Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
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Then Solomon stood before f the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and g spread out his hands toward heaven;
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and he said: "LORD God of Israel, h there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, i who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who j walk before You with all their hearts.
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"You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.
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"Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, k 'You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.'
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l "And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.
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"But m will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the n heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
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"Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today:
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"that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, o 'My name shall be p there,' that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes q toward this place.
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r "And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
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"When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take s an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple,
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"then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, t condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
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u "When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and v when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple,
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"then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their w fathers.
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x "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
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"then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may y teach them z the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
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a "When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is;
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"whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple:
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"then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone b know the hearts of all the sons of men),
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c "that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
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"Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name's sake
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"(for they will hear of Your great name and Your d strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple,
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"hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, e that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and f fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
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"When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name,
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"then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
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"When they sin against You g (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive h to the land of the enemy, far or near;
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i "yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, j saying, 'We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness';
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"and when they k return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and l pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:
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"then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause,
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"and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and m grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them
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"(for n they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, o out of the iron furnace),
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p "that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You.
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"For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, q as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD."
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Cross References
1 Kings 8:54
And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, that he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
2 Chronicles 6:12
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands
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Cross References
Exodus 9:33
So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
Ezra 9:5
At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God.
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Cross References
Exodus 15:11
Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
2 Samuel 7:22
Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 7:9
Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Nehemiah 1:5
And I said: "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments.
Daniel 9:4
And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments.
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Cross References
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
1 Kings 3:6
And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
2 Kings 20:3
Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
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Cross References
2 Samuel 7:12
When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
2 Samuel 7:16
"And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." '"
1 Kings 2:4
"that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
1 Kings 9:5
"then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'
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Cross References
2 Samuel 7:25
Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 2:6
But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?
Isaiah 66:1
Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
Acts 7:49
Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?
Acts 17:24
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 12:2
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:11
Then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.
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Cross References
1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
2 Chronicles 7:15
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
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Cross References
Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
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Cross References
Nehemiah 1:6
Please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned.
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Cross References
Exodus 22:8 - 11
If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor's goods.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:1
If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:17
I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.
Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:39
And those of you who are left shall waste away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; also in their fathers' iniquities, which are with them, they shall waste away.
Leviticus 26:40
But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:40 - 42
But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me.
Deuteronomy 30:1 - 3
Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:19
I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
Deuteronomy 28:23
And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron.
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Cross References
Psalms 25:4
Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Psalms 27:11
Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
Psalms 94:12
Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD, And teach out of Your law.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 12:23
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:16
I also will do this to you: I will even appoint...
Leviticus 26:25
And I will bring a sword against you that will ...
Leviticus 26:26
When I have cut off your supply of bread, ten w...
Deuteronomy 28:21
The LORD will make the plague cling to you unti...
Deuteronomy 28:22
The LORD will strike you with consumption, with...
Deuteronomy 28:27
The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egyp...
Deuteronomy 28:38
You shall carry much seed out to the field but ...
Deuteronomy 28:42
Locusts shall consume all your trees and the pr...
Deuteronomy 28:52
They shall besiege you at all your gates until ...
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Cross References
1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
1 Chronicles 28:9
As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Acts 1:24
And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
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Cross References
Psalms 130:4
But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
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Cross References
Exodus 13:3
And Moses said to the people: "Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
Deuteronomy 3:24
O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?
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Cross References
Exodus 9:16
But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.
1 Samuel 17:46
This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
2 Kings 19:19
"Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone."
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Cross References
Psalms 102:15
So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 6:36
When they sin against You (for there is no one ...
Psalms 130:3
If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, w...
Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am ...
Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a just man on earth who does g...
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory...
1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourse...
1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him ...
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:34
Then the land shall enjoy its sabbaths as long ...
Leviticus 26:44
Yet for all that, when they are in the land of ...
Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD will bring you and the king whom you s...
Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all people...
2 Kings 17:6
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyri...
2 Kings 17:18
Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, ...
2 Kings 25:21
Then the king of Babylon struck them and put th...
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Cross References
Leviticus 26:40 - 42
But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me.
Nehemiah 9:2
Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
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Cross References
Ezra 9:6
And I said: "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.
Ezra 9:7
Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.
Nehemiah 1:6
Please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned.
Psalms 106:6
We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly.
Daniel 9:5
We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 29:12 - 14
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
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Cross References
Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Jonah 2:4
Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 30:9
"For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him."
Ezra 7:6
This Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
Psalms 106:46
He also made them to be pitied By all those who carried them away captive.
Acts 7:10
And delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
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Cross References
Exodus 32:11
Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and s...
Exodus 32:12
Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He br...
Deuteronomy 9:26 - 29
Therefore I prayed to the LORD, and said: 'O Lo...
Nehemiah 1:10
Now these are Your servants and Your people, wh...
Romans 11:28
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your...
Romans 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevo...
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:20
But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.
Jeremiah 11:4
"which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, 'Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,'
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Cross References
1 Kings 8:29
That Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place.
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Cross References
Exodus 19:5
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Exodus 19:6
'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.