Daily Tanach Monday Sefer Melachim 1 – Chapter 8: The king praises and blesses G-d

1.      The king praises and blesses G-d:

• The king turned his face around to bless the Jewish people. The Jewish people stood during the blessing.
• The blessing: King Shlomo said the following: Blessed be Hashem the G-d of Israel who has kept his promise to David my father [and allowed the temple to successfully be built and dwell His presence on it].
• Shlomo recalls the promise that G-d gave Dovid: G-d had said the following words to my father David: From the day I took my nation Israel out from Egypt I have not chosen a city from amongst all the tribes of Israel to have a house built for My name there and I chose David to be appointed over my nation Israel. And so it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for Hashem the G-d of Israel. Hashem then said to David my father, being that you had intended to build a house for the sake of my name I will therefore do good with your heart [and help you be successful in fulfilling your intents]. However, you shall not build the house, but rather your son who comes out of your loins he will build a house for my name.
• Shlomo states that G-d has fulfilled His promise: Hashem has fulfilled his word that he spoke, and I have risen under my father David and sat on the throne of Israel as G-d has spoken and I have built a house for the sake of G-d, the G-d of Israel. I have made a space therefore the ark of covenant of G-d, which represents the covenant that He made with our forefathers when He took them out of Egypt.
• Shlomo praises G-d: Shlomo then stood in front of the altar of G-d, opposite the congregation of Israel, and he spread his hands towards the heavens, and he said the following: Hashem G-d of Israel there is no G-d like you in the heavens above and in the earth down under. He is one who guards his covenant and kindness to the servant that follows after him faithfully. You have guarded that which You spoke to my father, Your servant David.