4-6. and said:Praise the Lord God of Israel! He brought his people out of Egypt long ago and later kept his promise to make my father David the king of Israel. The Lord also promised him that Jerusalem would be the city where his temple will be built, and now that promise has come true.
7. When my father wanted to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel,
8. the Lord said, “It's good that you want to build a temple where I can be worshipped.
9. But you're not the one to do it. Your son will build the temple to honour me.”
10. The Lord has done what he promised. I am now the king of Israel, and I've built a temple for the Lord our God.
11. I've also put the sacred chest in the temple. And in that chest are the two flat stones on which is written the solemn agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he rescued them from Egypt.
12-13. Earlier, Solomon had a bronze platform made that was about two metres square and over a metre high, and he put it in the centre of the outer courtyard near the altar. Solomon stood on the platform facing the altar with everyone standing behind him. Then he lifted his arms towards heaven; he knelt down
14. and prayed: Lord God of Israel, no other god in heaven or on earth is like you!You never forget the agreement you made with your people, and you are loyal to anyone who faithfully obeys your teachings.
15. My father David was your servant, and today you have kept every promise you made to him.
16. You promised that someone from his family would always be king of Israel, if they do their best to obey you, just as he did.
17. Please keep this promise you made to your servant David.
18. There's not enough room in all of heaven for you, Lord God. How could you possibly live on earth in this temple I have built?
19. But I ask you to answer my prayer.
20. This is the temple where you have chosen to be worshipped. Please watch over it day and night and listen when I turn towards it and pray.
21. I am your servant, and the people of Israel belong to you, and so whenever any of us look towards this temple and pray, answer from your home in heaven and forgive our sins.
22. Suppose someone accuses a person of a crime, and the accused has to stand in front of the altar in your temple and say, “I swear I am innocent!”
23. Listen from heaven and decide who is right. Then punish the guilty person and let the innocent one go free.