Study Desk

Solomon numbered all those in Israel who were from other lands, using the number of them which his father David had taken. And 153,600 were found.

Then Solomon began to build the Lord's house in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. It was there that the Lord had shown Himself to his father David. It was the place that David had chosen, on the grain-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Solomon began to build on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his rule.

He made two pillars in front of the house that were ten times taller than a man. The top piece of each one was as tall as a man can raise his hand.

He melted brass and made a pool. It was round, and five long steps from one side to the other. It was as tall as a man can raise his hand. And it took fifteen steps to walk around it.

So all the work that Solomon did for the Lord's house was finished. He brought in the things that his father David had set apart, the silver and the gold and all the objects. He put them in the store-rooms of the house of God.

Those who sounded the horns and the singers made themselves heard as with one voice, praising and thanking the Lord. They sang in a loud voice, with horns, and timbrels, and other objects for making music. They praised the Lord, saying, "He is good. For His loving-kindness lasts forever." Then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud.

Solomon said, "Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He spoke with His mouth to my father David. And He has kept His promises with His hands, saying,

Now the Lord has kept His promise which He made. For I have taken the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. And I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands.

Solomon had made a special place to stand, out of brass. It was as long and as wide as three steps, and as high as a man's chest. And he had put it in the center of the open space. He stood on it, then got down on his knees in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.

"If a man sins against his neighbor, and has to make a promise, and he comes and makes a promise before Your altar in this house,

then hear from heaven, and act. Judge Your servants. Punish the sinful by bringing his actions on his own head. And make it known that the one who is right and good is not guilty. Bring good to him because he is right and good.

hear the prayer made by any man or by all Your people Israel. Each one will know his own trouble and his own pain. And when he spreads his hands toward this house,

All the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the shining-greatness of the Lord upon the house. So they bowed their faces to the ground and worshiped. They gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good. For His loving-kindness lasts forever."

The religious leaders stood in their places while the Levites were praising the Lord using objects King David had made. They were playing, "For His loving-kindness lasts forever." As the religious leaders blew horns on the other side, all Israel stood.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon sent the people to their tents. They were full of joy and happy in their heart for the good that the Lord had shown to David and Solomon and His people Israel.

Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the Lord's house and in his own house was well done.

It took Solomon twenty years to build the house of the Lord and his own house. At the end of that time,

He built Tadmor in the desert and all his store-cities in Hamath.