CHAP. VIII. The dedication of the temple.

thereof, and on the borders thereof, he he put among the treasures of the house of graved cherubims, lions, and palm-trees, the LORD. according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.

THEN Solomon assembled the elders 37 After this manner he made the ten of Israel, and all the heads of the bases: all of them had one casting, one tribes, the chief of the fathers of the chilmeasure, and one size. dren 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.

39 And he put five bases on the right themselves unto king Solomon at the feast side of the house, and five on the left side in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh of the house: and he set the sea on the month. right side of the house eastward, over against the south.

50 And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the cen- 13 I have surely built thec a house to sers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide. both for the doors of the inner house, the in for ever. most holy place, and for the doors of the 14 And the king turned his face about, house, to wit, of the temple. and blessed all the congregation of Israel: 51 So was ended all the work that king and all the congregation of Israel stood; Solomon made for the house of the LORD. 15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD And Solomon brought in the things which God of Israel, which spake with his mouth David his father had dedicated: even the unto David my father, and hath with his silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did hand fulfilled it, saying,

The prayer of Solomon,

I. KINGS.

and his thanksgiving

16 Since the day that I brought forth 30 And hearken thou to the supplication my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, city out of all the tribes of Israel to build when they shall pray toward this place: a house, that my name might be therein; and hear thou in heaven thy dwellingbut I chose David to be over my people place: and when thou hearest, forgive. Israel. 31 If any man trespass against his 17 And it was in the heart of David my neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him father to build a house for the name of to cause him to swear, and the oath come the LORD God of Israel. before thine altar in this house:

18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build a 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 a 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 T 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:

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 peo23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, ple Israel, that thou teach them the good there is no God like thee, in heaven above, way wherein they should walk, and give or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant rain upon thy land, which thou hast given and mercy with thy servants that walk be- to thy people for an inheritance. fore thee with all their heart:

37 If there be in the land famine, if

24 Who hast kept with thy servant Da- there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, lovid my father that thou promisedst him: cust, or if there be caterpillar; if their thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast enemy besiege them in the land of their fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. cities, whatsoever plague, whatsoever sick25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, ness there be;

keep with thy servant David my father that 38 What prayer and supplication soever thou promisedst him, saying, There shall be made by any man, or by all thy people not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the Israel, which shall know every man the throne of Israel; so that thy children take plague of his own heart, and spread forth heed to their way, that they walk before his hands toward this house: me as thou hast walked before me.

39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwell

26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy ing-place, and forgive, and do, and give word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou to every man according to his ways, whose spakest unto thy servant David my father. heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou 27 But will God indeed dwell on the only, knowest the hearts of all the children earth? behold the heaven and heaven of of men ;)

heavens cannot contain thee; how much, 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest

less this house that I have builded?

28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer unto our fathers. of thy servant, and to his supplication, O 41 Moreover, concerning a stranger, that LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out and to the prayer, which thy servant pray-of a far country for thy name's sake; eth before thee to-day:

42 (For they shall hear of thy great

29 That thine eyes may be open to- name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy ward this house night and day, even to-stretched-out arm;) when he shall come ward the place of which thou hast said, and pray toward this house; My name shall be there: that thou mayest 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwellinghearken unto the prayer which thy servant place, and do according to all that the shall make toward this place. stranger calleth to thee for: that all peo

at the dedication.

CHAP. IX. God's covenant with Solomon.

ple 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.

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

45 Then hear thou in heaven their fathers. prayer and their supplication, and main- 59 And let these my words wherewith tain their cause. I have made supplication before the LORD, 46 If they sin against thee, (for there is be nigh unto the LORD our God day and no man that sinneth not,) and thou be an-night, that he maintain the cause of his gry with them, and deliver them to the ene-servant, and the cause of his people Israel my, so that they carry them away captives at all times, as the matter shall require : unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 60 That all the people of the earth may. 47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves know that the LORD is God, and that there in the land whither they were carried cap-is none else.

tives, and repent, and make supplication 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect unto thee in the land of them that carried with the LORD our God, to walk in his stathem captives, saying, We have sinned, tutes, and to keep his commandments, as and have done perversely, we have com- at this day.

mitted wickedness;

62¶ And the king, and all Israel with 48 And so return unto thee with all their him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. heart, and with all their soul, in the land 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of of their enemies which led them away cap- peace-offerings, which he offered unto the tive, and pray unto thee toward their land, LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and which thou gavest unto their fathers, the a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. city which thou hast chosen, and the house So the king and all the children of Israel which I have built for thy name: dedicated the house of the LORD.

49 Then hear thou their prayer and 64.The same day did the king hallow their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-the middle of the court that was before the place, and maintain their cause, house of the LORD: for there he offered

50 And forgive thy people that have sin- burnt-offerings, and meat-offerings, and ned against thee, and all their transgres- the fat of the peace-offerings: because the sions wherein they have transgressed brazen altar that was before the LORD was against thee, and give them compassion be- too little to receive the burnt-offerings, and fore them who carried them captive, that meat-offerings, and the fat of the peace they may have compassion on them: offerings.

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 thing inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou

broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O

Lord God.

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. CHAP. IX.

AND it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of 54 And it was so, that when Solomon the LORD, and the king's house, and all Sohad made an end of praying all this prayer lomon's desire which he was pleased to do, and supplication unto the LORD, he arose 2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon from before the altar of the LORD, from the second time, as he had appeared unto kneeling on his knees with his hands spread him at Gibeon. up to heaven.

