Derības šķirsts tiek novietots templī
(2L 5:2–6:2)1 Tad Sālamans Jeruzālemē pulcināja Israēla vecajos, visu cilšu galvenos un Israēla dēlu tēvu namu vadoņus, lai pārnestu Kunga derības šķirstu no Dāvida pilsētas Ciānas. 2 Ētana mēnesī, kas ir septītais mēnesis, uz svētkiem pie ķēniņa Sālamana sapulcējās visi Israēla vīri. 3 Kad visi Israēla vecajie sanāca, priesteri ņēma šķirstu, 4 paņēma Kunga šķirstu, Saiešanas telti un visas svētlietas, kas bija teltī, un priesteri un levīti tās nesa. 5 Ķēniņš Sālamans un visa Israēla sapulce, kas pulcējās pie viņa šķirsta priekšā, upurēja sīklopus un liellopus, tos nevarēja ne saskaitīt, ne aplēst daudzuma dēļ. 6 Priesteri ienesa Kunga derības šķirstu savā vietā iekšnamā – svētumu svētumā zem ķerubu spārniem. 7 Ķerubu spārni bija izplesti pār šķirsta vietu, un ķerubi pārsedza šķirstu un nesamās kārtis no augšas. 8 Kārtis bija tik garas, ka kāršu galus varēja redzēt no svētvietas iekšnama priekšā, bet no ārpuses tās neredzēja. Tur tās ir līdz šai dienai. 9 Šķirstā nekā cita nebija, tikai divas akmens plāksnes, kuras tur ielika Mozus Horebā, kur Kungs noslēdza derību ar Israēla dēliem, kad izveda tos no Ēģiptes zemes. 10 Kad priesteri izgāja no svētvietas, mākonis piepildīja Kunga namu, 11 un mākoņa dēļ priesteri nevarēja nostāties kalpošanai, jo Kunga godība piepildīja Kunga namu. 12 Tad Sālamans sacīja:
“Kungs sacījis,
ka dzīvos tumšā padebesī!
13 Celt esmu tev uzcēlis dižu namu,
vietu, kur tev dzīvot mūžīgi!”
Sālamans svētī tautu
(2L 6:3–11)14 Tad ķēniņš pagriezās pret tiem un svētīja visu Israēla sapulci, un visa Israēla sapulce stāvēja. 15 Un viņš sacīja: “Svētīts ir Kungs, Israēla Dievs, kurš ar savu muti sacījis manam tēvam Dāvidam to, ko pats ar savu roku piepildījis, sacīdams: 16 kopš tās dienas, kad es izvedu savu tautu Israēlu no Ēģiptes, es visu Israēla cilšu starpā nebiju izvēlējies pilsētu, kur uzcelt namu, lai tajā mājotu mans vārds, taču es izvēlējos Dāvidu valdīt pār manu Israēla tautu, 17 un mans tēvs Dāvids vēlējās celt namu Kunga, Israēla Dieva, vārdam. 18 Bet Kungs sacīja manam tēvam Dāvidam: tu gribēji celt namu manam vārdam un darīji labu, to gribēdams, 19 tikai tu pats necelsi šo namu, bet tavs dēls, kas nācis no tava gurna, – viņš cels namu manam vārdam! 20 Kungs ir apstiprinājis savu vārdu, kuru viņš runājis, un es esmu nācis pēc mana tēva Dāvida un sēžu Israēla tronī, kā Kungs to ir sacījis, – es uzcēlu namu Kunga, Israēla Dieva, vārdam! 21 Es tur iekārtoju vietu derības šķirstam, kurā ir Kunga derība, ko viņš noslēdza ar mūsu tēviem, kad izveda tos no Ēģiptes zemes.”
Sālamana lūgšana tempļa iesvētīšanā
(2L 6:12–42)22 Sālamans stāvēja Kunga altāra priekšā, iepretī visai Israēla sapulcei, viņš cēla rokas pret debesīm 23 un sacīja: “Kungs, Israēla Dievs, nav tāda Dieva kā tu ne augšā debesīs, ne apakšā virs zemes, kas tā uzturētu derību un žēlastību pret saviem kalpiem, kuri staigā tavā priekšā no visas sirds. 24 Tu turēji solījumu savam kalpam, manam tēvam Dāvidam. Tu runāji ar savu muti un šodien ar savu roku to piepildīji! 25 Un tagad, Kungs, Israēla Dievs, turi, ko solīji savam kalpam, manam tēvam Dāvidam! Tu sacīji – tev netrūks, kas sēdēs Israēla tronī manā priekšā, ja tikai tavi dēli staigās manā priekšā tādus ceļus, kā tu staigāji. 26 Un tagad, Israēla Dievs, apstiprini jel savus vārdus, kurus tu sacīji savam kalpam, manam tēvam Dāvidam!
