Daniel 2
1 आफ्नो शासनकालको दोस्रो वर्षमा नबूकदनेस्सरले एउटा सपना देखे। सपनाले उनलाई भयभीत बनायो अनि उनी सुत्न सकेनन्।
2 राजाले आफ्ना ज्ञानी मानिसहरूलाई बोलाए तिनीहरू जादु-टुना गर्थे। सपनाको अर्थ व्याख्या गर्न ताराहरू हेर्थे। तिनीहरू त्यसो गर्थे किनभने भविष्यमा जे घट्नेवाला छ, त्यो पहिले नै संकेत दिन सक्थे। राजाले तिनीहरूबाट यही चाहन्थे कि उनले देखेको सपनाको अर्थ तिनीहरूले भन्न सकुन्। तिनीहरू आए र राजाको सामु उभिए।
3 त्यस पछि राजाले तिनीहरूलाई भने, “मैले एउटा सपना देखें, जसले गर्दा म एकदमै व्याकुल छु। म यो जान्न चाहन्छु कि त्यो सपनाको अर्थ के हो?”
4 त्यस विषयमा कल्दीहरूले अरामी भाषामा बोल्दै उत्तर दिए, “महाराज अमर रहुन! हामी तपाईंका सेवकहरू हौं। तपाईंले आफ्नो सपना हामीलाई बताउनु होस् अनि हामी तपाईंलाई त्यसको अर्थ बताउँछौं।”
5 यसपछि राजाले कल्दीहरूलाई भने, “होइन! त्यो सपना के थियो, यो पनि तिमीले बताउँनु पर्छ अनि त्यो सपनाको अर्थ के हो, यो पनि तिमीले बताउँनु पर्छ। यदि तिमीले यस्तो गर्न सकेनौ भने म तिमीलाई टुक्रा-टुक्रा पार्नेछु अनि तिम्रो घर भत्काएर जनताको शौचालय बनाउनेछु।
6 तर तिमीले मेरो सपना बताएर त्यसको व्याख्या गरिदियौ भने म तिमीलाई धेरै उपहारहरू, आदार प्रदान गर्नेछु। अब मेरो सपना र त्यसको व्याख्या गर।”
7 ती बुद्धिमानहरूले फेरि उत्तर दिए, “हे राजा, कृपया हामी तपाईंका दासहरूलाई सपना बताई दिनु होस् र हामी त्यसको अर्थ व्याख्या गरिदिन्छौं।”
8 राजाले जवाफ दिए, “म जान्दछु, कि तिमीहरूले समय नाश गरिरहेकाछौ। किनभने तिमीहरू जान्दछौ मेरो हुकुम त्यस्तै रहनेछ।
9 जस्तो कि यदि तिमीहरूले मेरो सपनाको बारेमा बताउँदैनौ भने म तिमीहरू प्रत्येकलाई दण्ड दिनेछु। यसकारण तिमीहरू मलाई सपना पक्कै भन्नेछौ ताकि म जान्नेछु कि तिमीहरू सपनाको व्याख्या सही तरिकाले गर्न सक्षम छौ।”
10 कल्दीहरूले राजालाई उत्तर दिँदै भने, “हे महाराज, तपाईंले जे भन्नु हुँदैछ त्यो गर्न सक्ने मानिस यस पृथ्वीमा केही छैन। कुनै पनि राजा, ऊ जति नै महान अथवा शक्तिशाली होस् उसले कहिले पनि ज्ञानी अथवा जादुवाला अथवा कल्दीहरूलाई यस्तो कर्म गर्न लगाएको छैन।
11 राजाले केही कुरा रोधि रहेका छन् त्यो गर्न एक्दमै अफ्ठ्यारो छ। देवताहरूले मात्र राजाको सपना अनि यसको अर्थ के हो भन्न सक्नेछन। तर देवताहरू मानिसहरूसित बस्दैनन्।”
12 जब राजाले यो कुरा सुने, तिनी साह्रै रिसाए अनि बाबेलका सबै ज्ञानी मानिसहरूलाई ध्वंश गरिनु पर्ने आदेश दिए।
13 यसकारण राजा नबूदकनेसरको आज्ञा घोषणा गरियो कि सबै ज्ञानी मानिसहरूलाई मार्नु पर्छ! राजाका मानिसहरूले दानियल र उसका साथीहरूलाई पनि मार्नु भनी हल्ला गरे अनि खोजी गर्न पठाए।
