PART
ONE: v.1-11: Solomon recounts what has happened
v.1-4
Solomon speaks of God fulfilling His word
v.1
Then
Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark
cloud;
v.2
I
have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell
for ever.'
v.3
While
the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned
round and blessed them.
v.4
Then
he said:
‘Praise
be to the Lord
, the God of
Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with
his mouth to my father David. For he said,
v.5,6
God has now chosen Jerusalem and David
v.5
“Since
the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a
city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my
Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over
my people Israel.
v.6
But
now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be
there, and I have chosen David to rule my people
Israel.”
v.7-9
God has stopped David building the Temple
v.7
‘My
father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name
of the Lord
, the God of
Israel.
v.8
But
the Lord
said to my father David, “You did well to have it in your heart
to build a temple for my Name.
v.9
Nevertheless,
you 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.”
v.10,11
The Lord had now brought Solomon to rule and His ark is in the
Temple
v.10
‘The
Lord
has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father
and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord
promised,
and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord
, the God of
Israel.
v.11
There
I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord
that he made
with the people of Israel.'
PART
TWO: v.12-41: Solomon's prayer of dedication
v.12,13
Solomon prays before the people
v.12
Then
Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord
in front of
the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
v.13
Now
he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide
and three cubits high, and had placed it in the centre of the
outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before
the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands towards
heaven.
v.14
He acknowledges the Lord's greatness & faithfulness to His
word
v.14
He
said:
‘Lord,
the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth –
you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue
wholeheartedly in your way.
v.15
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.
v.16,17
He asks the Lord to fully fulfil His promise to David
v.16
‘Now,
Lord,
the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father
the promises 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 according to my law, as you have done.”
v.17
And
now, Lord,
the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your
servant David come true.
v.18,19
Although God cannot be contained, yet He has come near
v.18
‘But
will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even
the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple
that I have built!
v.19
Yet,
Lord
my God, give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for
mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying
in your presence.
v.20,21
He asks the Lord to hear and forgive
v.20
May
your eyes be open towards this temple day and night, this place
of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear
the prayer your servant prays towards this place.
v.21
Hear
the supplications of your servant and of your people
Israel when they pray towards this place. Hear from heaven,
your dwelling-place; and when you hear, forgive.
v.22,23
He asks the Lord to bring justice here
v.22
‘When
anyone wrongs their neighbour and is required to take an oath
and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple,
v.23
then
hear from heaven and act. Judge between your
servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads
what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating
them in accordance with their innocence.
v.24,25
When there has been defeat and repentance, hear and forgive
v.24
‘When
your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they
have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise
to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this
temple,
v.25
then
hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your
people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them
and their ancestors.
v.26,27
When there has been drought then repentance, forgive and send
rain
v.26
‘When
the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people
have sinned against you, and when they pray towards this place
and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you
have afflicted them,
v.27
then
hear from heaven and forgive the sin
of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way
to live, and send rain on the land that you gave your people for
an inheritance.
v.28-31
When pleading for famine etc. please hear, forgive and act
v.28
‘When
famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts
or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their
cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,
v.29
and
when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel –
being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out
their hands towards this temple –
v.30
then
hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Forgive,
and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know
their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),
v.31
so
that they will fear you and walk in obedience to you all the time
they live in the land that you gave our ancestors.
v.32,33
When foreigners come near and pray, hear and act
v.32
‘As
for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but
has come from a distant land because of your great name and your
mighty hand and your outstretched arm – when they come and
pray towards this temple,
v.33
then
hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Do whatever
the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth
may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel,
and may know that this house that I have built bears your Name.
v.34,35
When Israel, sent to war, pray, then hear and act on their behalf
v.34 ‘When
your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send
them, and when they pray to you towards this city you have chosen
and the temple I have built for your Name,
v.35
then
hear from heaven their prayer and their plea,
and uphold their cause.
v.36-39
When Israel sin and repent, hear and forgive
v.36
‘When
they sin against you – for there is no one who does not sin –
and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy,
who takes them captive to a land far away or near;
v.37
and
if they have a change of heart in the land where they
are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of
their captivity and say, “We have sinned, we have done wrong and
acted wickedly”;
v.38
and
if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul
in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray
towards the land that you gave their ancestors, towards the
city you have chosen and towards the temple that I have built
for your Name;
v.39
then
from heaven, your dwelling-place, hear
their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause.
And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
v.40-42
A final petition fpr God to come with blessing
v.40
‘Now,
my God, may your eyes be open and your ears
attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
v.41
‘Now
arise, Lord
God, and come
to your resting place,
you and the ark
of your might.
May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with
salvation,
may
your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.
v.42
Lord
God, do not reject your anointed one.
Remember the
great love promised to David your servant.'
Continue
to Ch.7