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Solomon’s Prayer(A)

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!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or “covenant.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(A)(B)

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Now he had made a bronze platform,(C) five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high,[a] and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down(D) before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said:

Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you(E) in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love(F) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised(G) and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail(H) to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law,(I) as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.

18 “But will God really dwell(J) on earth with humans? The heavens,(K) even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 19 Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 May your eyes(L) be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name(M) there. May you hear(N) the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 21 Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.(O)

22 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath(P) and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 23 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning(Q) the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.

24 “When your people Israel have been defeated(R) by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.

26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(S) because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive(T) the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

28 “When famine(U) or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive,(V) and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),(W) 31 so that they will fear you(X) and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

32 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come(Y) from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand(Z) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner(AA) asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

34 “When your people go to war against their enemies,(AB) wherever you send them, and when they pray(AC) to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

36 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(AD)—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive(AE) to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart(AF) in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive(AG) your people, who have sinned against you.

40 “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive(AH) to the prayers offered in this place.

41 “Now arise,(AI) Lord God, and come to your resting place,(AJ)
    you and the ark of your might.
May your priests,(AK) Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
    may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.(AL)
42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.(AM)
    Remember the great love(AN) promised to David your servant.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:13 That is, about 7 1/2 feet long and wide and 4 1/2 feet high or about 2.3 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high