When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ¹  “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”

Hezekiah passed away ¹  and was buried on the ascent of the tombs of the descendants of David. All the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem buried him with great honor. ²  His son Manasseh replaced him as king.

God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart ¹  desires, ²  yet God does not enable ³  him to enjoy ⁴  the fruit of his labor ⁵  – instead, someone else ⁶  enjoys ⁷  it! ⁸  This is fruitless and a grave misfortune. ⁹ 

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. ¹  He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

The cherubim spread ¹  their wings, and they rose up from the earth ²  while I watched (when they went the wheels went alongside them). They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the Lord’s temple as the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.

God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this, ¹  and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, ²  and because you did not ask for long life, ³  but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king,