1 Kings 8 :: Amplified Bible (AMP)

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion.

Then Solomon said,

“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness [of the cloud].

“I have certainly built You a lofty house,

A place for You to dwell in forever.”

Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.

Then Solomon stood [in the courtyard] before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!

“If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath [of innocence] and he comes to take the oath before Your altar in this house (temple),

“When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and then they turn to You again and praise Your Name and pray and ask for Your favor and compassion in this house (temple),

“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them,

“If there is famine in the land, or if there is pestilence (plague), blight, mildew, migratory locusts, or grasshoppers, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever affliction or plague, whatever sickness [there is],

“Moreover, concerning a [fn]foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, but comes from a far (distant) country for the sake of Your name [to plead with You]

“When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the house that I have built for Your Name and Presence,

“When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the enemy’s land, [whether] far away or near;

When Solomon finished offering this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the LORD’S altar, where he had knelt down with his hands stretched toward heaven.

“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, in accordance with everything that He promised. Not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He spoke through Moses His servant.

Then the king and all [the people of] Israel with him [repeatedly] offered sacrifice before the LORD.

So at that time Solomon held the [fn]feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath [on the northern border of Israel] to the [fn]Brook of Egypt [at Israel’s southern border], before the LORD our God, for seven days and seven more days [beyond the prescribed period for the Feast of Booths], fourteen days in all.