12–39 (= 1 Kings viii. 22–50).
Solomon’s Prayer.

The prayer is reproduced from 1 Kings with a few verbal changes and with the omission of verses 50b–53. It is mainly a petition that future prayers made “in” or “toward this house” may be heard. The subjects of the different parts of the prayer are as follows:—

verses 14–17. The promise made to David.
18–21. Prayer made toward this place.
22, 23. The oath of ordeal taken in this place.
24, 25. Prayer under defeat.
26, 27. Prayer for rain.
28–31. Prayer under divers afflictions.
32, 33. The stranger’s prayer.
34, 35. The prayer of the army at war abroad.
36–39. The prayer of Israel in captivity.

¹²And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: ¹³(for Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:) ¹⁴and he said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in the heaven, or in the earth; who keepest covenant and mercy with[¹] thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart: ¹⁵who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

[¹] Or, for.

13. Solomon had made a brasen scaffold] This “scaffold” is not mentioned in 1 Kings. The word used (kiyyōr) properly means a “laver” (so iv. 6), and perhaps the simple emendation kiyyūn = “platform” should be adopted.

¹⁶Now therefore, O Lord, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee[¹] a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me. ¹⁷Now therefore, O Lord, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.

[¹] Hebrew There shall not be cut off unto thee a man from my sight.

16. walk in my law] In 1 Kings viii. 25, walk before me. The Chronicler characteristically introduces a reference to the Law of the Lord (the tōrah). In Samuel and Kings neither David nor Solomon ever mentions this.

¹⁸But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded!