1 Kings 8:14-21

Solomon speaks to his people

14 While all the Israelite people stood there, the king turned round towards them. He prayed that God would bless them. 15 He said, ‘Praise the Lord, Israel's God, as he deserves. He has used his power to do what he promised to do for my father David. 16 He told David, “I brought my people, the Israelites, out from Egypt. From that time, I have not chosen a city in any of Israel's tribes to build a temple where my people would worship me. Now I have chosen David to rule Israel, my people, as king.” 17 My father David wanted very much to build a temple to give honour to the Lord, Israel's God. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, “It was good that you wanted to build a temple to give me honour. 19 But you will not build the temple. Instead, one of your own sons will build it to give honour to me.” 20 Now the Lord has done what he promised to do. I now rule Israel as king on the throne of my father David, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple to give honour to the Lord, Israel's God. 21 I have made a place there for the Covenant Box. It contains the covenant that the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.’