2 Chronicles 6
Names of God Bible
Solomon Addresses the People(A)
6 Then Solomon said, “Yahweh said he would live in a dark cloud. 2 But I have built you a high temple, a home for you to live in permanently.”
3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly from Israel while they were standing. 4 “Thanks be to Yahweh Elohim of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David; with his hand he carried it out. He said, 5 ‘Ever since I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I didn’t choose any city from the tribes of Israel as a place to build a temple for my name. And I didn’t choose any man to be prince over my people Israel. 6 But now I’ve chosen Jerusalem to be a place for my name; I’ve chosen David to rule my people Israel.’
7 “My father David had his heart set on building a temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. 8 However, Yahweh said to my father David, ‘Since you had your heart set on building a temple for my name, your intentions were good. 9 But you must not build the temple. Instead, your own son will build the temple for my name.’ 10 Yahweh has kept the promise he made. I’ve taken my father David’s place, and I sit on the throne of Israel as Yahweh promised. I’ve built the temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. 11 I’ve put the ark which contains Yahweh’s promise to Israel there.”
Solomon’s Prayer(B)
12 In the presence of the entire assembly of Israel, Solomon stood in front of Yahweh’s altar. He stretched out his hands to pray. 13 (Solomon had made a bronze platform 7½ feet long, 7½ feet wide, and 4½ feet high. He put it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on the platform, knelt in front of the entire assembly, and stretched out his hands toward heaven.) 14 He said,
“Yahweh Elohim of Israel,
there is no god like you in heaven or on earth.
You keep your promise[a] of mercy to your servants,
who obey you wholeheartedly.
15 You have kept your promise to my father David, your servant.
With your mouth you promised it.
With your hand you carried it out as it is today.
16 “Now, Yahweh Elohim of Israel,
keep your promise to my father David, your servant.
You said, ‘You will never fail to have an heir
sitting in front of me on the throne of Israel
if your descendants are faithful to me
as you have been faithful to me.’
17 “So now, Yahweh Elohim of Israel,
may the promise you made to David, your servant, come true.
18 “Does Elohim really live on earth with people?
If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you,
then how can this temple that I have built?
19 Nevertheless, my Yahweh Elohim, please pay attention to my prayer for mercy.
Listen to my cry for help as I pray to you.
20 Day and night may your eyes be on this temple,
the place about which you said your name will be there.
Listen to me as I pray toward this place.
21 Hear the plea for mercy
that your people Israel and I pray toward this place.
Hear us in heaven, the place where you live.
Hear and forgive.
22 “If anyone sins against another person
and is required to take an oath
and comes to take the oath in front of your altar in this temple,
23 then hear that person in heaven, take action, and make a decision.
Repay the guilty person with the proper punishment,
but declare the innocent person innocent.
24 “An enemy may defeat your people Israel
because they have sinned against you.
But when your people turn, praise your name, pray,
and plead with you in this temple,
25 then hear them in heaven, forgive the sins of your people Israel,
and bring them back to the land
that you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When the sky is shut and there’s no rain
because they are sinning against you
and they pray toward this place, praise your name,
and turn away from their sin because you made them suffer,
27 then hear them in heaven.
Forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel.
Teach them the proper way to live.
Then send rain on the land,
which you gave to your people as an inheritance.
28 “There may be famine in the land.
Plant diseases, heat waves, funguses, locusts,
or grasshoppers may destroy crops.
Enemies may blockade Israel’s city gates.
During every plague or sickness
29 hear every prayer for mercy
made by one person or by all the people in Israel,
all who know suffering or pain,
who stretch out their hands toward this temple.
30 Hear them in heaven, where you live.
Forgive them, and give each person the proper reply.
(You know what is in their hearts,
because you alone know what is in people’s hearts.)
31 Then, as long as they live in the land that you gave to our ancestors,
they will fear you and follow you.
32 “People who are not Israelites
will come from distant countries because of your great name,
mighty hand, and powerful arm.
When they come to pray facing this temple,
33 then hear them in heaven, the place where you live.
Do everything they ask you
so that all the people of the world may know your name
and fear you like your people Israel
and learn that this temple which I built bears your name.
34 “When your people go to war against their enemies
(wherever you may send them)
and they pray to you toward this city you have chosen
and the temple I built for your name,
35 then hear their prayer for mercy in heaven,
and do what is right for them.
36 “They may sin against you.
(No one is sinless.)
You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy
who takes them to another country as captives,
whether it is far or near.
37 If they come to their senses,
are sorry for what they’ve done,
and plead with you in the land where they are captives,
saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong.
We have been wicked,’
38 if they change their attitude toward you
in the land where they are captives,
if they pray to you
toward the land that you gave their ancestors,
and the city you have chosen,
and the temple I have built for your name,
39 then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy.
Do what is right for them.
Forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
40 “Finally, my Elohim, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive
to the prayers offered in this place.
41 “Now arise, and come to your resting place, Yahweh Elohim—
you and the ark of your power.
Clothe your priests, Yahweh Elohim, with salvation.
Let your godly ones rejoice in what is good.
42 Yahweh Elohim, do not reject your anointed one.
Remember your mercy to your servant David!”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or “covenant.”
2 Chronicles 6
English Standard Version
Solomon Blesses the People
6 (A)Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 2 But I have built you (B)an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 3 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 4 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over my people Israel; 6 (C)but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, (D)and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 7 (E)Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas (F)it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9 Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 10 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 And there I have set the ark, (G)in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 (H)Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits[a] long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. (I)Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, (J)there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, (K)keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 15 (L)who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 16 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, (M)‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, (N)if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ 17 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.
18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, (O)heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, 20 (P)that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 21 And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, (Q)and when you hear, forgive.
22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
24 “If your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 25 (R)then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.
26 (S)“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict[b] them, 27 (T)then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way[c] in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
28 (U)“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, 30 (V)then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, (W)for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, 31 that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
32 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, 33 hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house (X)that I have built is called by your name.
34 “If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
36 “If they sin against you—(Y)for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near, 37 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 38 if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 39 then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 40 Now, O my God, (Z)let your eyes be open (AA)and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.
41 “And now arise, O Lord God, and go to your (AB)resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests, O Lord God, be (AC)clothed with salvation,
and let your saints (AD)rejoice in your goodness.
42 O Lord God, (AE)do not turn away the face of your anointed one!
(AF)Remember your steadfast love for David your servant.”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- 2 Chronicles 6:26 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew answer
- 2 Chronicles 6:27 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate (compare 1 Kings 8:36); Hebrew toward the good way
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