27 Vai tiešām Dievs mājo uz zemes? Redzi, debesis un debesu debesis neietver tevi, kur nu vēl šis nams, kuru es esmu uzcēlis! 28 Jel pievērsies sava kalpa lūgšanai un pazemīgam lūgumam, Kungs, mans Dievs! Uzklausi raudas un lūgšanas, ar kurām tavs kalps šodien nāk tavā priekšā! 29 Lai tavas acis ir atvērtas nakti un dienu pār šo namu – vietu, par kuru tu esi sacījis: tur mājos mans vārds! Sadzirdi lūgšanu, ko tavs kalps šeit sacīs! 30 Uzklausi sava kalpa un savas Israēla tautas lūgumu, ko viņi lūgs šajā vietā, uzklausi to savā mājoklī debesīs, uzklausi un piedod! 31 Ja kāds grēko pret savu tuvāko un tas viņu nozvērina, uzlikdams lāstu, bet viņš iet zvērēt šajā namā tava altāra priekšā, 32 tad tu uzklausi no debesīm un tiesā taisnīgi savus kalpus – notiesā grēcīgo, lai viņa nodarījums nāk pār viņa galvu, bet attaisno taisnīgo un dari viņam pēc taisnības.
33 Ja ienaidnieks sakautu tavu Israēla tautu, tādēļ ka viņi grēkojuši pret tevi – bet viņi tomēr atgriežas pie tevis un atzīst tavu vārdu, lūdz un izlūdzas šajā namā tavu žēlsirdību, 34 tad tu uzklausi no debesīm un piedod savai Israēla tautai viņas grēkus un atdod atpakaļ zemi, kuru tu esi devis viņu tēviem. 35 Ja debesis aizslēgtos un nelītu lietus, tādēļ ka viņi ir grēkojuši pret tevi – bet viņi lūdz šajā vietā un atzīst tavu vārdu, un atgriežas no saviem grēkiem, kaut tu esi viņus pazemojis, 36 tad tu uzklausi no debesīm un piedod grēkus saviem kalpiem un Israēla tautai, jo tu viņiem mācīsi labo ceļu, pa kuru staigāt, un sūtīsi lietu pār zemi, kuru tu esi devis savai tautai mantojumā.
37 Ja zemē ir bads, mēris, sausums, labības rūsa, siseņi, kukaiņi vai arī ienaidnieks ceļas pret zemes vārtiem un nāk posts un sērgas, 38 tad ikvienu lūgšanu, ikvienu pielūgšanu, ko tev lūdz jebkurš cilvēks no visas tavas Israēla tautas, kurš savā sirdī izprot postu un izstiepj rokas pret šo namu, 39 tu uzklausi no debesīm, savas mājvietas, piedod un atdari pēc viņa darbiem, jo tu vienīgais zini viņa sirdi, tu proti atšķirt katra cilvēka sirdi.
40 Lai tie tevis bīstas visas mūža dienas, kuras dzīvo šajā zemē, ko tu devi mūsu tēviem, 41 un arī svešzemnieks, kas nav no tavas Israēla tautas, bet ir atnācis no tālas zemes tava vārda dēļ, 42 jo ir dzirdējis tavu lielo vārdu, tavu stipro roku un izstiepto elkoni – ja viņš atnāks un lūgs šajā namā, 43 tad tu uzklausi no debesīm, savas mājvietas, un dari visu, kā dēļ svešzemnieks sauc uz tevi, lai visas zemes tautas pazītu tavu vārdu un bītos tevis, tāpat kā tava Israēla tauta, lai tās zinātu, ka pār šo namu, kuru es uzcēlu, ir pasludināts tavs vārds!
