2 Chronicles chapter .vi.
¶ Then Salomon said: the LORD hath spoken it, how that he will dwell in darkness.
And I have built an habitation for thee and a place to dwell in for ever.
And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood.
And he said: blessed be the LORD God of Israel which spake with his mouth to my father David and hath fulfilled it with his hands, for God said:
since the time I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there, neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel.
But now I have chosen Ierusalem to have my name there, and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel:
But the LORD said to David my father: for as much as it was in thine heart, to build an house for my name, thou didst well that thou hadst it in thine heart.
Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house, but thy son which shall issue out of thy loins, he shall build an house for my name.
And the LORD hath made good his saying that he hath spoken. For I arose in the room of David my father, and sat on the seat of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
And therein I have put the Ark wherein the covenant of the LORD made with the children of Israel, is.
¶ And he stepped forth before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and stretched out his hands,
now Salomon had made a Brazen pulpit of five cubits long and five cubits broad, and three of height, and had set it in the midst of the great court, upon that he stepped and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and stretched out his hands to heaven
and said: LORD God of Israel there is no God like thee either in heaven or in earth, which keepest covenant and shewest mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts.
Which hast kept with David my father that thou promisedest him: thou saidest it with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is to see this day.
Now LORD God of Israel keep with thy servant David my father, that thou promisedest him saying: thou shalt not be without one or other in my sight that shall sit upon the seat of Israel. Of this condition yet, if thy children will take heed to their ways to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
Now LORD God of Israel let thy saying be true,
which thou saidest unto thy servant David. How be it in very deed, can God dwell with man on earth? Behold, neither heaven or heaven above all heavens is able to contain thee: how should the house then which I have built for thee do it?
But turn to the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication (O LORD my God) to hearken unto the voice and prayer which thy servant maketh before thee.
That thine eyes be open over this house day and night, and over the place of which thou hast said, that thou wouldest put thy name there: to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth at this place:
Hearken therefore unto the prayers of thy servant and of thy people Israel, which they pray in this place. But hear thou it out of thy dwelling place heaven: and when thou hearest it be merciful.
If a man sin against his neighbour, and an adjuration be laid to his charge, to adjure him withal, and the adjuration come before thine altar in this house:
then hear thou from heaven, and work and judge thy servants, that thou reward the evil and bring his way upon his head, and justify the righteous and give him according to his righteousness.
Likewise if thy people Israel be put to the worse before their enemies, because they have sinned against thee: Yet if they turn and confess thy name, and make intercession and pray before thee in this house:
Then hear thou from heaven and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
If heaven be shut up, that there be no rain, because they have sinned against thee: yet if they pray at this place and confess thy name and turn from their sins at thy scourging:
Then hear thou from heaven and be merciful unto the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel, that thou shew them a good way to walk in, and send rain upon thy land which thou hast given unto thy people, for an inheritance.
If there chance dearth in the land, pestilence, burning or smiting of corn, grasshoppers or caterpillars, or that their enemies besiege them in the cities of their own land, or whatsoever plague or sickness it be.
Then all the supplications and prayers that shall be made of all men among all thy people Israel, which shall know every man his own sore and his own grief, and shall stretch out their hands towards this house:
thou shalt hear from heaven thy dwelling place, and shalt be merciful, and give every man according unto all his way, even as thou shalt know every man's heart: for thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of Adam:
that they may fear thee and walk in thy ways as long as they live upon the earth, which thou gavest to our fathers.
Thereto a stranger which is not of thy people Israel, if he come from a far land for thy great name's sake and thy mighty hand and stretched out arm, and therefore come and pray at this house:
thou shalt hear him from heaven thy dwelling place, and shalt do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for. That all the nations of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doeth thy people Israel: and that it may be known how that this house which I have built, is called after thy name.
When thy people shall go out to war, against their enemies the way that thou shalt send them. If they pray to thee, the way toward this city which thou hast chosen, and house which I have built for thy name:
then hear from heaven, their supplication and prayer, and help them in their right.
If they shall sin against thee (as there is no man, but that he shall sin) and thou be angry with them and deliver them to their enemies, and they lead them away captive unto a land far or near,
yet if their hearts come to them again in the land where they be in captivity, and turn and pray unto thee in the land where they be in captivity saying: we have sinned and have done evil and wickedly
and turn again to thee, with all their hearts and all their souls, in the land of their captivity where they be kept in bondage, and so pray toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers, and city which thou hast chosen, and to his house which I have built for thy name:
Then hear from heaven thy dwelling place, their supplication and prayers and judge their cause, and be merciful unto thy people, though they have sinned against thee.
So now my God let thine eyes be open and thine ears attent unto the prayers made in this place.
And now up LORD God in thy resting place: both thou and the Ark of thy strength, and let thy priests put on victory and thy saints rejoice in goodness.
And LORD God turn not away the face of thine anointed: But remember the mercies promised to David thy servant.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.