14 अर्योक बाबेलका बुद्धिमानी मानिसहरूलाई मार्न तयार थिए। तर दानियलले राजाका सेनापति अर्योकसित कुरा-कानी गरे। दानियलले अर्योकसित बुद्धिमानी कुरा गरे।
15 दानियलले अर्योकलाई सोधे, “राजाले यति कठोर दण्डको आदेश किन दिनुभएकोछ?”उत्तरमा अर्योकले राजाको सपनाको सम्पूर्ण कथा बताए अनि दानियलले बुझे।
16 जब दानियलले यो कुरा सुने उनले राजासँग गएर बिन्ति गरे कि अधिक समय दिइयोस्। त्यस पछि उनले राजालाई उनको सपना र त्यसको अर्थ बताई दिनेछन्।
17 त्यसपछि दानियल आफ्नो घर गए अनि उसका साथीहरू, हनन्याह, मीशाएल अनि अजर्याहलाई सम्पूर्ण कुराहरू सुनाए।
18 दानियलले आफ्ना साथीहरूलाई स्वर्गका परमेश्वरसँग प्रार्थना गर्नुभने। दानियलले उनीहरूलाई भने कि स्वर्गका परमेश्वरलाई प्रार्थना गर्दा उनीहरूमाथि दयालु हुन् अनि यो रहस्य बुझ्नमा सहायता गरून् जसबाट बाबेलको दोस्रो बुद्धिमानी पुरूषहरूसँग दानियल र उसका साथीहरू नमारिउन।
19 रातको समय परमेश्वरले दानियललाई दर्शनको गुप्त बताई दिनुभयो। त्यसपछि स्वर्गका परमेश्वरको स्तुति गरे।
20 दानियलले भने“परमेश्वरको नाउँको सदा-सर्वदा प्रशंसा गर! शक्ति र ज्ञान उहाँमा हुन्छ।
21 उहाँले नै समय परिवर्त्तन गर्नुहुन्छ उहाँले नै सालमा ऋतुहरू परिवर्त्तन गर्नुहुन्छ। उहाँले नै राजाहरू परिवर्त्तन गर्नुहुन्छ। उहाँले नै राजाहरूलाई शक्ति प्रदान गर्नुहुन्छ र उहाँले नै खोस्नुहुन्छ। उहाँले नै बुद्धि दिएर मानिसहरू बुद्धिमानी बन्छन् उहाँले मानिसहरूलाई ज्ञान दिनुहुन्छ अनि मानिसहरू ज्ञानी हुन्छन्।
22 उहाँले गहिरो अनि गुप्त रहस्यहरू प्रर्दशित गराउनु हुन्छ। उहाँले जान्नु हुन्छ अन्धकारमा के छ अनि ज्योति उहाँसँगै छ।
23 हे मेरो पिता-पुर्खाहरूका परमेश्वर, म तपाईंलाई धन्यवाद दिन्छु, अनि तपाईंको गुणगान गाउँछु। तपाईंले नै मलाई ज्ञान र शक्ति दिनुभयो। जुन कुरा हामीले सोध्यौं त्यसको रहस्य तपाईंले नै बताउँनु भयो। तपाईंले हामीलाई राजाको सपनाको विषयमा बताउँनु भयो।”
24 त्यसपछि दानियल अर्योककोमा गए। राजाले उसलाई बाबेलका ज्ञानी मानिसहरूलाई मार्नु भनी आज्ञा दिएका थिए। दानियलले अर्योकलाई भने, “बाबेलका ज्ञानी मानिसहरूको हत्या नगर। मलाई राजा भएकोमा लिएर जाऊ, म उहाँलाई उहाँको सपना अनि अर्थको व्याख्या गरिदिन्छु।”
25 अर्योकले तुरन्तै दानियललाई राजाकहाँ लिएर गयो अनि राजालाई भन्यो, “यहूदाको बन्दीहरू मध्ये मैले एकजना यस्तो मानिसलाई खोजें जसले राजाको सपनाको अर्थ बताउँन सक्छ।”
26 राजाले दानियललाई (बेलतसजर) जवाफमा प्रश्न गरे, “के तिमीले साँच्चै मेरो सपनाको अर्थ र त्यसको व्याख्या गर्न सक्छौ?”
