and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

“Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.”

He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”

Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.”

While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report.”

He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord could be placed there.

The Lord said to him, “I have answered your prayer and your request for help that you made to me. I have consecrated this temple you built by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there.

He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver. He launched a construction project there and named the city he built after Shemer, the former owner of the hill of Samaria.

There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

Next the king summoned Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere!

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. Solomon would offer up a thousand burnt sacrifices on the altar there.

Each one also brought to the assigned location his quota of barley and straw for the various horses.

He also made a throne room, called “The Hall of Judgment,” where he made judicial decisions. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters.

The poles were so long their ends were visible from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point. They have remained there to this very day.

When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray; we have done evil.’

There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.

For six months Joab and the entire Israelite army stayed there until they had exterminated every male in Edom.

He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed.

Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there,

“Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it.