Solomon Brings the Sacred Chest to the Temple
(2 Chronicles 5.2—6.2)1-2 The sacred chest had been kept on Mount Zion, also known as the city of David. But Solomon decided to have the chest moved to the temple while everyone was in Jerusalem, celebrating the Festival of Shelters during Ethanim, the seventh month of the year.
Solomon called together the important leaders of Israel. 3-4 Then the priests and the Levites carried to the temple the sacred chest, the sacred tent, and the objects used for worship. 5 Solomon and a crowd of people stood in front of the chest and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted.
6 The priests carried the chest into the most holy place and put it under the winged creatures, 7 whose wings covered both the chest and the poles used for carrying it. 8 The poles were so long that they could be seen from right outside the most holy place, but not from anywhere else. And they stayed there from then on.
9 The only things kept in the chest were the two flat stones Moses had put there when the Lord made his agreement with the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, after bringing them out of Egypt.
10 Suddenly a cloud filled the temple as the priests were leaving the most holy place. 11 The Lord's glory was in the cloud, and the light from it was so bright that the priests could not stay inside to do their work. 12 Then Solomon prayed:
“Our Lord, you said that you
would live in a dark cloud.
13 Now I have built a glorious temple
where you can live forever.”
Solomon Speaks to the People
(2 Chronicles 6.3-11)14 Solomon turned toward the people standing there. Then he blessed them 15-16 and said:
Praise the Lord God of Israel! Long ago he brought his people out of Egypt. He did not choose a city from any tribe in Israel where his temple would be built, but he kept his promise to make my father David the king of Israel.
17 So when David wanted to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 18 the Lord said, “It's good that you want to build a temple where I can be worshiped. 19 But you're not the one to do it. Your son will build a temple to honor me.”
20 The Lord has done what he promised. I am the king of Israel like my father, and I've built a temple for the Lord our God. 21 I've also made a place in the temple for the sacred chest. And in that chest are the two flat stones on which is written the solemn agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he led them out of Egypt.
Solomon Prays at the Temple
(2 Chronicles 6.12-42)22 Solomon stood facing the altar with everyone standing behind him. Then he lifted his arms toward heaven 23 and prayed:
Lord God of Israel, no other god in heaven or on earth is like you!
You never forget the agreement you made with your people, and you are loyal to anyone who faithfully obeys your teachings. 24 My father David was your servant, and today you have kept every promise you made to him.
25 Lord God of Israel, you promised my father that someone from his family would always be king of Israel, if they do their best to obey you, just as he did. 26 Please keep this promise you made to your servant David.
27 There's not enough room in all of heaven for you, Lord God. How could you possibly live on earth in this temple I have built? 28 But I ask you to answer my prayer. 29 This is the temple where you have chosen to be worshiped. Please watch over it day and night and listen when I turn toward it and pray. 30 I am your servant, and the people of Israel belong to you. So whenever any of us look toward this temple and pray, answer from your home in heaven and forgive our sins.
31 Suppose someone accuses a person of a crime, and the accused has to stand in front of the altar in your temple and say, “I swear I am innocent!” 32 Listen from heaven and decide who is right. Then punish the guilty person and let the innocent one go free.
33 Suppose your people Israel sin against you, and then an enemy defeats them. If they come to this temple and beg for forgiveness, 34 listen from your home in heaven. Forgive them and bring them back to the land you gave their ancestors.
35 Suppose your people sin against you, and you punish them by holding back the rain. If they turn toward this temple and pray in your name and stop sinning, 36 listen from your home in heaven and forgive them. The people of Israel are your servants, so teach them to live right. And please send rain on the land you gave them to be theirs forever.
37 Sometimes the crops may dry up or rot or be eaten by locusts or grasshoppers, and your people will be starving. Sometimes enemies may surround their towns, or your people will become sick with deadly diseases. 38 Listen when anyone in Israel truly feels sorry and sincerely prays with arms lifted toward your temple. 39 You know what is in everyone's heart. So from your home in heaven answer their prayers, according to the way they live and what is in their hearts. 40 Then your people will worship and obey you for as long as they live in the land you gave their ancestors.
