Solomon Addresses the People^(A)

6 Then Solomon said, “Yahweh said he would live in a dark cloud. ² But I have built you a high temple, a home for you to live in permanently.”

³ Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly from Israel while they were standing. ⁴ “Thanks be to Yahweh Elohim of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David; with his hand he carried it out. He said, ⁵ ‘Ever since I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I didn’t choose any city from the tribes of Israel as a place to build a temple for my name. And I didn’t choose any man to be prince over my people Israel. ⁶ But now I’ve chosen Jerusalem to be a place for my name; I’ve chosen David to rule my people Israel.’

⁷ “My father David had his heart set on building a temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. ⁸ However, Yahweh said to my father David, ‘Since you had your heart set on building a temple for my name, your intentions were good. ⁹ But you must not build the temple. Instead, your own son will build the temple for my name.’ ¹⁰ Yahweh has kept the promise he made. I’ve taken my father David’s place, and I sit on the throne of Israel as Yahweh promised. I’ve built the temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. ¹¹ I’ve put the ark which contains Yahweh’s promise to Israel there.”