27 दानियलले राजालाई उत्तर दिए, “हे राजा नबूकदनेस्सर, कुनै पनि ज्योतिषीहरू बुद्धिमानी मानिस, मंत्र-तंत्र जान्नेहरू अनि कल्दीहरूले राजाको सपनाको गुप्त कुराहरू बताउँन सकेनन्।
28 तर स्वर्गमा एउटा यस्तो परमेश्वर हुनुहुन्छ, जसले गुप्त रहस्यहरू बताउँन सक्नुहुन्छ। परमेश्वरले राजा नबूकदनेस्सरलाई अब के हुनेवाला छ यो दर्शाउनको लागि सपना देखाई दिनुभयो। आफ्नो ओछ्यानमा सुतेर तपाईंले सपनामा जे कुराहरू देख्नुभयो, त्यो यो हो।
29 हे राजा, तपाईं आफ्नो ओछ्यानमा सुतिरहनु भएको थियो। तपाईंले भविष्यमा घट्ने घटनाको विषयमा सोचिरहनु भएको थियो। परमेश्वरले मानिसहरूलाई रहस्यपूर्ण विषयमा बताउन सक्नुहुन्छ। त्यसैकारण उहाँले भविष्यमा जे घट्नेवाला छ, त्यो दर्शाई दिनु भयो।
30 परमेश्वरले यो रहस्य मलाई बताउँनु भयो। यो यसकारण भयो कि मेरोमा अरू मानिसहरू भन्दा ज्यादा बुद्धि छ। तर परमेश्वरले मलाई यो भेद यसकारण बताउनु भयो कि राजालाई उसको सपनाको अर्थ थाहा होस्। हे राजा यस्तो प्रकारले, तपाईंको मनमा जुन विचारहरू आउँदैछ त्यसलाई सम्झनु होस्।
31 “हे राजा, तपाईंको सपनामा एउटा ठूलो मूर्ति आफ्नो छेउमा उभिएको देख्नु भयो जो चम्किरहेको थियो अनि साह्रै आर्कषक थियो। यसको रूप डरलाग्दो थियो।
32 त्यो मूर्तिको टाउको निक्खुर सुनले बनिएको थियो। त्यसको छाती र हातहरू चाँदीका थिए। त्यसको पेट र फिला काँसाका थिए।
33 यसको गोडाहरू फलामका थिए। त्यसको खुट्टाका केही भाग फलामको र तल्लो केही भाग माटोका थिए।
34 जब तपाईंले त्यस मूर्तिलाई हेरिरहनु भएको थियो तपाईंले एउटा चट्टान देख्नुभयो। चट्टान मानिसद्वारा काटिएको थिएन। चट्टानले फलाम र माटोले बनिएका मूर्तिको खुट्टाहरूलाई टुक्रा-टुक्रा पार्यो।
35 त्यो फलाम, माटो, काँसा, चाँदी र सुन सबै चक्नाचूर भए, अनि ग्रीष्म ऋतुमा खलाबाट भूस उडाए झै नाउँ निशानै नराखी हावाले उडाएर लग्यो। तर त्यस मूर्तिमा लाग्ने त्यो ढुङ्गा बढदै गयो अनि एउटा ठूलो पहाड बनिएर पृथ्वीलाई ढाक्यो।
36 “सपना यही थियो। अब हामी राजालाई त्यसको अर्थ खोलिदिनेछौं।
37 हे राजा! तपाईं महान राजा, राजाहरूको पनि राजा हुनुहुन्छ, जसलाई स्वर्गका परमेश्वरले राज्य, सामर्थ्य, अधिकार अनि मान दिनु भएको छ।
38 तपाईंलाई परमेश्वरले मानिसका सन्तान, जङ्गलका पशुहरू र आकाशका पंक्षीहरू माथि अधिकार गर्न दिनु भएको छ। तपाईं नै त्यो सुनको टाउको हुनुहुन्छ।
39 “तपाईं पछि तपाईंको भन्दा कमजोर राज्य खडा हुनेछ अनि त्यसपछि अर्को एउटा तेस्रो राज्य काँसाको राज्यजस्तै खडा हुनेछ, जसले सारा पृथ्वीमाथि अधिकार जमाउँनेछ।
40 त्यस पछि चौथो राज्य फलाम जस्तै बलियो हुनेछ। फलामले सबै थोकलाई चूर-चूर गरि नष्ट पारे झैं त्यसले सारा पृथ्वीलाई टुक्रा टुक्रा पारेर तितर-बितर पार्नेछ!
