And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all {these things}, and to build the palace, {for} the which I have made provision.

Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build {shall be} wonderful great. {wonderful...: Heb. great and wonderful}

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which {is} the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. {began...: Heb. built}

Thy faithfulness {is} unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. {unto...: Heb. to generation and generation} {abideth: Heb. standeth}

And at this house, {which} is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, {is yet} young and tender, and the work {is} great: for the palace {is} not for man, but for the LORD God.

And the porch that {was} in the front {of the house}, the length {of it was} according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height {was} an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, {and} hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, {and} lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set {them} among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth {are} the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.

{Who} laid the foundations of the earth, {that} it should not be removed for ever. {Who...: Heb. He hath founded the earth upon her bases}

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: {when} I call unto them, they stand up together. {my...: or, the palm of my right hand hath spread out}

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens {are} the work of thy hands.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether {they be} thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. {heap: or, little hill}

[A Song of degrees for Solomon.] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh {but} in vain. {for...: or, of Solomon} {that...: Heb. that are builders of it in it}

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: