7When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple.H8010H3615H6419H784H3381H8064H398H5930H2077H3519H3068H4390H10042The priests could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.H3548H3201H935H1004H3068H3519H3068H4390H3068H10043When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying, "He is good! His faithful love endures forever!"H1121H3478H7200H784H3381H3519H3068H1004H3766H639H776H7531H7812H3034H3068H2896H2617H57694Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the LORD.H4428H5971H2076H2077H6440H30685King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.H4428H8010H2076H2077H6242H8147H505H1241H3967H6242H505H6629H4428H5971H2596H1004H4306The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, "His faithful love endures forever!" They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the LORD. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.H3548H5975H4931H3881H3627H7892H3068H1732H4428H6213H3034H3068H2617H5769H1732H1984H3027H3548H2690H2690H3478H59757Solomon then consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the LORD's Temple. He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar he had built could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat.H8010H6942H8432H2691H6440H1004H3068H6213H5930H2459H8002H5178H4196H8010H6213H3201H3557H5930H4503H24598For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.H6256H8010H6213H2282H7651H3117H3478H3966H1419H6951H935H2574H5158H47149On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the Festival of Shelters for seven days.H8066H3117H6213H6116H6213H2598H4196H7651H3117H2282H7651H311710Then at the end of the celebration, Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the LORD had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.H7969H6242H3117H7637H2320H7971H5971H7971H168H8056H2896H3820H2896H3068H6213H1732H8010H3478H5971
The Lord’s Response to Solomon
11So Solomon finished the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace.H8010H3615H1004H3068H4428H1004H935H8010H3820H6213H1004H3068H1004H674312Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.H3068H7200H8010H3915H559H8085H8605H977H4725H1004H207713At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you.H2005H6113H8064H4306H6680H2284H398H776H7971H1698H597114Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.H5971H7121H8034H3665H6419H1245H6440H7725H7451H1870H8085H8064H5545H2403H7495H77615My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.H5869H6605H241H7183H8605H472516For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.H977H6942H1004H8034H5704H5769H5869H3820H311717"As for you, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations,H3212H6440H1732H1H1980H6213H6680H8104H2706H494118then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, 'One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.'H6965H3678H4438H3772H1732H1H559H3772H376H4910H347819"But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods,H7725H5800H2708H4687H5414H6440H1980H5647H312H430H781220then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.H5428H127H5414H1004H6942H8034H7993H6440H5414H4912H8148H597121And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, 'Why did the LORD do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?'H1004H5945H8074H5674H559H3068H6213H776H100422"And the answer will be, 'Because his people abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.'"H559H5800H3068H430H1H3318H776H4714H2388H312H430H7812H5647H935H7451
Unknown
. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.H6256