41 अनि तपाईंले खुट्टा र औंलाको केही भाग फलामको देख्नु भए झै त्यो एउटा विभाजित राज्य हुनेछ। तर पनि दर्शनमा तपाईंले फलाम र गिलो माटो मिसिएको देख्नु भए झैं त्यसमा फलाम बलियो रहने छ।
42 अनि खुट्टाको औंलाहरू केही भाग फलाम र केही भाग माटो मिसिए झैं त्यो राज्य केही शक्तिशाली र केही सजिलै टुक्रा-टुक्रा हुने कमजोर राज्य हुनेछन।
43 तपाईंले फलाम र गिलो माटो मिसिएको देख्नु भए झैं ती राज्यहरू अन्तर जातीय वैवाहिक सम्बन्ध गरेर मिसिनेछ र फलाम र माटोसित मिसिनेछ अनि फलाम र माटोसित मिल्न नसके झैं ती राज्यहरू एकसाथ अडिन सक्ने छैनन्।
44 “ती राज्यहरूको समयमा स्वर्गका परमेश्वरले एउटा राज्य बनाउनु हुनेछ जुन कहिल्यै नाश हुने छैन न त त्यो राज्य कुनै अरू मानिसको हातमा दिइनेछ। यसले अन्य सबै राज्यहरूलाई ध्वंश पार्नेछ र तिनीहरूको अन्त्य गरिदिनेछ। तर त्यो राज्य सदा-सर्वदा रहनेछ।
45 “यो राज्य चाहिँ तपाईंले देख्नु भएको त्यो चट्टान हो जुन कसैले नहटाई कन पहाडबाट आफैं काटियो अनि त्यो चट्टान फलाम, पित्तल, चाँदी, माटो र सुनलाई टुक्रा-टुक्रा पार्यो। यस प्रकार महान् परमेश्वरले तपाईंलाई भविष्यमा के हुनेछ देखाउनु भयो। यो सपना साँचो छ र तपाईं यसको व्याख्यामा भर पर्न सक्नुहुन्छ।”
46 यसपछि राजा नबूकदनेस्सरले दानियललाई निहुरिएर दण्डवत गरे। राजाले दानियलको प्रशंसा गरे। राजाले आज्ञा दिए कि दानियलको सम्मानमा भेटी स्वरूप सुगन्धित धूप प्रदान गरियोस्।
47 राजाले फेरि दानियललाई भने, “मलाई निश्चिन्त पूर्वक ज्ञान भएकोछ कि तिम्रो परमेश्वर सर्वाधिक महत्वपूर्ण अनि शक्तिशाली हुनुहुन्छ। उहाँ सबै राजाहरूको परमप्रभु हुनुहुन्छ। अनि जुन कुरा कसैले बताउँन सक्तैन त्यो गुप्त कुरा पनि उहाँले बताई दिनुहुन्छ।”
48 यसपछि राजाले दानियललाई सम्मान पूर्वक आफ्नो राज्यको महत्वपूर्ण पदमा नियुक्ती गरे अनि धेरै बहुमूल्य उपहारहरू पनि दानियलाई दिए। दानियललाई सम्पूर्ण बाबेल प्रदेशको शासक नियुक्ती गरे अनि दानियललाई बाबेलको सबै ज्ञानी मानिसहरूको प्रधान बनाइदिए।
49 दानियलले राजालाई विन्ति गरे अनि उनले शद्रक, मेशक अनि अबेद्नगोलाई बाबेल प्रदेशको महत्वपूर्ण हाकिम बनाई मागे। दानियलले भने जस्तै राजाले त्यस्तै गरे। दानियल स्वंय ती महत्वपूर्ण मानिसहरू मध्ये एक भए जुन राजाको साथमा रहन्थे।
1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
12 Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
18 And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
20 And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23 And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
25 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake;
42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord.
63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.