10-11. “And now you see the promise completed. God has done what he said he would do; I have succeeded David my father and now rule Israel; and I have built a temple to honor God, the God of Israel, and have secured a place for the Chest that holds the Covenant of God, the covenant he made with the people of Israel.”
12-16. Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took his position at the Altar of God and stretched out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze dais seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high and placed it inside the court; that’s where he now stood. Then he knelt in full view of the whole congregation, stretched his hands to heaven, and prayed:God, O God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below, who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and unfailingly loves them while they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your promise. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today!Keep it up, God, O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, “You’ll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel’s throne, on the one condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have.”
17. O God, God of Israel, let this all happen—confirm and establish it!
18-21. Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn’t large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I’ve built. Even so, I’m bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God, my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I’m setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place. And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place.Listen from your home in heavenand when you hear, forgive.
22. When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple,
23. Listen from heaven and act;judge your servants, making the offender pay for the offenseAnd set the offended free,dismissing all charges.
24-25. When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they’ve sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple,Listen from your home in heaven;forgive the sin of your people Israel,return them to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26-27. When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quit their sins because you have scourged them,Listen from your home in heaven,forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel.Then start over with them;train them to live right and well;Send rain on the landyou gave as inheritance to your people.
28-31. When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort—any prayer that’s prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, their hearts penetrated by disaster, hands and arms thrown out for help to this Temple,Listen from your home in heaven, forgive and reward us:reward each life and circumstance,For you know each life from the inside,(you’re the only one with such inside knowledge!),So they’ll live before you in lifelong reverence and believingobedience on this land you gave our ancestors.