Chapter 7

Now when Solomon had made an end¹⁵ of praying,⁹⁹ the fire came down¹ from heaven, and consumed⁴ the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled¹ the house.

And the priests could¹ not enter² into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled¹ the LORD'S house.

And when all the children of Israel saw⁶ how the fire came down,² and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed⁴ themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped,¹⁰¹ and praised⁵³ the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

Then the king and all the people offered⁶ sacrifices before the LORD.

And king Solomon offered⁴ a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated⁴ the house of God.

And the priests waited⁶ on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made¹ to praise⁵³ the LORD, because his mercy [endureth] for ever, when David praised¹⁵ by their ministry; and the priests sounded^{56 2690 18} trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.⁶

Moreover Solomon hallowed¹⁷ the middle of the court that [was] before the house of the LORD: for there he offered¹ burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made¹ was not able¹ to receive⁵³ the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.

Also at the same time Solomon kept⁴ the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in² of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

And in the eighth day they made⁴ a solemn assembly: for they kept¹ the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away¹⁴ into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed¹ unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

Thus Solomon finished¹⁷ the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came⁶ into Solomon's heart to make² in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.⁵²

And the LORD appeared¹¹ to Solomon by night, and said⁴ unto him, I have heard¹ thy prayer, and have chosen¹ this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

If I shut up⁴ heaven that there be no rain, or if I command¹⁷ the locusts to devour² the land, or if I send¹⁷ pestilence among my people;

If my people, which are called⁸ by my name, shall humble¹¹ themselves, and pray,¹⁰¹ and seek¹⁷ my face, and turn⁴ from their wicked ways; then will I hear⁴ from heaven, and will forgive⁴ their sin, and will heal⁴ their land.

Now mine eyes shall be open,⁷ and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.

For now have I chosen¹ and sanctified⁵² this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. ³¹¹⁷

And as for thee, if thou wilt walk⁴ before me, as David thy father walked,¹ and do² according to all that I have commanded¹⁴ thee, and shalt observe⁴ my statutes and my judgments;

Then will I stablish⁵² the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted¹ with David thy father, saying,² There shall not fail¹¹ thee a man [to be] ruler⁶ in Israel.

But if ye turn away,⁴ and forsake¹ my statutes and my commandments, which I have set¹ before you, and shall go¹ and serve¹ other gods, and worship⁹⁸ them;

Then will I pluck them up by the roots¹ out of my land which I have given¹ them; and this house, which I have sanctified⁵² for my name, will I cast out⁵⁵ of my sight, and will make⁴ it [to be] a proverb and a byword among all nations.

And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment⁴ to every one that passeth⁶ by it; so that he shall say,¹ Why hath the LORD done¹ thus unto this land, and unto this house?

And it shall be answered,¹ Because they forsook¹ the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth⁵² out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold⁵⁵ on other gods, and worshipped¹⁰¹ them, and served⁴ them: therefore hath he brought⁵² all this evil upon them.