2 Chronicles 6
21st Century King James Version
6 Then said Solomon: “The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.
2 But I have built a house of habitation for Thee, and a place for Thy dwelling for ever.”
3 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood.
4 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hathwith His hands fulfilled that which He spoke with His mouth to my ather David, saying,
5 ‘Since the day that I brought forth My people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build house in, that My name might be there, neither chose I any man to be a ruler over My people Israel;
6 but I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name might be there, and have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
8 But the Lord said to David my father: ‘Inasmuch as it was in thine heart to build a house for My name, thou didst well in that t was in thine heart.
9 Notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house; but thy son who shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house or My name.’
10 The Lord therefore hath performed His word that He hath spoken; for I have risen up in the place of David my father and m set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
11 And in it have I put the ark wherein is the covenant of the Lord that He made with the children of Israel.”
12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands.
13 For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of five cubits long and five cubits broad and three cubits high, and had set it in he midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread orth his hands toward heaven
14 and said, “O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the heaven nor in the earth, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto Thy servants who walk before Thee with all their hearts—
15 Thou who hast kept with Thy servant David my father that which Thou hast promised him and spokest with Thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine hand, as it is this day.
16 Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with Thy servant David my father that which Thou hast promised him, saying, ‘There shall not fail thee a man in My sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet only that thy children take heed to their way, to alk in My law as thou hast walked before Me.’
17 Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let Thy word be verified, which Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant David.
18 “But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built!
19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which Thy servant prayeth before Thee:
20 that Thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof Thou hast said that Thou wouldest put Thy name there, to hearken unto the prayer which Thy servant prayeth toward this place.
21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of Thy servant and of Thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place. Hear Thou from Thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when Thou hearest, forgive.
22 “If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before Thine altar in this house,
23 then hear Thou from heaven, and do, and judge Thy servants by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head, and by justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
24 “And if Thy people Israel be smitten before the enemy because they have sinned against Thee, and shall return and confess Thy name, and pray and make supplication before Thee in this house,
25 then hear Thou from the heavens and forgive the sin of Thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which Thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
26 “When the heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against Thee, yet if they pray toward this place and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin when Thou dost afflict them,
27 then hear Thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy servants and of Thy people Israel when Thou hast taught them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon Thy land which Thou hast given unto Thy people for an inheritance.
28 “If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blight or mildew, locusts or caterpillars, if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be;
29 what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made by any man or by all Thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house—
30 then hear Thou from heaven, Thy dwelling place, and forgive and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest (for Thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men),
31 that they may fear Thee, to walk in Thy ways so long as they live in the land which Thou gavest unto our fathers.
32 “Moreover concerning the stranger, who is not of Thy people Israel, but has come from a far country for Thy great name’s sake and Thy mighty hand and Thy stretched out arm: if they come and pray in this house,
33 then hear Thou from the heavens, even from Thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to Thee for, that all people of the earth may know Thy name and fear Thee, as doth Thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by Thy name.
34 “If Thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that Thou shalt send them, and they pray unto Thee toward this city which Thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for Thy name,
35 then hear Thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
36 “If they sin against Thee (for there is no man who sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near,
37 yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto Thee in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done amiss and have dealt wickedly’;
38 if they return to Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land which Thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which Thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Thy name—
39 then hear Thou from the heavens, even from Thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee.
40 Now, my God, let, I beseech Thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place.
41 “Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness.
42 O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed. Remember the mercies of David Thy servant.”
2 Chronicles 6
Complete Jewish Bible
6 Shlomo said, “Adonai said he would live in thick darkness. 2 But I have built you a magnificent house, a place where you can live forever.”
3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole community of Isra’el. The whole community of Isra’el stood 4 as he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Isra’el, who spoke to my father David with his mouth and fulfilled his promise with his hand. He said, 5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I chose no city from any of the tribes of Isra’el to build a house, so that my name might be there; nor did I choose anyone to be the leader of my people Isra’el. 6 But now I have chosen Yerushalayim, so that my name can be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Isra’el.’ 7 It was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el; 8 but Adonai said to David my father, ‘Although it was in your heart to build a house for my name, and you did well that it was in your heart, 9 nevertheless you will not build the house. Rather, you will father a son, and it will be he who will build the house for my name.’ 10 Now Adonai has fulfilled this spoken word of his; for I have succeeded my father and sit on the throne of Isra’el, as Adonai promised; and I have built the house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el. 11 And there I have placed the ark containing the covenant of Adonai, which he made with the people of Isra’el.”
12 Then he stood before the altar of Adonai in the presence of the whole community of Isra’el, spread out his hands — 13 for Shlomo had made a bronze platform eight-and-three quarters feet long, eight-and-three-quarters feet wide and five-and-a-quarter feet high and had set it up in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, then got down on his knees before the whole community, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “Adonai, God of Isra’el, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father; you spoke with your mouth and fulfilled it with your hand; so it is today. 16 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, keep what you promised to your servant David, my father, when you said, ‘You will never lack a man in my presence to sit on the throne of Isra’el, if only your children are careful about what they do, so that they live by my Torah, just as you have lived in my presence.’ 17 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, please let your word, which you spoke to your servant David, my father, be confirmed.
18 “But can God actually live with human beings on the earth? Why, heaven itself, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain you; so how much less this house I have built? 19 Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant’s prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you, 20 that your eyes will be open toward this house day and night — toward the place where you said you would put your name — to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place. 21 Yes, listen to the pleas of your servant, and also those of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear from where you live, from heaven; and when you hear, forgive!
22 “If a person sins against a fellow member of the community, and he is made to swear under oath, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house; 23 then hear from heaven, act and judge your servants, paying back the wicked, so that his way of life devolves on his own head, and vindicating the one who is right, giving him what his righteousness deserves.
24 “If your people Isra’el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house, 25 hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Isra’el, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low; 27 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Isra’el — since you keep teaching them the good way by which they should live — and send down rain on your land, which you have given your people as their inheritance.
28 “If there is famine in the land, or blight, windstorm, mildew, locusts or shearer-worms; or if their enemies besiege them in any of their cities — no matter what kind of plague or sickness it is; 29 then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra’el makes — for each individual will know his own plague and his own pain — and the person spreads out his hands toward this house; 30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive; also, since you know what is in each one’s heart, give each person what his conduct deserves (because you, and only you, know human hearts), 31 so that they will fear you and therefore live according to your ways throughout the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra’el — when he comes from a distant country because of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house; 33 then hear from heaven, from where you live; and act in accordance with everything about which the foreigner is calling to you; so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, as does your people Isra’el, and so that they will know that this house which I have built bears your name.
34 “If your people go out to fight their enemies, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city you chose and the house I built for your name; 35 then, from heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.
36 “If they sin against you — for there is no one who doesn’t sin — and you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they carry them off captive to a land far away or nearby; 37 then, if they come to their senses in the land where they have been carried away captive, turn back and make their plea to you in the land where they are being held captive, saying, ‘We sinned, we acted wrongly, we behaved wickedly,’ 38 if, in the land where they were brought and are being held captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name; 39 then, from heaven, from where you live, hear their prayer and pleas, uphold their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, please, let your eyes be open, and let your ears pay attention to the prayer being made in this place.
41 “Now go up, Adonai, God, to your place of rest,
you and the ark through which you give strength.
“May your cohanim, Adonai, God, be clothed with salvation;
may those loyal to you take joy in good.
42 “Adonai, God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one;
remember the mercies of your servant David.”
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.