Solomon Blesses the LORD

Solomon speaks directly to the LORD, declaring that he has built an exalted house as a place for Him to dwell forever.

T¹²hen Solomon declared: ¹³I have indeed built You an exalted house,

Turning to the assembly, Solomon blesses the LORD for fulfilling what He promised to David. He recalls David’s desire, the LORD’s decision that David’s son would build the house, and the ark’s place there as the sign of the covenant from Egypt.

¹⁴And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all ¹⁵and said: ¹⁶“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ ¹⁷Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁸But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart. ¹⁹Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’ ²⁰Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ²¹And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”