2 Chronicles 6:3-11

3While all the Israelite people stood there, the king turned round towards them. He prayed that God would bless them.

4He 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.

5He told David, “I brought my people out of 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. I have not chosen a man to be the leader of my people, the Israelites.

6But now I have chosen Jerusalem to be the place where my people worship me. And I have chosen David to rule Israel, my people, as king.”

7My father David wanted very much to build a temple to give honour to the Lord, Israel's God.

8But the Lord said to my father David, “It was good that you wanted to build a temple to give me honour.

9But you will not build the temple. Instead, one of your own sons will build it to give honour to me.”

10Now 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.

11I have put the Covenant Box there. It contains the covenant that the Lord made with the Israelites.’