17. “My father David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.
18. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘It was good that you wanted to build a temple for me.
19. But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who comes from your own body, is the one who will build my temple.’
20. “Now the Lord has kept his promise. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.
21. I have made a place there for the Ark, in which is the Agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
22. Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar, and all the Israelites were standing behind him. He spread out his hands toward the sky
23. and said:“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you.
24. You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and finished it with your hands today.
25. Now Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘If your sons are careful to obey me as you have obeyed me, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.’
26. Now, God of Israel, please continue to keep that promise you made to your servant David, my father.