2 Chronicles 6:1–11

¹Then Solomon declared:

“The LORD has said that He would dwell

in the thick cloud.

²But I have built You an exalted house,

a place for You to dwell forever.”

³And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all ⁴and said:

“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, ⁵‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land 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, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel. ⁶But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

⁷Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁸But 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. ⁹Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’

¹⁰Now 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. ¹¹And there I have placed the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with the children of Israel.”