44 Ja tava tauta dodas karā pret ienaidniekiem – ceļā, kurā tu viņus sūti, – un tie pielūdz Kungu, pagriezušies pret to pilsētu, kuru tu esi izvēlējies, un namu, kuru es uzcēlu tavam vārdam, 45 tad tu no debesīm sadzirdi viņu lūgšanas un pielūgšanas un izspried viņu lietu. 46 Ja viņi grēko pret tevi – jo nav cilvēka, kas negrēkotu, – un tu dusmo uz tiem un liec ienaidniekam saņemt viņus un aizvest gūstā uz ienaidnieka zemi, kas tālu vai tuvu, 47 un, ja tajā zemē, kur viņi ir gūstā, viņu sirdis atgriežas un gūsta zemē tie lūdz tevi, sacīdami: mēs esam grēkojuši un bijuši netaisni un ļauni, – 48 un viņi atgriežas pie tevis no visas sirds un dvēseles savu ienaidnieku zemē, kur viņi ir gūstā, un viņi lūdz tevi, pagriezušies uz savu zemi, kuru tu devi viņu tēviem, uz pilsētu, kuru tu izvēlējies, un namu, kuru es uzcēlu tavam vārdam, – 49 tad uzklausi no debesīm, savas mājvietas, viņu lūgšanas un pielūgšanas un izspried viņu lietu. 50 Piedod savai tautai, kas pret tevi grēkojusi, visus pārkāpumus pret tevi un dod žēlsirdību, ka gūstītāji par tiem apžēlojas, 51 jo viņi ir tava tauta un tavs īpašums, kurus tu izvedi no Ēģiptes, no dzelzs cepļa. 52 Lai tavas acis ir atvērtas uz tava kalpa pielūgšanām un tavas Israēla tautas pielūgšanām, uzklausi visu, ko tie sauc uz tevi. 53 No visām zemes tautām tu viņus esi nošķīris sev par īpašumu, kā tu sacīji, kad ar sava kalpa Mozus roku liki izvest mūsu tēvus no Ēģiptes, Kungs Dievs!”
54 Kad Sālamans beidza lūgt Kungu, šo lūgšanu un pielūgšanu, viņš piecēlās, jo bija nometies ceļos Kunga altāra priekšā, un pacēla rokas pret debesīm. 55 Viņš nostājās un skaļā balsī svētīja visu Israēla sapulci: 56 “Svētīts lai ir Kungs, kas devis mieru savai Israēla tautai, kā viņš bija solījis. Neviens vārds no visiem viņa labajiem vārdiem, ko viņš sacījis caur savu kalpu Mozu, nav zudis! 57 Lai Kungs, mūsu Dievs, ir ar mums, tāpat kā viņš bija ar mūsu tēviem! Viņš lai mūs neatstāj un nepamet! 58 Pievērs sev mūsu sirdis, lai staigājam visus tavus ceļus un turam tavus baušļus, likumus un tiesas, ko tu pavēlēji mūsu tēviem. 59 Lai šie mani vārdi, kurus es izlūdzos Kunga priekšā, ir tuvu pie Kunga, mūsu Dieva, dienām un naktīm – lai viņš izspriež savu kalpu un savas Israēla tautas lietu dienu no dienas! 60 Lai visas zemes tautas zina, ka Kungs ir Dievs un cita nav! 61 Lai jūsu sirdis ir pie Kunga, mūsu Dieva. Staigājiet viņa likumos un turiet viņa baušļus tāpat kā šodien!”
Tempļa iesvētīšanai pienestie upuri
(2L 7:4–10)62 Tad ķēniņš kopā ar visu Israēlu upurēja Kunga priekšā. 63 Sālamans upurēja miera upuri, viņš Kungam upurēja divdesmit divus tūkstošus vēršu un simt divdesmit tūkstošus avju – to ķēniņš un visi Israēla dēli veltīja Kunga namam. 64 Todien ķēniņš iesvētīja iekšējo pagalmu, kas Kunga nama priekšā, tur viņš upurēja sadedzināmo upuri, labības dāvanu un miera upura taukus. Vara altāris, kas atradās Kunga priekšā, bija par mazu sadedzināmajam upurim, labības dāvanai un miera upura taukiem. 65 Tad Sālamans rīkoja svētkus, un viss Israēls no Hamātas līdz Ēģiptes ielejai bija kopā ar viņu lielā sapulcē Kunga, mūsu Dieva, priekšā septiņas dienas un vēl septiņas dienas, pavisam četrpadsmit dienas. 66 Astotajā dienā viņš tautu atlaida, tie svētīja ķēniņu un gāja uz savām teltīm priecīgi, līksmu sirdi par visu labo, ko Kungs bija darījis savam kalpam Dāvidam un Israēla tautai.
