1 Kings 8:22-53

22Then 1Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and he 2spread out his hands toward heaven. 23And he said, “Lord, God of Israel, 3there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, 4keeping the covenant and showing faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You 5promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25Now then, Lord, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have 6promised him, saying, ‘78You shall not be deprived of a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me as you have walked.’ 26Now then, God of Israel, let Your words, please, be confirmed, 9which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.

27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, 10heaven and the 11highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the 12prayer of Your servant and to his plea, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today, 2913so that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward 14the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place. 30And 15listen to the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel, 16when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and 17forgive!

31“18If a person sins against his neighbor and is compelled to take an oath of innocence, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 32then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, 19condemning the wicked by 20bringing his way on his own head, and acquitting the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

33“21When Your people Israel are 22defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, 23if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and implore Your 24favor in this house, 34then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave their fathers.

35“25When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; 26indeed, teach them the good way in which they are to walk. And 27provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

37“28If there is a famine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is 29blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy harasses them in the land of their 30cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38whatever prayer or plea 31is offered by any person or by all Your people Israel, 32each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his 33hands toward this house; 39then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act, and give to each in accordance with all his ways, 34whose heart You know--for 35You alone know the hearts of all 36mankind-- 40so that they will 37fear You all the days that they live on the 38land which You have given to our fathers.

41“Also regarding the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country on account of Your name 42(for they will hear of Your great name 39and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, 43hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and act in accordance with all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order 40that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to 41fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that 42this house which I have built is called by Your name.

44“When Your people go out to battle against 43their enemy, by whatever way You send them, and 44they pray to the Lord 45toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their pleading, and maintain their cause.

46“When they sin against You (for 46there is no person who does not sin) and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that 47they take them away captive 48to the land of the enemy, distant or near; 4749if they 50take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your 51favor in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘52We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 4853if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and 54pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; 49then hear their prayer and their pleading in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their wrongdoings which they have committed against You, and 55make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, so that they will have compassion on them 51(56for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought out of Egypt, 57from the midst of the iron furnace), 5258so that Your eyes may be open to the pleading of Your servant and to the pleading of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53For You have singled them out from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, 59just as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord 60God.”