) large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir;(JL) and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood[ay] and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports[az] for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor(JM)

14 The weight of the gold(JN) that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,[ba] 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields(JO) of hammered gold; six hundred shekels[bb] of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas[bc] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.(JP)

18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.(JQ) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships[bd](JR) at sea along with the ships(JS) of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

23 King Solomon was greater in riches(JT) and wisdom(JU) than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom(JV) God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift(JW)—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses;(JX) he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,[be] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common(JY) in Jerusalem as stones,(JZ) and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig(KA) trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue[bf]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[bg] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites(KB) and of the Arameans.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-18 is numbered 5:15-32.
  2. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, probably about 3,600 tons or about 3,250 metric tons
  3. 1 Kings 5:11 Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 2:10); Hebrew twenty cors
  4. 1 Kings 5:11 That is, about 120,000 gallons or about 440,000 liters
  5. 1 Kings 5:16 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 2 Chron. 2:2,18) thirty-six hundred
  6. 1 Kings 6:1 Hebrew; Septuagint four hundred and fortieth
  7. 1 Kings 6:2 That is, about 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 27 meters long, 9 meters wide and 14 meters high
  8. 1 Kings 6:3 That is, about 30 feet or about 9 meters; also in verses 16 and 20
  9. 1 Kings 6:3 That is, about 15 feet or about 4.5 meters; also in verses 23-26
  10. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters; also in verses 10 and 24
  11. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 9 feet or about 2.7 meters
  12. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters
  13. 1 Kings 6:8 Septuagint; Hebrew middle
  14. 1 Kings 6:17 That is, about 60 feet or about 18 meters
  15. 1 Kings 7:2 That is, about 150 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 45 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high
  16. 1 Kings 7:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  17. 1 Kings 7:6 That is, about 75 feet long and 45 feet wide or about 23 meters long and 14 meters wide
  18. 1 Kings 7:7 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew floor
  19. 1 Kings 7:10 That is, about 15 feet or about 4.5 meters; also in verse 23
  20. 1 Kings 7:10 That is, about 12 feet or about 3.6 meters
  21. 1 Kings 7:13 Hebrew Hiram, a variant of Huram; also in verses 40 and 45
  22. 1 Kings 7:15 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
  23. 1 Kings 7:16 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters; also in verse 23
  24. 1 Kings 7:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts made the pillars, and there were two rows
  25. 1 Kings 7:18 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts pomegranates
  26. 1 Kings 7:19 That is, about 6 feet or about 1.8 meters; also in verse 38
  27. 1 Kings 7:21 Jakin probably means he establishes.
  28. 1 Kings 7:21 Boaz probably means in him is strength.
  29. 1 Kings 7:23 That is, about 45 feet or about 14 meters
  30. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  31. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 12,000 gallons or about 44,000 liters; the Septuagint does not have this sentence.
  32. 1 Kings 7:27 That is, about 6 feet long and wide and about 4 1/2 feet high or about 1.8 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high
  33. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  34. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 2 1/4 feet or about 68 centimeters; also in verse 32
  35. 1 Kings 7:35 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  36. 1 Kings 7:38 That is, about 240 gallons or about 880 liters
  37. 1 Kings 7:40 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Vulgate (see also verse 45 and 2 Chron. 4:11); many other Hebrew manuscripts basins
  38. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  39. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  40. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all
  41. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul sounds like the Hebrew for good-for-nothing.
  42. 1 Kings 9:14 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  43. 1 Kings 9:15 Or the Millo; also in verse 24
  44. 1 Kings 9:18 The Hebrew may also be read Tamar.
  45. 1 Kings 9:19 Or charioteers
  46. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  47. 1 Kings 9:26 Or the Sea of Reeds
  48. 1 Kings 9:28 That is, about 16 tons or about 14 metric tons
  49. 1 Kings 10:5 Or the ascent by which he went up to
  50. 1 Kings 10:10 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  51. 1 Kings 10:11 Probably a variant of algumwood; also in verse 12
  52. 1 Kings 10:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  53. 1 Kings 10:14 That is, about 25 tons or about 23 metric tons
  54. 1 Kings 10:16 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms; also in verse 29
  55. 1 Kings 10:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms; or perhaps reference is to double minas, that is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms.
  56. 1 Kings 10:22 Hebrew of ships of Tarshish
  57. 1 Kings 10:26 Or charioteers
  58. 1 Kings 10:28 Probably Cilicia
  59. 1 Kings 10:29 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms
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