Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The glory of the Lord filled the house so completely that the priests could not enter.

The children of Israel watched in awe as the fire descended and the glory of the Lord rested on the house. They fell to their faces on the pavement, worshiping and praising the Lord with one voice: "For he is good; his mercy endures forever."

King Solomon and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. The king dedicated God's house by sacrificing twenty-two thousand head of cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep.

The priests went about their assigned tasks, while the Levites played instruments of music made by David to praise the Lord. The priests sounded trumpets as the Levites sang, with all Israel standing together in worship.

Solomon made the central area of the courtyard before the house holy, because there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings. He couldn't fit them all on the bronze altar, so it was unable to receive more offerings.

At that time, Solomon kept a seven-day feast, a very great congregation joined him from Hamath to Egypt's border. On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly to complete the dedication of the altar and the festival.

Finally, on the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people back to their tents, joyful and glad in heart for the goodness the Lord had shown David, Solomon, and Israel.

Solomon finished building the house of the Lord and his own palace. He successfully carried out all his plans for the house of the Lord and his own home.

That night, the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, "I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place as a house of sacrifice."

The Lord made a promise: if he shuts up heaven so that there's no rain or sends locusts to devour the land, or if he sends pestilence among his people; if they humble themselves and pray, seek his face, and turn from their wicked ways – then he will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

My eyes will be open to the prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house.

If you walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and ordinances – then I will establish the throne of your kingdom just as I covenanted with David your father.

I will establish the throne of your kingdom, just as I promised David your father. There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel.

But if you turn away from my commandments and go to serve other gods and worship them – then I will uproot them from the land that I gave them and cast out this house from my sight that I have consecrated for my name.

I will uproot them from my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, I will cast out of my sight. It will become a proverb and a byword among all nations.

This grand house will be an astonishing sight to everyone who passes by it, and they will wonder aloud: "Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this house?"

The reason is that they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt and led them to worship other gods and serve them. He has brought all this disaster upon them.