He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.

and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”

You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.

listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.

“If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help before you in this temple,

then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help, vindicate them, and forgive your sinful people.

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple.

The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple.

the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made.

Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there.

Then I will establish your dynasty, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’

Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given him and settled Israelites there.

He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates,

Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king.

The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands.

“Your father made us work too hard! Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.”

and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.”

The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests.

Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.

and the men of Judah gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the Lord struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.