13. O Lord, truly I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.”
14. Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.
15. He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.
16. He told David, ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’
17. Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.
18. The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.
19. But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’
20. The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel
21. and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
22. Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky.
23. He prayed: “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.
24. You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.
25. Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’
26. Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant, my father David, be realized.
27. “God does not really live on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!
28. But respond favorably to your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you today.
29. Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.
30. Respond to the request of your servant and your people Israel for this place. Hear from inside your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably.
31. “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, be willing to forgive the accused if the accusation is false.