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.
24. You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth. And with your great power you have made it come true today.
25. Now Lord, God of Israel, keep the other promises you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘Your sons must be careful to obey me as you have obeyed me. If they do this, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.’
26. Again, Lord, God of Israel, I ask you. Please continue to keep that promise you made to my father.
27. “But, God, can you really live here on the earth? Even the sky and the highest place in heaven cannot contain you. Certainly this house which I have built cannot contain you either.
28. But please listen to my prayer and my request. I am your servant, and you are the Lord my God. Hear this prayer I am praying to you today.
29. In the past you said, ‘I will be worshiped there.’ So please watch over this Temple night and day. Hear the prayer I pray to you here.
30. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel. Please hear us when we pray facing this place. Hear us from your home in heaven. And when you hear us, forgive us.
31. “If a person does something wrong against someone else, he will be brought to the altar in this Temple. If he swears an oath that he is not guilty,