41-42 Foreigners will hear about you and your mighty power, and some of them will come to live among your people Israel. If any of them pray toward this temple, 43 listen from your home in heaven and answer their prayers. Then everyone on earth will worship you, just like your people Israel, and they will know that I have built this temple to honor you.
44 Our Lord, sometimes you will order your people to attack their enemies. Then your people will turn toward this temple I have built for you in your chosen city, and they will pray to you. 45 Answer their prayers from heaven and give them victory.
46 Everyone sins. But when your people sin against you, suppose you get angry enough to let their enemies drag them away to foreign countries. 47-49 Later, they may feel sorry for what they did and ask your forgiveness. Answer them when they pray toward this temple I have built for you in your chosen city, here in this land you gave their ancestors. From your home in heaven, listen to their sincere prayers and do what they ask. 50 Forgive your people no matter how much they have sinned against you. Make the enemies who defeated them be kind to them. 51 Remember, they are the people you chose and rescued from Egypt that was like a blazing fire to them.
52 I am your servant, and the people of Israel belong to you. So listen when any of us pray and cry out for your help. 53 When you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, you told your servant Moses to say to them, “From all people on earth, the Lord God has chosen you to be his very own.”
Solomon Blesses the People
54 When Solomon finished his prayer at the altar, he was kneeling with his arms lifted toward heaven. He stood up, 55 turned toward the people, blessed them, and said loudly:
56 Praise the Lord! He has kept his promise and given us peace. Every good thing he promised to his servant Moses has happened.
57 The Lord our God was with our ancestors to help them, and I pray that he will be with us and never abandon us. 58 May the Lord help us obey him and follow all the laws and teachings he gave our ancestors.
59 I pray that the Lord our God will remember my prayer day and night. May he help everyone in Israel each day, in whatever way we need it. 60 Then every nation will know that the Lord is the only true God.
61 Obey the Lord our God and follow his commands with all your heart, just as you are doing today.
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
(2 Chronicles 7.4-10)62-63 Solomon and the people dedicated the temple to the Lord by offering 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep as sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing. 64 On that day, Solomon dedicated the courtyard in front of the temple and made it acceptable for worship. He offered the sacrifices there because the bronze altar in front of the temple was too small.
65 Solomon and the huge crowd celebrated the Festival of Shelters at the temple for seven days. There were people from as far away as the Egyptian Gorge in the south and Lebo-Hamath in the north. 66 Then on the eighth day, he sent everyone home. They said goodbye and left, very happy, because of all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
Eyapulo lotembeli
1 Ndele Salomo okwa ifana muJerusalem ovawiliki vOvaisraeli novakulunhu aveshe vomapata aIsrael, va kufe oshikefa shehangano lOmwene moshilando shaDavid, Sion, ve shi twale motembeli. 2 Novalumenhu aveshe Ovaisraeli va ongala pohamba Salomo koshivilo mohani yaEtanim, nokutya mohani onhiheyali. 3 Ovawiliki aveshe vaIsrael eshi va ongala muJerusalem, ovapristeli va tumba Oshikefa Shehangano, 4 ndele va eta Oshikefa shOmwene motembeli, Ovapristeli nOvalevi va twala yo Etwali Leongalo noinima aishe iyapuki, ei ya li mo; 5 Ohamba Salomo noshiongalele ashishe shOvaisraeli osho sha ongala pOshikefa, va kala ofika komesho yasho; ova yamba eedi neengobe dihapu unene, da nyengana okutengenekwa. 6 Ovapristeli ova twala Oshikefa Shehangano lOmwene monhele yasho molupale lomeni longulu, mOuyapukielela koshi yomavava ovakerubi. 7 Osheshi ovakerubi va tandavelifa omavava avo kombada yonhele yoshikefa, noshikefa nomitengi dasho ya tuvikilwa ngaha kovakerubi. 8 Nomitengi da li dile, eenhele dado di wetikile komesho yOuyapukielela, ndele hapamwe peli li. Ndele omo di li fiyo onena eli. 9 Moshikefa inamu kala sha shimwe, oipelende yomamanya ivali aike, oyo ya tulwa mo kuMoses pomhunda yaHoreb, Omwene eshi a ninga ehangano novana vaIsrael, eshi va dja medu laEgipiti.
