8. On this occasion Solomon and with him all Israel, a great assembly from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt, celebrated the festival for seven days.
9. On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the feast for seven days.
10. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people to their tents, rejoicing and glad of heart because of all the blessings the Lord had given to David, to Solomon, and to his people Israel.
11. Solomon finished building the house of the Lord, the house of the king, and everything else he wanted to do in regard to the house of the Lord and his own house.
12. The Lord appeared to Solomon during the night and said to him: I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for my house of sacrifice.
13. If I close heaven so that there is no rain, if I command the locust to devour the land, if I send pestilence among my people,
14. if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.
15. Now, therefore, my eyes shall be open and my ears attentive to the prayer of this place;
16. now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart shall be there always.