This is a huge bargain that the Lord is offering to Solomon. The Lord is saying that if Solomon is faithful to him and keeps his commandments he will consecrate the Temple for all time. The continuance, however, is conditional on maintaining the worship of God there and not turning
Continue readingThen Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. All the
Continue readingAt long-last there was peace and Solomon set about building the temple that his father, David had been unable to think about because of the wars. Hiram, who had been a close friend of David, provided Cedar and Cypress wood. Solomon was most complimentary about the wood-cutting skills of Hiram’s
Continue readingIn Judah’s land God’s name is known;in Isr’el he is great.In Salem he has pitched his tent,his home in Zion set. He broke the fiery arrows there,the military mightOf those who with their swords and shieldsagainst us came to fight. Your splendour is more gloriousthan hillsides rich with prey.Brave men
Continue readingLater, two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One woman said, ‘Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman
Continue readingSolomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were sacrificing at the high places, however,
Continue readingNow Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?” He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” Then he added, “I have something to say to you.” “You may say it,” she replied. “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked
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