13. Lord, I have truly built a wonderful Temple for you. It is a place for you to live forever.”
14. While all the people of Israel were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them.
15. Then he prayed: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He himself has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord told my father,
16. ‘I brought my people Israel out of Egypt. But I have not yet chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple will be built for worshiping me. But I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’
17. “My father David wanted to build a temple for worshiping the Lord, the God of Israel.
18. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘I know you want to build a temple for worshiping me. And this is good.
19. But you are not the one to build the temple. It will be your son, who comes from your own body. He is the one who will build my temple.’
20. “So the Lord has kept the promise that he gave. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised. And I have built the Temple for worshiping the Lord, the God of Israel.
21. I have made a place in the Temple for the Ark of the Covenant. Inside that Ark is the agreement the Lord made with our ancestors. He made that agreement when he brought them out of Egypt.”
22. Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar. All of the people of Israel were standing behind him. He spread out his hands and looked toward the sky.
23. He said:“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you. There is no god like you in heaven above or on the earth below. You make agreements with your people because you love them. And you keep your agreements with those who truly follow you.