1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. 7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the 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 had filled the house of the LORD.
12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever. 14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) 15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, 16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. 17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name. 20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: 24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. 26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; 38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; 42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: 45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; 48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: 51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee. 53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. 64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. 65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
1 Daarna het Salomo die oudstes van Israel en al die stamhoofde, die familie-owerstes van die kinders van Israel, by koning Salomo in Jerusalem byeen laat kom om die verbondsark van die HERE uit die stad van Dawid, dit is Sion, op te bring.
2 En al die manne van Israel het by koning Salomo op die fees vergader in die maand Âtanim, dit is die sewende maand.
3 Toe al die oudstes van Israel daar kom, het die priesters die ark opgeneem
4 en die ark van die HERE en die tent van samekoms gebring saam met al die heilige voorwerpe wat in die tent was; naamlik die priesters en die Leviete het dit gebring.
5 En terwyl koning Salomo en die hele by hom vergaderde gemeente van Israel saam met hom voor die ark staan, het hulle kleinvee en beeste geoffer wat vanweë die menigte nie getel of bereken kon word nie.
6 Verder het die priesters die verbondsark van die HERE na sy plek gebring, in die binneste vertrek van die huis, in die Allerheiligste, onder die vlerke van die g,rubs in.
7 Want die g,rubs het die vlerke uitgesprei oor die plek van die ark, sodat die g,rubs die ark en sy draaghoute van bo af beskut het.
8 En die draaghoute was so lank, dat die punte van die draaghoute uit die Heilige, vlak voor die binneste vertrek, gesien kon word, maar verder buitentoe was hulle nie sigbaar nie; en hulle is daar tot vandag toe.
9 Daar was niks in die ark nie as net die twee kliptafels wat Moses by Horeb daarin neergelê het, toe die HERE 'n verbond met die kinders van Israel gesluit het by hulle uittog uit Egipteland.
10 En toe die priesters uit die heiligdom uitgaan, het die wolk die huis van die HERE vervul.
11 En die priesters kon vanweë die wolk nie staan om diens te doen nie, want die heerlikheid van die HERE het die huis van die HERE vervul.
12 Toe het Salomo gesê: Die HERE het gesê dat Hy in donkerheid wil woon.
13 Verseker het ek vir U 'n woonhuis gebou, 'n vaste plek vir U om ewig in te woon.
14 Daarop draai die koning sy aangesig om en seën die hele vergadering van Israel, terwyl die hele vergadering van Israel staan.
15 En hy sê: Geloofd sy die HERE, die God van Israel, wie se hand volbring het wat sy mond met my vader Dawid gespreek en gesê het:
16 Van die dag af dat Ek my volk Israel uit Egipte uitgelei het, het Ek geen stad verkies uit al die stamme van Israel om 'n huis te bou, dat my Naam daar sou wees nie; maar Ek het Dawid verkies om oor my volk Israel te wees.
17 Toe dit dan in die hart van my vader Dawid was om 'n huis te bou vir die Naam van die HERE, die God van Israel,
18 het die HERE aan my vader Dawid gesê: Dat dit in jou hart was om vir my Naam 'n huis te bou -- daarin het jy goed gehandel, dat dit in jou hart was.
19 Net maar, jy sal die huis nie bou nie, maar jou seun wat uit jou lendene sal voortkom, die sal vir my Naam die huis bou.
20 En die HERE het sy woord vervul wat Hy gespreek het, sodat ek opgestaan het in die plek van my vader Dawid, en ek sit op die troon van Israel soos die HERE gespreek het; en ek het die huis gebou vir die Naam van die HERE, die God van Israel,
21 en daar 'n plek ingerig vir die ark, waarin die verbond van die HERE is, met ons vaders gesluit toe Hy hulle uit Egipteland uitgelei het.
22 Toe het Salomo voor die altaar van die HERE gaan staan, teenoor die hele vergadering van Israel, en sy hande uitgebrei na die hemel
23 en gesê: HERE, God van Israel, daar is bo in die hemel of onder op die aarde geen God soos U nie, wat die verbond en die goedertierenheid hou vir u knegte wat voor u aangesig wandel met hulle hele hart,
24 wat vir u kneg, my vader Dawid, u belofte aan hom gehou het; ja, met u mond het U dit gespreek en met u hand volbring soos dit vandag is.
