2 Chronicles 4

• 1. Solomon also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.
• 2. Then he cast a large round tank, 15 feet across from rim to rim; it was called the Sea. It was 7 1/2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.
• 3. The Sea was encircled just below its rim by two rows of figures that resembled oxen. There were about six oxen per foot all the way around, and they had been cast as part of the tank.
• 4. The Sea rested on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east.
• 5. The walls of the Sea were about three inches thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a lily blossom. It could hold about 16,500 gallons of water.
• 6. He also made ten basins for water to wash the offerings, five to the south of the Sea and five to the north. The priests used the Sea itself, and not the basins, for their own washing.
• 7. Solomon then cast ten gold lampstands according to the specifications that had been given and put them in the Temple. Five were placed against the south wall, and five were placed against the north wall.
• 8. He also built ten tables and placed them in the Temple, five along the south wall and five along the north wall. Then he molded one hundred gold basins.
• 9. Solomon also built a courtyard for the priests and the large outer courtyard. He made doors for the courtyard entrances and overlaid them with bronze.
• 10. The Sea was placed near the southeast corner of the Temple.
• 11. Huram-abi also made the necessary pots, shovels, and basins. So at last Huram-abi completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of God:
• 12. two pillars, two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, two networks of chains that decorated the capitals,
• 13. four hundred pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that were hung around the capitals on top of the pillars),
• 14. the water carts holding the basins,
• 15. the Sea and the twelve oxen under it,
• 16. the pots, the shovels, the meat hooks, and all the related utensils. Huram-abi made all these things out of burnished bronze for the Temple of the LORD, just as King Solomon had requested.
• 17. The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan.
• 18. Such great quantities of bronze were used that its weight could not be determined.
• 19. So Solomon made all the furnishings for the Temple of God: the gold altar; the tables for the Bread of the Presence;
• 20. the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as prescribed;
• 21. the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs, all of pure gold;
• 22. the lamp snuffers, basins, dishes, and firepans, all of pure gold; the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, overlaid with gold.

2 Chronicles 5

• 1. When Solomon had finished all the work related to building the Temple of the LORD, he brought in the gifts dedicated by his father, King David, including all the silver and gold and all the utensils. These were stored in the treasuries of the Temple of God.
• 2. Solomon then summoned the leaders of all the tribes and families of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. They were to bring the Ark of the LORD's covenant from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion, to its new place in the Temple.
• 3. They all assembled before the king at the annual Festival of Shelters in early autumn.
• 4. When all the leaders of Israel arrived, the Levites moved the Ark,
• 5. along with the special tent and all its sacred utensils. The Levitical priests carried them all up to the Temple.
• 6. King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed sheep and oxen before the Ark in such numbers that no one could keep count!
• 7. Then the priests carried the Ark of the LORD's covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple--the Most Holy Place--and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
• 8. The cherubim spread their wings out over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles.
• 9. These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the front entrance of the Temple's main room--the Holy Place--but not from outside it. They are still there to this day.
• 10. Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel after they left Egypt.
• 11. Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day.
• 12. And the Levites who were musicians--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers--were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, harps, and lyres. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets.
• 13. The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the LORD with these words: "He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!" At that moment a cloud filled the Temple of the LORD.
• 14. The priests could not continue their work because the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.

2 Chronicles 6

• 1. Then Solomon prayed, "O LORD, you have said that you would live in thick darkness.
• 2. But I have built a glorious Temple for you, where you can live forever!"
• 3. Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:
• 4. "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father,
• 5. `From the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among the tribes of Israel as the place where a temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel.
• 6. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as that city, and David as that king.'"
• 7. Then Solomon said, "My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
• 8. But the LORD told him, `It is right for you to want to build the Temple to honor my name,
• 9. but you will not be the one to do it. One of your sons will build it instead.'
• 10. "And now the LORD has done what he promised, for I have become king in my father's place. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
• 11. There I have placed the Ark, and in the Ark is the covenant that the LORD made with the people of Israel."
• 12. Then Solomon stood with his hands spread out before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire community of Israel.
• 13. He had made a bronze platform 7 1/2 feet long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feet high and had placed it at the center of the Temple's outer courtyard. He stood on the platform before the entire assembly, and then he knelt down and lifted his hands toward heaven.
• 14. He prayed, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your promises and show unfailing love to all who obey you and are eager to do your will.
• 15. You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and today you have fulfilled it with your own hands.
• 16. And now, O LORD, God of Israel, carry out your further promise to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, `If your descendants guard their behavior and obey my law as you have done, they will always reign over Israel.'
• 17. Now, O LORD, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.
• 18. "But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!
• 19. Listen to my prayer and my request, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you.
• 20. May you watch over this Temple both day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.
• 21. May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.
• 22. "If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of the altar at this Temple,
• 23. then hear from heaven and judge between your servants--the accuser and the accused. Punish the guilty party, and acquit the one who is innocent.
• 24. "If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and call on your name and pray to you here in this Temple,
• 25. then hear from heaven and forgive their sins and return them to this land you gave their ancestors.
• 26. "If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this Temple and confess your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,
• 27. then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to do what is right, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.
• 28. "If there is a famine in the land, or plagues, or crop disease, or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people's enemies are in the land besieging their towns--whatever the trouble is--
• 29. and if your people offer a prayer concerning their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple,
• 30. then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people whatever they deserve, for you alone know the human heart.
• 31. Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.
• 32. "And when foreigners hear of you and your mighty miracles, and they come from distant lands to worship your great name and to pray toward this Temple,
• 33. then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. Then all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built bears your name.
• 34. "If your people go out at your command to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and toward this Temple that I have built for your name,
• 35. then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.
• 36. "If they sin against you--and who has never sinned?--you may become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far or near.
• 37. But in that land of exile, they may turn to you again in repentance and pray, `We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.'
• 38. Then if they turn to you with their whole heart and soul and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors, toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name,
• 39. then hear their prayers from heaven where you live. Uphold their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
• 40. "O my God, be attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.
• 41. And now, O LORD God, arise and enter this resting place of yours, where your magnificent Ark has been placed. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and may your saints rejoice in your goodness.
• 42. O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember your unfailing love for your servant David. "

New Living Translation: 129 of 324 days.