10 Novapristeli eshi va dja mo motembeli, oshilemo sha yadifa ongulu yOmwene. 11 Onghee hano ovapristeli inava dula okuwanifa eyakulolonga lavo omolwoshilemo. Osheshi oshinge shOmwene sha yadifa ongulu yOmwene.
Eilikano laSalomo meyapulo lotembeli
12 Opo nee Salomo ta ti:
“Omwene okwa tula etango keulu,
ndelenee a tile kutya, a hala okukala noshiwiwili.
13 Ame nde ku tungila ongulu okukala mo,
onhele u kale mo omutumba fiyo alushe.”
14 Ovaisraeli aveshe ova li ofika, nohamba ya taalela kuvo ndele tai va indilile enangeko noupuna kuKalunga. 15 Ndele oya tya: “Omwene, Kalunga kaIsrael na hambelelwe, omake aye a wanifa osho a udanekela tate David eshi a tile: 16 ‘Okudja kefiku linya Ame nda pitifa mo medu laEgipiti oshiwana shange, inandi hoolola nande oshilando shimwe medu laIsrael ndi tungilwe mo otembeli omo ndi na okufimanekelwa, Ndelenee nde ku hoolola, ove David u pangele oshiwana shange Israel.’ 17 Tate David eshi a diladila okutungila edina lOmwene Kalunga kaIsrael, ongulu, 18 Omwene okwa lombwela tate David: ‘Ove eshi wa diladila okutungila edina lange ongulu, ove wa ninga nawa, sho eshi sha kala momutima woye. 19 Ndelenee haave to ka tunga ongulu oyo, ndelenee omumwoye ou ta di molutu loye, ye ota ka tungila edina lange ongulu.’ 20 NOmwene okwa wanifa ondjovo yaye, e i popya, osheshi ame nde uya ponhele yatate David, ndele ame ndi li omutumba kolukalwapangelo laIsrael ngaashi Omwene a tile. Ndele ame nda tungila edina lOmwene Kalunga kaIsrael ongulu, 21 ndele nda longekida onhele motembeli yokutula mo Oshikefa Shehangano, omo omu nehangano lOmwene, olo Ye a ninga nootate, eshi e va pitifa mo medu laEgipiti.”
22 Salomo eshi a ehena po, a kala ofika koaltari yOmwene moipafi yeongalo alishe laIsrael nokwa yelula omake aye keulu 23 ndele ta ti: “Omwene Kalunga kaIsrael, meulu nokombada yedu alishe kakuna ou e ku fa, ou to diinine ehangano nouwanghenda kovapiya voye ovo hava ende koshipala shoye nomutima wavo aushe, 24 ou wa wanifa osho we shi udanekela omupiya woye, tate David; nena ondjovo keshe oya wanifwa. 25 Wanifa yo, Omwene Kalunga kaIsrael, omaudaneko makwao aa wa udanekela tate David, nokutya: ‘Itapu ka pumbulukwa ohamba moludalo loye, oyo tai pangele Ovaisraeli, ngeenge tava diinine ondjila yange nokweenda momhango yange ngaashi ove wa enda koshipala shange.’ 26 Hano paife nee, Omwene Kalunga kaIsrael, ondjovo oyo we i lombwela omupiya woye tate David, nai ninge yoshili. 27 Ndelenee Kalunga, oto dulu ngaho shili okukala kedu? Eshi neulu loovene itali ku wanene okukala mo, hano oto wana ngahelipi motembeli ei nda tunga? 28 Omwene Kalunga, ame omupiya woye; pwilikina eilikano lange, u pe nge osho handi ku pula nena. 29 Omutenya noufiku omesho oye naa pashukile ongulu ei, onhele ei we i hoolola okufimanekelwa mo. Ude nge ngeenge handi taalele otembeli nokwiilikana. 30 Uda hano omailikano ange nomailikano ovanhu voye Ovaisraeli, ngeenge tava taalele onhele ei nokwiilikana. Heeno, meumbo loye meulu tu uda u tu dimine po. 31 Ngeenge pe na ou ta nyono kumukwao, ndele ye ta etwa poaltari yoye motembeli a yandje eano laye, nokutya ina nyona sha, 32 Omwene, mu uda hano meulu, u tokole omupiya woye. Handukila ou e na okuhandukilwa, ove u mangulule ou ehe na etimba.
33 “Omutondadi ngeenge ta taataa oshiwana shoye Ovaisraeli, vo eshi va nyona kwoove, ndele vo otava aluka kwoove, tava pandula edina loye, tave ku ilikana ndele tave ku indile onghenda mongulu ei, 34 uda hano meulu ndele dima po okunyona kwovanhu voye Ovaisraeli ndele va alula medu eli, ove we li pa ooxe.
35 “Eulu ngeenge to li idile, nodula itai loko, shaashi ovanhu voye va nyona kwoove, opo nee ngeenge tave lialuluka ndele tava taalele kotembeli ei, nokwiilikana melininipiko, 36 va uda meulu u dime omatimba ohamba naa ovanhu voye Ovaisraeli, Ove u va longe eshi sha yuka, ndele Omwene, tuma odula koshilongo eshi shoye we shi pa ovanhu voye va kale mo alushelushe.
37 “Oshilongo ngeenge tashi hangika kondjala, koudu wolutapo, koshikukuta ile onhimba ile okahaudjololo ile oshipaxu, ile ngeenge ovanhu va ponokelwa kovatondadi, ile ngeenge ope na oudu ile omukifi mokati kavo, 38 Ngeenge mefimbo olo pena umwe womOvaisraeli ou a fya oluhodi nota yelula omake aye kotembeli nokwiilikana, 39 uda eilikano laye. Va pwilikina meumbo loye lomeulu; va dimina po, Ove auke wa shiiva omadiladilo momitima womunhu. Ningila keshe umwe ngaashi e lilongela, 40 opo ve ku tile, efimbo alishe eli tava kala medu eli we va pa nooxe.
41 “Nosho yo omunailongo, ou ke fi womoshiwana shaIsrael, ngeenge ta di moshilongo shokokule, te uya omolwedina loye, 42 osheshi naakwinya yo edina loye linene neke loye li neenghono nokwooko kwoye kwa yeluka taku ka udika ngeenge te uya ndele ta ilikana nokutaalela ongulu ei. 43 Mu uda hano meulu, monhele yoye, u ninge ashishe osho omunailongo te shi ku indile, opo oiwana aishe yomounyuni i shiive edina loye noku ku tila, ngaashi ovanhu voye Ovaisraeli, ndele va kale ve shi shii nokutya, ongulu ei nde i tunga, ya lukilwa edina loye.
44 “Ovanhu voye ngeenge to va tumu moita okulwifa ovatondadi vavo, ndele tave ku indile keshe opo ve li, va taalela koshilando eshi wa hoolola, nokotembeli ei nde ku tungila, 45 pwilikina omailikano avo. Va uda meulu nou va pe efindano.
