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2 Chronicles 6
Legacy Standard Bible

Solomon Blesses the People

6 (A)Then Solomon said,

“Yahweh has said that He would dwell in the cloud of dense gloom.
2 Now I have built You a lofty house,
And a place for Your dwelling forever.”

3 Then the king turned his face around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it by 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 that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a ruler over My people Israel; 6 but (B)I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I (C)have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 (D)And it was [a]in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 8 But Yahweh 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 will (E)come forth from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10 And Yahweh has established His word which He spoke; and I have been established in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh [d]promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 11 And there I have set the ark (F)in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which He cut with the sons of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer for Israel

12 Then he stood before the altar of Yahweh before all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 (G)Now Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had put it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, (H)knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, (I)there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, (J)keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your slaves who walk before You with all their heart; 15 (K)who have kept with Your [e]servant David, my father, that which You have [f]promised him; indeed You have promised with Your mouth and have fulfilled it by Your hand, as it is this day. 16 So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father, that which You have promised him, saying, ‘(L)You shall not have a man cut off from before Me who is to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, let Your word truly [g]endure which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18 “But (M)will God truly dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, (N)heaven and the [h]highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built. 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of Your slave and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your slave prays before You; 20 that Your (O)eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward (P)the place of which You have said that You would place Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your slave shall pray toward this place. 21 And listen to the supplications of Your slave and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; listen from Your dwelling place, from heaven; (Q)listen and forgive.

22 “If a man 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 listen from heaven and act and judge Your slaves, [i](R)punishing the wicked by [j]bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by [k]bringing him reward according to his righteousness.

24 “And if Your people Israel are [l]defeated before an enemy because (S)they have sinned against You, and they turn to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house, 25 then listen 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 (T)heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them; 27 then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of Your slaves and of Your people Israel; indeed, (U)teach them the good way in which they should walk. And give rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28 “If there is (V)famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is scorching wind or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their [m]cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, who know his own affliction and his own pain, and spread his hands toward this house, 30 then listen from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, (W)for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, 31 that they may [n]fear You, to walk in Your ways all the days they live upon the face of the land which You have given to our fathers.

32 “Also concerning (X)the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, if he comes from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, so if they come and pray toward this house, 33 then listen from heaven, from 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 even to [o]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and to know that Your name is (Y)called upon this house which I have built.

34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way You shall 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 listen from heaven to their prayer and their supplication, and do justice.

36 “When they sin against You ((Z)for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, so that [p]they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 and if they (AA)cause these things to return to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and [q]return and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have acted wickedly’; 38 (AB)and 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 listen from heaven, from Your dwelling place, to their prayer and supplications, and do justice for them and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

40 “Now, O my God, I pray, (AC)let Your eyes be open and (AD)Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 “(AE)So now, arise, O Yahweh God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength; let Your priests, O Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation and let Your holy ones be glad in what is good.

42 “O Yahweh God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; (AF)remember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:7 Lit with
  2. 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit with
  3. 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit with
  4. 2 Chronicles 6:10 Lit spoke
  5. 2 Chronicles 6:15 Or slave, so in ch, cf. 6:14; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  6. 2 Chronicles 6:15 Lit spoken to, so in ch
  7. 2 Chronicles 6:17 Or be true
  8. 2 Chronicles 6:18 Lit heaven of heavens
  9. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit returning
  10. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit giving
  11. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit giving
  12. 2 Chronicles 6:24 Lit smitten
  13. 2 Chronicles 6:28 Lit gates
  14. 2 Chronicles 6:31 Or reverence
  15. 2 Chronicles 6:33 Or reverence
  16. 2 Chronicles 6:36 Lit their captors take them captive
  17. 2 Chronicles 6:37 Or repent
Close NLT

2 Chronicles 6
New Living Translation

Solomon Praises the Lord

6 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. 2 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”

3 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing: 4 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father, 5 ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”

7 Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, 9 but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

10 “And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that the Lord made with the people of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer. 13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 1⁄2 feet long, 7 1⁄2 feet wide, and 4 1⁄2 feet high[a] and had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven. 14 He prayed,

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.

16 “And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ 17 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.

18 “But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built! 19 Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you. 20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. 21 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.

22 “If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar at this Temple, 23 then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Pay back the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.

24 “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.

26 “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.

28 “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is— 29 and if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, 30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart. 31 Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.

32 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, 33 then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.

34 “If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name, 35 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.

36 “If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near. 37 But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’ 38 If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name— 39 then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40 “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.

41 “And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place,
    along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation;
    may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.
42 O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed.
    Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”

Footnotes

  1. 6:13 Hebrew 5 cubits [2.3 meters] long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits [1.4 meters] high.
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