6. The kohanim stood at their posts, as did the Levites with the musical instruments of Adonai that King David had made for praising Adonai—“for His mercy endures forever”—whenever David offered praise by their hand. Opposite them were the kohanim who sounded trumpets while all Israel was standing.
7. Moreover, Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was before the House of Adonai, because there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat.
8. At that time, Solomon observed the feast for seven days and all Israel with him—a very great assembly from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt.
9. On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the feast for seven days.
10. On the 23rd day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Adonai had done for David, Solomon and Israel His people.
11. Thus Solomon finished the House of Adonai and the king’s palace. Indeed, all that Solomon had on his heart to accomplish in the House of Adonai and in his own palace, he successfully completed.
12. Then Adonai appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself for a House of sacrifice.
13. If I shut up heaven that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,
14. when My people, 0ver whom My Name is called, humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
15. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
16. For now I have chosen and consecrated this House so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.
17. “As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, doing all that I have commanded you, keeping My statutes and My ordinances,
18. then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’
19. But if you turn away and forsake My decrees and My mitzvot that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,
20. then I will uproot them from My land which I gave them, and this House which I have consecrated for My Name I will cast out of My sight. I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.