1 Then Solomon said,

3 The king turned and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly of Israel stood. 4 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with his hands what he spoke with his mouth to my father David, saying, 5 ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house for my name to be there, nor did I choose anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But I have chosen Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 7 My father David had it in his heart to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a house for my name. 9 Nevertheless, you will not build the house. Your son, who will come from your own body, will build the house for my name.’ 10 The LORD has fulfilled the word he spoke. I have risen in place of my father David and have sat on the throne of Israel, as the LORD said, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the Israelites.” 12 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform about seven and a half feet long, seven and a half feet wide, and four and a half feet high, and placed it in the middle of the court. He stood on it, then knelt on his knees before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and faithful love with your servants who walk before you with all their hearts. 15 You have kept what you promised your servant David my father. You spoke with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today. 16 Now, LORD, God of Israel, keep what you promised your servant David my father, saying, ‘You will never lack a man before me to sit on the throne of Israel, provided your sons guard their ways and walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ 17 Now, LORD, God of Israel, let the word you spoke to your servant David be confirmed. 18 But will God truly dwell with human beings on earth? Heaven, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you—how much less this house I have built! 19 Yet attend to your servant's prayer and plea, LORD my God. Listen to the cry and the prayer your servant offers before you. 20 May your eyes be open toward this house day and night, toward the place where you said you would put your name, to hear the prayer your servant offers toward this place. 21 Hear the pleas of your servant and your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from your dwelling place, from heaven; hear and forgive. 22 If a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and comes to swear before your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven, act, and judge your servants. Repay the wicked by bringing his conduct back on his own head, and vindicate the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

24 If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn back, acknowledge your name, and pray and plead before you in this house, 25 then hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave them and their fathers.

26 When the heavens are shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name, and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, as you teach them the good way they should walk in. Send rain on your land, which you gave your people as an inheritance.

28 If there is famine in the land, or plague, blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land—whatever affliction or disease there may be— 29 whatever prayer or plea is offered by anyone or by all your people Israel, each knowing their own affliction and pain and spreading out their hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive. Give to each according to all their ways, for you know their hearts—you alone know the hearts of human beings— 31 so that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days they live in the land you gave our fathers.

32 Also, as for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but comes from a distant land because of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this house, 33 then hear from heaven, from your dwelling place, and do all the foreigner calls on you to do, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as your people Israel do, and know that this house I have built bears your name. 34 When your people go out to war against their enemies by the way you send them, and they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the house I have built for your name, 35 then hear their prayer and plea from heaven and uphold their cause. 36 When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, and their captors take them captive to a land far away or near, 37 if they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and turn back and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, and we have acted wickedly,’ 38 and they return to you with all their heart and all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they were taken captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen, and toward the house I have built for your name, 39 then hear their prayer and pleas from heaven, from your dwelling place, uphold their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 40 Now, my God, please let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 Now arise, LORD God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. May your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and may your faithful ones rejoice in what is good. 42 LORD God, do not turn away your anointed one. Remember the faithful love shown to David your servant.”