46 “Vo eshi tava nyono kwoove, osheshi kape nomunhu ou ita nyono, ndele to va handukile ndele to va yandje kovatondadi vavo nde tave va twala eenghwate koshilongo nande oshokokule ile oshopopepi, 47 moshilongo shoukwatwa, ngeenge tave lialuluka, ndele tave ku indile nokuhepaulula nghee va nyona kwoove, Omwene, uda eindilo lavo. 48 Hano, ngeenge tava aluka kwoove nomutima aushe nomwenyo aushe moshilongo shoukwatwa wavo, ndele vo otava ilikana nokutaalela koshilongo osho we shi pa ooxe nokoshilando osho we shi hoolola nokotembeli ei nde ku tungila, 49 uda hano meulu, monhele yoye, eilikano lavo neindilo lavo, va yukifila, 50 ndele dimina po ovanhu voye, osho ve shi nyona kwoove, heeno, omanyono avo aeshe, eshi va nyonene koshipala shoye. Va uditifila onghenda ovo, ve va kwata eenghwate, opo ve va filonghenda. 51 Osheshi vo ovanhu voye, oshitukulwafyuululwa shoye, we shi pitifa mo muEgipiti, mediko loshivela. 52 Omesho oye naa kale taa pashukile hano omailikano omupiya woye nomailikano ovanhu voye Ovaisraeli, opo u va ude mwaaishe tave i ku indile. 53 Osheshi Ove we va tongola mo moiwana aishe yomounyuni oshitukulwafyuululwa shoye, ngaashi ove Omwene Kalunga wa lombwela omupiya woye Moses, eshi wa pitifa mo ootate muEgipiti.”
54 Ndele Salomo eshi a xulifa okwiindila nokwiilikana kOmwene oinima ei aishe, a fikama koaltari yOmwene, apa a li a twa eengolo, omaoko a yelulwa keulu, 55 nokwa ehena ndele ta nangeke noupuna oshiongalele ashishe shOvaisraeli nondaka yomokule, ta ti: 56 “Omwene na pandulwe, eshi a yandja etulumuko kovanhu vaye Ovaisraeli, ngaashi a tile. Omaudaneko aeshe, e a pa omupiya waye Moses, a wanifwa, inapa kala nande limwe inali wanifwa. 57 Omwene, Kalunga ketu na kale pamwe nafye ngaashi a kala pamwe nootate. Ye ehe tu efe nande ile e tu ekeleshi, ahowe, 58 ndelenee omitima detu Ye e di alulile kuye, opo tu kale alushe nokweenda neendjila daye nokudiinina oipango yaye, neenghedimhango daye nomalombwelo aye, aa e a pa ootate. 59 Neendjovo tuu edi dange nda popya nokwiindila onghenda koshipala shOmwene, nadi kale oufiku nomutenya popepi nOmwene, Kalunga ketu, opo a yukife pauyuki omupiya waye novanhu vaye Ovaisraeli paemhumbwe defiku keshe, 60 opo oiwana aishe yomounyuni i shiive nokutya, Omwene Oye Kalunga, ndele kape na kalunga ponho yaye. 61 Ndele liyandjeni nee neemwenyo adishe kOmwene, Kalunga keni nokweenda pamalombwelo aye nokudiinina oipango yaye ngaashi paife yo.”
62 Nohamba Salomo novanhu aveshe va yamba omayambo kOmwene. 63 Oya yamba omayambo eengobe omayovi omilongo mbali naavali needi omayovi efele nomayovi omilongo mbali. Nohamba novanhu aveshe va yapula ongulu yaKalunga. 64 Ndele Salomo okwa yapula endiki olo la li komesho yotembeli yOmwene. Noko a yambela omaxwikiloyambo, nomakaadi omahanganifoyambo, shaashi oaltari yoshikushu kaya li ya wana okutulwa omaxwikiloyambo aeshe aa.
65 Osho ngaha hano mefimbo olo Salomo nOvaisraeli aveshe pamwe naye, va dana oshivilo, oshiongalele shinene sha ongala okudja komhito tai twala kuHamat fiyo okokamulonga kaEgipiti, koshipala shOmwene Kalunga ketu omafiku aheyali. 66 Mefiku etihetatu ye okwa lekela ovanhu, ndele vo ova nangeka noupuna ohamba ndele va ya komatwali avo, nokuhafa nokushambukwa meemwenyo omolwoinima aishe iwa Omwene a ningila omupiya waye David noshiwana shaye Israel.
