1 And when Solomon finished praying, the fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house. 3 And when all the sons of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they fell to the ground upon the pavement upon their faces and worshipped and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 And King Solomon offered in sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep; and so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 And the priests were upon their watches, and the Levites with the instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endures for ever, when David praised by their hand. Likewise, the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel was on their feet.
7 Solomon also sanctified the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings and the present and the fat.
8 Then Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly, for they had made the dedication of the altar in seven days, and they had celebrated the solemn feast for seven days. 10 And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had showed unto David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house was prospered. 12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up the heavens that there be no rain or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 if my people, upon whom my name is invoked, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from the heavens and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes shall be open and my ears attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place; 16 so that now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be in her for ever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee and keep my statutes and my rights, 18 I will confirm the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David, thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, I will cast out of my presence, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passes by it, so that they shall say, Why has the LORD done thus unto this land and unto this house? 22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them and served them; therefore, he has brought all this evil upon them.