25 Hou nou ook, HERE, God van Israel, die belofte wat U aan u kneg, my vader Dawid, gedoen het, naamlik: Daar sal vir jou nooit 'n man voor my aangesig ontbreek wat op die troon van Israel sal sit nie as jou seuns net hulle weg in ag neem deur te wandel voor my aangesig soos jy voor my aangesig gewandel het.
26 Laat dan nou, o God van Israel, u woord tog waargemaak word wat U gespreek het tot u kneg, my vader Dawid.
27 Maar sou God werklik op die aarde woon? Kyk, die hemel, ja, die hoogste hemel kan U nie bevat nie, hoeveel minder hierdie huis wat ek gebou het.
28 Wend U dan tot die gebed van u kneg en tot sy smeking, HERE my God, deur te luister na die geroep en die gebed wat u kneg vandag voor u aangesig bid;
29 sodat u oë oop mag wees nag en dag oor hierdie huis, oor die plek waarvan U gesê het: My Naam sal daar wees! sodat U mag luister na die gebed wat u kneg na hierdie plek toe sal bid.
30 Luister dan na die smeking van u kneg en van u volk Israel wat hulle na hierdie plek toe sal bid; ja, mag U hoor elke gebed na u woonplek, na die hemel toe, en as U dit hoor, vergewe dan.
31 As iemand teen sy naaste sondig en hulle hom 'n eed oplê om hom tot selfvervloeking te bring en hy voor u altaar in hierdie huis kom sweer,
32 wil U dan hoor in die hemel en handel en u knegte reg verskaf deur die skuldige skuldig te verklaar en sy wandel op sy hoof te lê en die regverdige regverdig te verklaar deur hom te gee na sy geregtigheid.
33 As u volk Israel verslaan word voor 'n vyand, omdat hulle teen U gesondig het, en hulle hul tot U bekeer en u Naam bely en tot U bid en smeek in hierdie huis,
34 wil U dan hoor in die hemel en die sonde van u volk Israel vergewe en hulle terugbring na die land wat U aan hulle vaders gegee het.
35 As die hemel toegesluit bly, dat daar geen reën is nie, omdat hulle teen U gesondig het, maar hulle na hierdie plek toe bid en u Naam bely en van hulle sonde hul bekeer, omdat U hulle verootmoedig,
36 wil U dan hoor in die hemel en die sonde van u knegte en van u volk Israel vergewe -- want U leer hulle die goeie weg waar hulle in moet wandel -- en gee reën op u land wat U aan u volk as 'n erfenis gegee het.
37 As daar hongersnood is in die land, as daar pes is, as daar brandkoring, heuningdou, sprinkane, kaalvreters is, as sy vyand hom in die land, in sy poorte dit benoud maak, watter plaag, watter siekte ook al,
38 enige gebed, enige smeking wat enigeen van u hele volk Israel sal doen, as elkeen die plaag van sy hart ken, sodat hy sy hande na hierdie huis toe uitbrei --
39 wil U dan hoor in die hemel, u vaste woonplek, en vergewe en handel en aan elkeen gee volgens sy weë, U wat sy hart ken -- want U alleen ken die hart van al die mensekinders --
40 sodat hulle U kan vrees al die dae wat hulle leef in die land wat U aan ons vaders gegee het.
41 Ja, ook na die uitlander wat nie van u volk Israel is nie, en uit 'n ver land ter wille van u Naam kom --
42 want hulle sal hoor van u grote Naam en u sterke hand en u uitgestrekte arm -- as hy kom en bid na hierdie huis toe,
43 wil U dan hoor uit die hemel, u vaste woonplek, en doen volgens alles waaroor die uitlander U sal aanroep, sodat al die volke van die aarde u Naam mag ken, om U te vrees soos u volk Israel, en mag gewaar word dat u Naam uitgeroep is oor hierdie huis wat ek gebou het.
44 As u volk uittrek in die oorlog teen sy vyand op die pad waarop U hulle stuur, en hulle bid tot die HERE in die rigting van die stad wat U verkies het, en van die huis wat ek vir u Naam gebou het,
45 wil dan in die hemel hulle gebed en hulle smeking hoor en aan hulle hul reg verskaf.
