A reading from the book of Second Chronicles.

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer,

fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices,

and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord,

because the glory of the Lord

filled the Lord's house.

When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down, and the glory of the Lord on the

temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshipped

and gave thanks to the Lord saying, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord.

King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep.

So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. The priests stood at their posts, the Levites also with the instruments for music to the

Lord that King David had made for giving thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love endures

forever, whenever David offered praises

by their ministry. Opposite them, the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.

And Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord,

for there he offered the burnt offering and the

fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt

offering and the grain offering and the fat. At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days,

and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Leboe Hamath to the

brook of Egypt. And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication

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