1Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house. 3And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshiped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures forever. 4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6And the priests stood at their posts: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endures forever, whenever David offered praise by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets opposite them, and all Israel stood. 7Moreover Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the grain offerings, and the fat. 8Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 9And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10And on the three and twentieth 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 shown unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. 11Thus 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, he successfully accomplished. 12And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice. 13If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 17And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and shall observe my statutes and my judgments; 18Then will I establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel. 19But if you 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; 20Then will I 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, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21And this house, which is exalted, shall be an astonishment to everyone that passes by it; so that he shall say, Why has the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22And 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 worshiped them, and served them: therefore has he brought all this evil upon them.