2 Chronicles 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple
6 Then Solomon said:(A)
The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness,(B)
2 but I have built an exalted temple for You,
a place for Your residence forever.
3 Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. 4 He said:
May the Lord God of Israel be praised!
He spoke directly to my father David,
and He has fulfilled the promise
by His power.
He said,
5 “Since the day I brought My people Israel
out of the land of Egypt,(C)
I have not chosen a city to build a temple in
among any of the tribes of Israel,
so that My name would be there,
and I have not chosen a man
to be ruler over My people Israel.
6 But I have chosen Jerusalem
so that My name will be there,(D)
and I have chosen David
to be over My people Israel.”(E)
7 Now it was in the heart of my father David
to build a temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.(F)
8 However, Yahweh said to my father David,
“Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name,
you have done well to have this desire.
9 Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,
but your son, your own offspring,
will build the temple for My name.”
10 So Yahweh has fulfilled what He promised.
I have taken the place of my father David
and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised.
I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
11 I have put the ark there,
where Yahweh’s covenant is
that He made with the Israelites.(G)
Solomon’s Prayer
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7½ feet[a] long, 7½ feet[b] wide, and 4½ feet[c] high and put it in the court. He stood on it,(H) knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.(I) 14 He said:
Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like You
in heaven or on earth,(J)
keeping His gracious covenant
with Your servants who walk before You
with their whole heart.(K)
15 You have kept what You promised
to Your servant, my father David.
You spoke directly to him,
and You fulfilled Your promise by Your power,
as it is today.(L)
16 Therefore, Lord God of Israel,
keep what You promised
to Your servant, my father David:
“You will never fail to have a man
to sit before Me on the throne of Israel,(M)
if only your sons guard their way to walk in My Law
as you have walked before Me.”
17 Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm
what You promised to Your servant David.
18 But will God indeed live on earth with man?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You,(N)
much less this temple I have built.
19 Listen[d] to Your servant’s prayer and his petition,
Lord my God,
so that You may hear the cry and the prayer
that Your servant prays before You,
20 so that Your eyes watch over this temple
day and night,
toward the place where You said
You would put Your name;(O)
and so that You may hear the prayer
Your servant prays toward this place.
21 Hear the petitions of Your servant
and Your people Israel,
which they pray toward this place.
May You hear in Your dwelling place in heaven.
May You hear and forgive.
22 If a man sins against his neighbor
and is forced to take an oath[e]
and he comes to take an oath
before Your altar in this temple,
23 may You hear in heaven and act.
May You judge Your servants,
condemning the wicked man by bringing
what he has done on his own head
and providing justice for the righteous
by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
24 If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,
because they have sinned against You,
and they return to You and praise Your name,
and they pray and plead for mercy
before You in this temple,
25 may You hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of Your people Israel.
May You restore them to the land
You gave them and their ancestors.
26 When the skies are shut and there is no rain
because they have sinned against You,
and they pray toward this place
and praise Your name,
and they turn from their sins
because You are afflicting[f](P) them,
27 may You hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of Your servants
and Your people Israel,
so that You may teach them the good way
they should walk in.
May You send rain on Your land
that You gave Your people for an inheritance.
28 When there is famine on the earth,
when there is pestilence,
when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper,
when their enemies besiege them
in the region of their fortified cities,[g](Q)
when there is any plague or illness,
29 whatever prayer or petition
anyone from your people Israel might have—
each man knowing his own affliction[h] and suffering,
and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
30 may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place,
and may You forgive and repay the man
according to all his ways, since You know his heart,
for You alone know the human heart,(R)
31 so that they may fear You
and walk in Your ways
all the days they live on the land
You gave our ancestors.
32 Even for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel
but has come from a distant land
because of Your great name
and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm:(S)
when he comes and prays toward this temple,
33 may You hear in heaven in Your dwelling place,
and do all the foreigner asks You.
Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name,
to fear You as Your people Israel do
and know that this temple I have built
is called by Your name.(T)
34 When Your people go out to fight against their enemies,
wherever You send them,
and they pray to You
in the direction of this city You have chosen(U)
and the temple that I have built for Your name,
35 may You hear their prayer and petition in heaven
and uphold their cause.
36 When they sin against You—
for there is no one who does not sin(V)—
and You are angry with them
and hand them over to the enemy,
and their captors deport them
to a distant or nearby country,
37 and when they come to their senses
in the land where they were deported
and repent and petition You in their captors’ land,
saying: “We have sinned and done wrong;
we have been wicked,”
38 and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart
in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,
and when they pray in the direction of their land
that You gave their ancestors,
and the city You have chosen,
and toward the temple I have built for Your name,
39 may You hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,
Your dwelling place,
and uphold their cause.[i]
May You forgive Your people
who sinned against You.
