53. After all, you picked them out of all the nations of the earth to be your special possession, just as you, O sovereign Lord, announced through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
54. When Solomon finished presenting all these prayers and requests to the Lord, he got up from before the altar of the Lord where he had kneeled and spread out his hands toward the sky.
55. When he stood up, he pronounced a blessing over the entire assembly of Israel, saying in a loud voice:
56. “The Lord is worthy of praise because he has made Israel his people secure just as he promised! Not one of all the faithful promises he made through his servant Moses is left unfulfilled!
57. May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us.
58. May he make us submissive, so we can follow all his instructions and obey the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors.
59. May the Lord our God be constantly aware of these requests of mine I have presented to him, so that he might vindicate his servant and his people Israel as the need arises.
60. Then all the nations of the earth will recognize that the Lord is the only genuine God.
61. May you demonstrate wholehearted devotion to the Lord our God by following his rules and obeying his commandments, as you are presently doing.”
62. The king and all Israel with him were presenting sacrifices to the Lord.
63. Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the Israelites dedicated the Lord’s temple.