46 As hulle teen U sondig -- want daar is geen mens wat nie sondig nie -- en U op hulle toornig is en hulle aan 'n vyand oorgee en hulle veroweraars hulle as gevangenes wegvoer na die land van die vyand, ver of naby,
47 en hulle dit ter harte neem in die land waarheen hulle as gevangenes weggevoer is, en hulle hul bekeer en U smeek in die land van die wat hulle weggevoer het, en sê: Ons het gesondig en verkeerd gehandel, ons was goddeloos --
48 en hulle hul tot U bekeer met hul hele hart en met hul hele siel, in die land van hul vyande wat hulle weggevoer het, en hulle bid tot U in die rigting van hulle land wat U aan hulle vaders gegee het, van die stad wat U verkies het, en die huis wat ek vir u Naam gebou het,
49 wil dan in die hemel, u vaste woonplek, hulle gebed en hulle smeking hoor en aan hulle hul reg verskaf,
50 en vergeef u volk wat hulle teen U gesondig het, ja, al hulle oortredinge wat hulle teen U begaan het; en laat hulle barmhartigheid vind voor die wat hulle weggevoer het, dat die hulle barmhartig kan wees.
51 Want hulle is u volk en u erfdeel wat U uit Egipte uitgelei het uit die ystersmeltoond.
52 Mag u oë dan oop wees vir die smeking van u kneg en vir die smeking van u volk Israel, om na hulle te luister so dikwels as hulle U aanroep.
53 Want U het hulle vir U as erfdeel afgesonder uit al die volke van die aarde, soos U deur die diens van u kneg Moses gespreek het toe U, Here HERE, ons vaders uit Egipte uitgelei het.
54 Net toe Salomo gereed was om hierdie hele gebed en smeking tot die HERE te bid, het hy voor die altaar van die HERE opgestaan uit sy knielende houding, met sy hande na die hemel uitgebrei;
55 en hy het gaan staan en die hele vergadering van Israel hardop geseënen gesê:
56 Geloofd sy die HERE wat aan sy volk Israel rus gegee het net soos Hy gespreek het: geen enkele woord het onvervuld gebly van al die goeie woorde wat Hy deur die diens van sy kneg Moses gespreek het nie.
57 Mag die HERE onse God met ons wees soos Hy met ons vaders gewees het; mag Hy ons nie verlaat en ons nie verwerp nie --
58 deur ons hart tot Hom te neig om in al sy weë te wandel en om sy gebooie en sy insettinge en sy verordeninge wat Hy ons vaders beveel het, te onderhou.
59 En mag hierdie woorde van my, waarmee ek voor die aangesig van die HERE gesmeek het, dag en nag naby die HERE onse God wees, sodat Hy reg kan verskaf aan sy kneg en aan sy volk Israel na die eis van elke dag;
60 sodat al die volke van die aarde kan weet dat die HERE God is, niemand meer nie.
61 Laat julle hart dan volkome met die HERE onse God wees om te wandel in sy insettinge en sy gebooie te onderhou, soos vandag.
62 En die koning, en die hele Israel saam met hom, was besig om slagoffers voor die aangesig van die HERE te slag.
63 Salomo het naamlik as die dankoffer wat hy aan die HERE gebring het, twee en twintig duisend beeste en honderd en twintig duisend stuks kleinvee geslag; so het hulle dan die huis van die HERE ingewy, die koning en al die kinders van Israel.
64 Op die dag het die koning die middel van die voorhof geheilig wat voor die huis van die HERE was; want daar het hy die brandoffer en die spysoffer en die vetstukke van die dankoffers berei, omdat die koperaltaar voor die aangesig van die HERE te klein was om die brandoffer en die spysoffer en die vetstukke van die dankoffers te bevat.
65 So het Salomo dan in die tyd die fees gehou en die hele Israel saam met hom, 'n groot vergadering van die ingang na Hamat af tot by die spruit van Egipte, voor die aangesig van die HERE onse God, sewe dae en sewe dae, veertien dae lank.
66 Op die agtste dag het hy die volk laat gaan, en hulle het die koning geseënen na hul tente gegaan, verheug en opgeruimd oor al die goeie dinge wat die HERE aan sy kneg Dawid en sy volk Israel gedoen het.