3 And the LORD said unto him, I have, 55 And he stood and blessed all the con- heard thy prayer and thy supplication that gregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, thou hast made before me: I have hallow56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given ed this house, which thou hast built, to put rest unto his people Israel, according to all my name there for ever; and mine eyes

Presents of Solomon and Hiram. I. KINGS. Solomon's yearly sacrifices.

and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the 4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as wilderness, in the land,

David thy father walked, in integrity of 19 And all the cities of store that Soloheart, and in uprightness, to do accord-mon had, and cities for his chariots, and ing to all that I have commanded thee, cities for his horsemen, and that which and wilt keep my statutes and my judg-Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his

ments:

5 Then I will establish the throne of dominion. thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I 20 And all the people that were left of promised to David thy father, saying, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, There shall not fail thee a man upon the and Jebusites, which were not of the chilthrone of Israel. dren of Israel,

6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service unto this day.

7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the 22 But of the children of Israel did Soland which I have given them; and this lomon make no bond-men: but they were house which I have hallowed for my name, men of war, and his servants, and his will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall princes, and his captains, and rulers of his be a proverb and a by-word among all chariots, and his horsemen.

people:

23 These were the chief of the officers

8 And at this house, which is high, every that were over Solomon's work, five hunone that passeth by it shall be astonished, dred and fifty, which bare rule over the and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why people that wrought in the work. hath the LORD done thus unto this land, 24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up and to this house? out of the city of David unto her house

9 And they shall answer, Because they which Solomon had built for her: then did forsook the LORD their God, who brought he build Millo.

forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, 25 And three times in a year did Soloand have taken hold upon other gods, and mon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerhave worshipped them, and served them: ings upon the altar which he built unto the therefore hath the LORD brought upon LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar them all this evil. that was before the LORD. So he finished

10 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of the house. twenty years, when Solomon had built the 26 And king Solomon made a navy two houses, the house of the LORD, and of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside the king's house, Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the 11 (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had land of Edom. furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and 27 And Hiram sent in the navy his serfir-trees, and with gold, according to all vants, shipmen that had knowledge of the his desire,) that then king Solomon gave sea, with the servants of Solomon. Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to from thence gold, four hundred and twenty see the cities which Solomon had given talents, and brought it to king Solomon. him; and they pleased him not. CHAP. X.

13 And he said, What cities are these the fame of Solomon concerning ND when the queen of Sheba heard which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

this day.

14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare 15 And this is the reason of the levy spices, and very much gold, and precious which king Solomon raised; for to build stones: and when she was come to Solothe house of the LORD, and his own house, mon, she communed with him of all that and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and was in her heart. Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

3 And Solomon told her all her ques16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone tions: there was not any thing hid from up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with the king, which he told her not. fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in 4 And when the queen of Sheba had the city, and given it for a present unto seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house bis daughter, Solomon's wife. that he had built,

17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance

The queen of Sheba's visit.

CHAP. XI.

Solomon's magnificence.

of his ministers, and their apparel, and his steps: there was not the like made in any cup-bearers, and his ascent by which he kingdom.

went up unto the house of the LORD; there 21 ¶ And all king Solomon's drinking was no more spirit in her. vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of 6 And she said to the king, It was a the house of the forest of Lebanon were of true report that I heard in mine own land pure gold; none were of silver: it was of thy acts and of thy wisdom. nothing accounted "of in the days of Solomon:

7 Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wis

9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which dom. delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne 24 And all the earth sought to Soloof Israel: because the LORD loved Israel mon, to hear his wisdom, which God had for ever, therefore made he thee king, to put in his heart.

do judgment and justice.

25 And they brought every man his 10 And she gave the king a hundred present, vessels of silver, and vessels of and twenty talents of gold, and of spices gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, very great store, and precious stones: horses, and mules, a rate year by year. there came no more such abundance of 26 And Solomon gathered together spices as these which the queen of Sheba chariots, and horsemen: and he had a gave to king Solomon. thousand and four hundred chariots, and 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that twelve thousand horsemen, whom he be brought gold from Ophir, brought in from stowed in the cities for chariots, and with Ophir great plenty of almug-trees, and the king at Jerusalem. precious stones.

27 And the king made silver to be in 12 And the king made of the almug, Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the for the king's house, harps also and psal-vale, for abundance.

teries for singers: there came no such al- 28 T And Solomon had horses brought mug-trees, nor were seen unto this day. out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's

13 And king Solomon gave unto the merchants received the linen yarn at a queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever price.

she asked, besides that which Solomon 29 And a chariot came up and went out gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and went to her own country, she and her and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for 14 T Now the weight of gold that came the kings of Syria, did they bring them out to Solomon in one year was six hundred by their means. threescore and six talents of gold,

servants.

BU

CHAP. XI.

15 Besides that he had of the merchant-DUT king Solomon loved many strange men, and of the traffick of the spice-mer- women, together with the daughter of chants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonof the governors of the country. ites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they 17 And he made three hundred shields come in unto you: for surely they will of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went turn away your heart after their gods: Soto one shield: and the king put them in lomon clave unto these in love. the house of the forest of Lebanon.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, 18 Moreover, the king made a great princesses, and three hundred concubines: throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the and his wives turned away his heart. best gold. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon

19 The throne had six steps, and the was old, that his wives turned away his top of the throne was round behind; and heart after other gods: and his heart was there were stays on either side on the place not perfect with the LORD his God, as was of the seat, and two lions stood beside the the heart of David his father. stays. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the 20 And twelve lions stood there on the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milone side and on the other upon the six com the abomination of the Ammonites.