40 Now, my God,
please let Your eyes be open
and Your ears attentive
to the prayer of this place.(W)
41 Now therefore:(X)
Arise, Lord God, come to Your resting place,
You and Your powerful ark.
May Your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
and may Your godly people rejoice in goodness.
42 Lord God, do not reject Your anointed one;[j]
remember the loyalty of Your servant David.(Y)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 Lit five cubits
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 Lit five cubits
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 Lit three cubits
- 2 Chronicles 6:19 Lit Turn
- 2 Chronicles 6:22 Lit and he lifts a curse against him to curse him
- 2 Chronicles 6:26 LXX, Vg; MT reads answering; 1Kg 8:35
- 2 Chronicles 6:28 Lit if his (Israel’s) enemies besiege him in the land of his gates; Jos 2:7; Jdg 16:2-3
- 2 Chronicles 6:29 Lit plague
- 2 Chronicles 6:39 Lit and do their judgment or justice
- 2 Chronicles 6:42 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read ones; Ps 132:10
2 Chronicles 6
New American Standard Bible
Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple
6 (A)Then Solomon said,
“The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.
2 I have built You a lofty house,
And a place for Your dwelling forever.”
3 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and fulfilled it with His hands, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, so that My name might be there, nor did I choose a man to be the leader over My people Israel; 6 but (B)I have chosen Jerusalem so that My name might be there, and I (C)have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 (D)Now it was [a]in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was [b]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [c]in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who [d]will be born to you, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10 Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord [e]promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark (E)in which is the covenant of the Lord, which He made with the sons of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
12 Then he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 (F)For Solomon had made a bronze platform, [f]five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the courtyard; and he stood on it, (G)knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “Lord, God of Israel, (H)there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, (I)keeping [g]Your covenant and [h]Your faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; 15 (J)You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You [i]promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 16 Now then, Lord, God of Israel, keep to Your servant David, my father, that which You [j]promised him, saying, ‘[k](K)You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay attention to their way, to walk in My Law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 Now then, Lord, God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David.
18 “But (L)will God really dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, (M)heaven and the [l]highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built! 19 Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the prayer of Your servant and to his plea, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You; 20 that Your (N)eye will be open toward this house day and night, toward (O)the place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. 21 Listen to the pleadings of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; (P)hear and forgive.
22 “If someone sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and take action and judge Your servants, [m](Q)punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by [n]repaying him according to his righteousness.
24 “If Your people Israel are [o]defeated before an enemy because (R)they have sinned against You, and they return to You and praise Your name, and pray and plead before You in this house, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You have given to them and to their fathers.
26 “When the (S)heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; indeed, (T)teach them the good way in which they are to walk. And provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
28 “If there is a (U)famine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their [p]cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or plea is made by anyone or by all Your people Israel, [q]each knowing his own affliction and his own pain, and spreading his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know—(V)for You alone know the hearts of the sons of mankind— 31 so that they may [r]fear You, to walk in Your ways [s]as long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.
32 “Also concerning (W)the foreigner who is not from Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country on account of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, 33 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, and [t]fear You as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [u]this house which I have built is (X)called by Your name.
34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their pleading, and maintain their cause.
36 “When they sin against You ((Y)for there is no one who does not sin), and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that [v]they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 if they [w]take it to heart in the land where they are taken captive, and repent and plead to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and have acted wickedly’; 38 (Z)if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their land which You have given to their fathers and the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name, 39 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and pleadings, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
40 “Now, my God, please, (AA)let Your eyes be open and (AB)Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
41 “(AC)Now then arise, Lord God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.
42 “Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; (AD)remember Your faithfulness to Your servant David.”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:7 Lit with
- 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit with
- 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit with
- 2 Chronicles 6:9 Lit will come forth from your loins
- 2 Chronicles 6:10 Lit spoke
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 About 7.5 ft. long and wide and 4.5 ft. high or 2.3 m and 1.4 m
- 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or the
- 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or the
- 2 Chronicles 6:15 Lit spoke to
- 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit have spoken to
- 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit There shall not be cut off to you a man from before Me
- 2 Chronicles 6:18 Lit heaven of heavens
- 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit returning
- 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit giving
- 2 Chronicles 6:24 Lit struck
- 2 Chronicles 6:28 Lit gates
- 2 Chronicles 6:29 Lit whoever shall know
- 2 Chronicles 6:31 Or revere
- 2 Chronicles 6:31 Lit all the days that they live on the face of the land
- 2 Chronicles 6:33 Or revere
- 2 Chronicles 6:33 Lit Your name is called upon this house
- 2 Chronicles 6:36 Lit their captors lead them captive
- 2 Chronicles 6:37 Lit return to their heart
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