3. Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.
4. He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.
5. He told David, ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel.
6. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live, and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’
7. Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.
8. The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.
9. But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’
10. 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
11. and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”
12. He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
13. Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was seven and one-half feet long, seven and one-half feet wide, and four and one-half feet high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky,
14. and prayed: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.