The One Year Bible for Men - Flipbook - Page 70
July 22
punished them, 27 then hear from heaven
and forgive the sins of your servants, your
people Israel. Teach them to follow the
right path, and send rain on your land that
you have given to your people as their
special possession.
28 “If there is a famine in the land or a
plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts
or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies
are in the land besieging their t owns—
whatever disaster or disease there is—
29 and if your people Israel pray about their
troubles or sorrow, raising their hands
toward this Temple, 30 then hear from
heaven where you live, and forgive. Give
your people what their actions deserve, for
you alone know each human heart. 31 Then
they will fear you and walk in your ways as
long as they live in the land you gave to our
ancestors.
32 “In the future, foreigners who do not
belong to your people Israel will hear of
you. They will come from distant lands
when they hear of your great name and
your strong hand and your powerful arm.
And when they pray toward this Temple,
33 then hear from heaven where you live,
and grant what they ask of you. In this
way, all the people of the earth will come
to know and fear you, just as your own
people Israel do. They, too, will know
that this Temple I have built honors your
name.
34 “If your people go out where you send
them to fight their enemies, and if they
pray to you by turning toward this city you
have chosen and toward this Temple I have
built to honor your name, 35 then hear their
prayers from heaven and uphold their
cause.
36 “If they sin against y
ou—and who has
never sinned?—you might become angry
with them and let their enemies conquer
them and take them captive to a foreign
land far away or near. 37 But in that land of
exile, they might turn to you in repentance
and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and
acted wickedly.’ 38 If they turn to you with
their whole heart and soul in the land of
their captivity and pray toward the land
you gave to their ancestors—toward
this city you have chosen, and toward
this Temple I have built to honor your
name—39 then hear their prayers and their
petitions from heaven where you live, and
uphold their cause. Forgive your people
who have sinned against you.
40 “O my God, may your eyes be open and
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your ears attentive to all the prayers made
to you in this place.
41
42
“And now arise, O Lord God, and enter
your resting place,
along with the Ark, the symbol of your
power.
May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed
with salvation;
may your loyal servants rejoice in
your goodness.
O Lord God, do not reject the king you
have anointed.
Remember your unfailing love for
your servant David.”
7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed
down from heaven and burned up the burnt
offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious
presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The
priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord
because the glorious presence of the Lord
filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the
fire coming down and the glorious presence of
the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down
on the ground and worshiped and praised the
Lord, saying,
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!”
4 Then the king and all the people offered
sacrifices to the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered
a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep
and goats. And so the king and all the people
dedicated the Temple of God. 6 The priests took
their assigned positions, and so did the Levites
who were singing, “His faithful love endures
forever!” They accompanied the singing with
music from the instruments King David had
made for praising the Lord. Across from the
Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while
all Israel stood.
7 Solomon then consecrated the central area
of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s Temple.
He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace
offerings there, because the bronze altar he
had built could not hold all the burnt offer
ings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat.
8 For the next seven days Solomon and all
Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters.* A
large congregation had gathered from as far
away as L ebo-hamath in the north and the
Brook of Egypt in the south. 9 On the eighth
day they had a closing ceremony, for they
had celebrated the dedication of the altar for
seven days and the Festival of Shelters for
seven days. 10 Then at the end of the celebra
tion,* Solomon sent the people home. They
were all joyful and glad because the Lord had
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