Solomon’s Prayer. ²² Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and stretching forth his hands toward heaven, ²³ he said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep covenant and love toward your servants who walk before you with their whole heart, ²⁴ the covenant that you kept toward your servant, David my father, what you promised him; your mouth has spoken and your hand has fulfilled this very day. ^25 (A)And now, Lord, God of Israel, keep toward your servant, David my father, what you promised: There shall never be wanting someone from your line to sit before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants keep to their way, walking before me as you have. ²⁶ Now, God of Israel, may the words you spoke to your servant, David my father, be confirmed.

²⁷ “Is God indeed to dwell on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built! ²⁸ Regard kindly the prayer and petition of your servant, Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. ²⁹ May your eyes be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, My name shall be there; listen to the prayer your servant makes toward this place. ³⁰ Listen to the petition of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer toward this place. Listen, from the place of your enthronement, heaven, listen and forgive.

^31 (B)“If someone sins in some way against a neighbor and is required to take an oath sanctioned by a curse, and comes and takes the oath before your altar in this house, ³² listen in heaven; act and judge your servants. Condemn the wicked, requiting their ways; acquit the just, rewarding their justice.

³³ “When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you, and then they return to you, praise your name, pray to you, and entreat you in this house, ³⁴ listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave their ancestors.

³⁵ “When the heavens are closed, so that there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, but they pray toward this place and praise your name, and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, ³⁶ listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel (for you teach them the good way in which they should walk). Give rain to this land of yours which you have given to your people as their heritage.

³⁷ “If there is famine in the land or pestilence; or if blight comes, or mildew, or locusts, or caterpillars; if an enemy of your people presses upon them in the land and at their gates; whatever plague or sickness there may be; ³⁸ whatever prayer or petition any may make, any of your people Israel, who know heartfelt remorse and stretch out their hands toward this house, ³⁹ listen in heaven, the place of your enthronement; forgive and take action. Render to each and all according to their ways, you who know every heart; for it is you alone who know the heart of every human being. ⁴⁰ So may they revere you as long as they live on the land you gave our ancestors.

⁴¹ “To the foreigners, likewise, who are not of your people Israel, but who come from a distant land for the sake of your name ⁴² (since people will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), when they come and pray toward this house, ⁴³ listen in heaven, the place of your enthronement. Do all that the foreigner asks of you, that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, may revere you as do your people Israel, and may know that your name has been invoked upon this house that I have built.

⁴⁴ “When your people go out to war against their enemies, by whatever way you send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the house I have built for your name, ⁴⁵ listen in heaven to their prayer and petition, and uphold their cause.

^46 (C)“When they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), and in your anger against them you deliver them to an enemy, so that their captors carry them off to the land of the enemy, far or near, ⁴⁷ and they have a change of heart in the land of their captivity and they turn and entreat you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked’; ⁴⁸ if with their whole heart and soul they turn back to you in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, the city you have chosen, and the house I have built for your name, ⁴⁹ listen in heaven, your dwelling place, to their prayer and petition, and uphold their cause. ⁵⁰ Forgive your people who have sinned against you and all the offenses they have committed against you, and grant them mercy in the sight of their captors, so that these will be merciful to them. ⁵¹ For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace.

⁵² “Thus may your eyes be open to the petition of your servant and to the petition of your people Israel; thus may you listen to them whenever they call upon you. ⁵³ For you have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord my God.”