9. On the eighth day there was an assembly. They had observed the dedication of the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for ⌊another⌋ seven days.
10. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon dismissed the people to their tents. They rejoiced with cheerful hearts for all the blessings the Lord had given David, Solomon, and his people Israel.
11. Solomon finished the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and completed everything he had in mind for the Lord’s temple and his own palace.
12. Then the Lord appeared to him at night. He said to Solomon,“I have heard your prayerand have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
13. I may shut the sky so that there is no rain,or command grasshoppers to devour the countryside,or send an epidemic among my people.
14. However, if my people, who are called by my name,will humble themselves,pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways,then I will hear ⌊their prayer⌋ from heaven, forgive their sins,and heal their country.
15. My eyes will be open,and my ears will pay attention to those prayers at this place.
16. I have chosen and declared this temple holyso that my name may be placed there forever.My eyes and my heart will always be there.
17. “If you will be faithful to me as your father David was,do everything I command,and obey my laws and rules,
18. then I will establish your royal dynastyas I said in a promise to your father David,‘You will never fail to have an heir ruling Israel.’
19. But if you and your descendants turn away from meand abandon my commands and laws that I gave you,and follow and serve other gods and worship them,
20. then I will uproot Israel from the land I gave them.I will reject this temple that I declared holy for my name.I will make it an exampleand an object of ridicule for all the people of the world.
21. Everyone passing by this impressive temple will be appalled.They will ask,‘Why did the Lord do these things to this land and this temple?’