SOLOMON’S BLESSING

54 When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the Lord, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the Lord, with his hands spread out toward heaven,b 55 and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israelc with a loud voice: 56 “Blessed be the Lord! He has given restd to his people Israel according to all he has said. Not one of all the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed.e 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave usf 58 so that he causes us to be devotedA to him,g to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors. 59 May my words with which I have made my petition before the Lord be near the Lord our God day and night. May he uphold his servant’s cause and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires.h 60 May all the peoples of the earth know that the Lord is God. There is no other!i 61 Be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord our Godj to walk in his statutes and to keep his commands, as it is today.”

62 The king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices in the Lord’s presence. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep and goats.k In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicatedl the Lord’s temple.m