The Covenant Box Is Brought to the Temple
(2 Chronicles 5.2—6.2)1 Then King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem in order to take the Lord's Covenant Box from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. 2 They all assembled during the Festival of Shelters in the seventh month, in the month of Ethanim. 3 When all the leaders had gathered, the priests lifted the Covenant Box 4 and carried it to the Temple. The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of the Lord's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. 5 King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Covenant Box and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle—too many to count. 6 Then the priests carried the Covenant Box into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures. 7 Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. 8 The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. (The poles are still there today.) 9 There was nothing inside the Covenant Box except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt.
10 As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud 11 shining with the dazzling light of the Lord's presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties. 12 Then Solomon prayed:
“You, Lord, have placed the sun in the sky,
yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness.
13 Now I have built a majestic temple for you,
a place for you to live in forever.”
Solomon's Address to the People
(2 Chronicles 6.3-11)14 As the people stood there, King Solomon turned to face them, and he asked God's blessing on them. 15 He said, “Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him, 16 ‘From the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.’”
17 And Solomon continued, “My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel, 18 but the Lord said to him, ‘You were right in wanting to build a temple for me, 19 but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple.’
20 “And now the Lord has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built the Temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel. 21 I have also provided a place in the Temple for the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer
(2 Chronicles 6.12-42)22 Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar, where he raised his arms 23 and prayed, “Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. 24 You have kept the promise you made to my father David; today every word has been fulfilled. 25 And now, Lord God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. 26 So now, O God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to my father David, your servant.
27 “But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough? 28 Lord my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer, and grant the requests I make to you today. 29 Watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. 30 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people when they face this place and pray. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us.
31 “When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, 32 O Lord, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one as he deserves, and acquit the one who is innocent.
33 “When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and then when they turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness, 34 listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land which you gave to their ancestors.
35 “When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you, and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you, 36 listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Lord, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.
37 “When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or the crops are destroyed by scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when your people are attacked by their enemies, or when there is disease or sickness among them, 38 listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, 39 hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, forgive them, and help them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person as he deserves, 40 so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors.
41-42 “When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, 43 listen to his prayer. In heaven, where you live, hear him and do what he asks you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is the place where you are to be worshiped.
44 “When you command your people to go into battle against their enemies and they pray to you, wherever they are, facing this city which you have chosen and this Temple which I have built for you, 45 listen to their prayers. Hear them in heaven and give them victory.
46 “When your people sin against you—and there is no one who does not sin—and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away, 47 listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O Lord. 48 If in that land they truly and sincerely repent and pray to you as they face toward this land which you gave to our ancestors, this city which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for you, 49 then listen to their prayers. In your home in heaven hear them and be merciful to them. 50 Forgive all their sins and their rebellion against you, and make their enemies treat them with kindness. 51 They are your own people, whom you brought out of Egypt, that blazing furnace.
52 “Sovereign Lord, may you always look with favor on your people Israel and their king, and hear their prayer whenever they call to you for help. 53 You chose them from all the peoples to be your own people, as you told them through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
The Final Prayer
54 After Solomon had finished praying to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar, where he had been kneeling with uplifted hands. 55 In a loud voice he asked God's blessings on all the people assembled there. He said, 56 “Praise the Lord who has given his people peace, as he promised he would. He has kept all the generous promises he made through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us; 58 may he make us obedient to him, so that we will always live as he wants us to live, keeping all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. 59 May the Lord our God remember at all times this prayer and these petitions I have made to him. May he always be merciful to the people of Israel and to their king, according to their daily needs. 60 And so all the nations of the world will know that the Lord alone is God—there is no other. 61 May you, his people, always be faithful to the Lord our God, obeying all his laws and commands as you do today.”
The Dedication of the Temple
(2 Chronicles 7.4-10)62 Then King Solomon and all the people there offered sacrifices to the Lord. 63 He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple. 64 That same day he also consecrated the central part of the courtyard, the area in front of the Temple, and then he offered there the sacrifices burned whole, the grain offerings, and the fat of the animals for the fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar was too small for all these offerings.
65 There at the Temple, Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the Egyptian border in the south. 66 On the eighth day Solomon sent the people home. They all praised him and went home happy because of all the blessings that the Lord had given his servant David and his people Israel.
