1 Kings 8:14-24

14While all the Israelite people stood there, the king turned round towards them. He prayed that God would bless them.

15He said, ‘Praise the Lord, Israel's God, as he deserves. He has used his power to do what he promised to do for my father David.

16He told David, “I brought my people, the Israelites, out from Egypt. From that time, I have not chosen a city in any of Israel's tribes to build a temple where my people would worship me. Now I have chosen David to rule Israel, my people, as king.”

17My father David wanted very much to build a temple to give honour to the Lord, Israel's God.

18But the Lord said to my father David, “It was good that you wanted to build a temple to give me honour.

19But you will not build the temple. Instead, one of your own sons will build it to give honour to me.”

20Now the Lord has done what he promised to do. I now rule Israel as king on the throne of my father David, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple to give honour to the Lord, Israel's God.

21I have made a place there for the Covenant Box. It contains the covenant that the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.’

22Then Solomon stood in front of the Lord's altar. All the Israelite people who had come together there could see him. He lifted up his hands towards the sky.

23He prayed, ‘Lord, Israel's God, there is no God like you, either in heaven above or down here on the earth. You continue to do what you have promised to do for your people. You faithfully love those who want to serve you.

24You have done what you promised to do for your servant, my father David. You have used your power to finish today everything that you said you would do.