Solomon's Benediction

1 Kings 8

⁵⁴ _u Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had _v knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. ⁵⁵ And he stood and _w blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, ⁵⁶ "Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. _x Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. ⁵⁷ The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. _y May he not leave us or forsake us, ⁵⁸ that he may _z incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. ⁵⁹ Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, ⁶⁰ that _a all the peoples of the earth may know that _b the Lord is God; there is no other. ⁶¹ _c Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day."

1. Cross References
   2 Chronicles 7:1
   As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
   
2. Cross References
   2 Chronicles 6:13
   Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.
   
3. Cross References
   1 Kings 8:14
   Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.
   
4. Cross References
   Joshua 21:45
   Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
   Joshua 23:14
   And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.
   
5. Cross References
   Deuteronomy 31:6
   Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
   Joshua 1:5
   No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
   1 Samuel 12:22
   For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
   
6. Cross References
   Psalms 119:36
   Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
   
7. Cross References
   1 Kings 8:43
   Hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
   
8. Cross References
   Deuteronomy 4:35
   To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.
   Deuteronomy 4:39
   Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
   1 Kings 18:39
   And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.
   
9. Cross References
   2 Kings 20:3
   Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
   1 Kings 11:4
   For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
   1 Kings 15:3
   And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
   1 Kings 15:14
   But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days.