5. ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel.
6. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
7. Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the lord, the God of Israel.
8. But the lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
9. but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’
10. “And now the lord has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the lord promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the lord, the God of Israel.
11. There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that the lord made with the people of Israel.”
12. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.
13. Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 71/2 feet long, 71/2 feet wide, and 41/2 feet high and had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.
14. He prayed,“O lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.
15. You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.
16. “And now, O lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
17. Now, O lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.