The inside of the temple was all cedar and was adorned with carvings of round ornaments and of flowers in bloom. Everything was cedar; no stones were visible.<n id="1" />p>

Solomon plated the inside of the temple with gold.<n id="1" /> He hung golden chains in front of the inner sanctuary and plated the inner sanctuary<n id="2" /> with gold.

<p class="bodytext">On all the walls around the temple, inside and out,<n id="1" /> he carved<n id="2" /> cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom.

In the eleventh year, in the month Bul<n id="1" /> (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build.<n id="2" />p>

Around the great courtyard were three rows of chiseled stones and one row of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and the hall of the palace.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The priests brought the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s covenant to its assigned<n id="1" /> place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubs.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;God does not really live on the earth!<n id="1" /> Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!

When they hear about your great reputation<n id="1" /> and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds,<n id="2" /> they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple.

His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily<n id="1" /> at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah,

So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />

So I have decided<n id="1" /> to build a temple to honor the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> my God, as the <sc>Lordsc> instructed my father David, &#8216;Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a temple to honor me.&#8217;<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon&#8217;s reign over Israel, during the month Ziv<n id="1" /> (the second month), he began building the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

The bottom floor of the extension was seven and a half feet<n id="1" /> wide, the middle floor nine feet<n id="2" /> wide, and the third floor ten and a half<n id="3" /> feet wide. He made ledges<n id="4" /> on the temple&#8217;s outer walls so the beams would not have to be inserted into the walls.<n id="5" />

&#8220;As for this temple you are building, if you follow<n id="1" /> my rules, observe<n id="2" /> my regulations, and obey all my commandments,<n id="3" /> I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.<n id="4" />

The <sc>Lordsc> has kept the promise he made.<n id="1" /> I have taken my father David&#8217;s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the <sc>Lordsc> promised. I have built this temple for the honor<n id="2" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel

Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live.<n id="1" /> May you answer your servant&#8217;s prayer for this place.<n id="2" />

When all your people Israel pray and ask for help,<n id="1" /> as they acknowledge their pain<n id="2" /> and spread out their hands toward this temple,

The <sc>Lordsc> said to him, &#8220;I have answered<n id="1" /> 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;<n id="2" /> I will be constantly present there.<n id="3" />

then I will remove Israel from the land<n id="1" /> I have given them, I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence,<n id="2" /> and Israel will be mocked and ridiculed<n id="3" /> among all the nations.

<p class="bodytext">Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings<n id="1" /> on the altar he had built for the <sc>Lordsc>, burning incense along with them before the <sc>Lordsc>. He made the temple his official worship place.<n id="2" />p>