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12 He stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands 13 (for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits[a] long, and five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the middle of the court; and he stood on it, and knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven) 14 and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth; you who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 15 who have kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

16 “Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ 17 Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David.

18 “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house which I have built! 19 Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you; 20 that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name; to listen to the prayer which your servant will pray toward this place. 21 Listen to the petitions of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear, forgive.

22 “If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house; 23 then hear from heaven, act, and judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

24 “If your people Israel are struck down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and confess your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this house; 25 then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers.

26 “When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them; 27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.

28 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 29 whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who will each know his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread out his hands toward this house; 30 then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men) 31 that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.

32 “Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for your great name’s sake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm; when they come and pray toward this house; 33 then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; 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 which I have built is called by your name.

34 “If 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 supplication, and maintain their cause.

36 “If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near; 37 yet if they come to their senses in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;’ 38 if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave 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, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40 “Now, my God, let, I beg you, your eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.

41 “Now therefore arise, Yahweh God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.

42 “Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your loving kindnesses to David your servant.”

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Footnotes

  1. 6:13 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(A)

12 Then Solomon[a] took his place in front of the Lord’s altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Solomon had a bronze platform constructed five cubits[b] square and three cubits[c] high. He had it erected in the middle of the courtyard, and stood on it. Then he knelt down on his knees in front of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said:

Lord God of Israel, there is no one like you, God of heaven and earth, who watches over[d] his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence[e] with all their hearts. 15 It is you, Lord God,[f] who has kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment[g] to my father David and then personally fulfilled[h] what you had promised today.

16 “Now therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep your promise that you made[i] to my father, your servant David, when you said, ‘You are to not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel,[j] if only your descendants will watch their lives,[k] to live according to my Law, just as you have lived[l] in my presence.’[m]

17 “Now therefore, Lord God of Israel, may your promise that you made[n] to your servant David be fulfilled… 18 and yet, will God truly reside on earth with human beings? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! 19 Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, Lord my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 Let your eyes always look toward this Temple day and night, toward the location where you have said you would place your name. Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction.[o] 21 Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction,[p] and listen from the place where you reside—from heaven!—then hear and forgive.

22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, 23 then listen from heaven, act, and judge your servants, recompensing the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices[q] and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness.

24 “If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with[r] their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you[s] and confess to you,[t] pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, 25 then hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil[u] that you gave to them and to their ancestors.

26 “When the skies remain closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them,[v] 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance.

28 “If a famine comes to the land, or if there comes plant diseases, mildew, locusts, or grasshoppers,[w] or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, 29 whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it’s made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own illness and anguish and stretching out their hands toward this Temple, 30 then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts—for you alone know the hearts of human beings— 31 so they will fear you and live life[x] your way as long as they live in the land that you have given to our ancestors.

32 “Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your great name, your mighty acts,[y] and your obvious power,[z] when they come and pray in the direction of this Temple, 33 then hear from heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name.

34 “When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to you in the direction of this city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, 35 then hear their prayer and their request from heaven, and fight for their cause.

36 “When they sin against you—because there isn’t a single human being who doesn’t sin—and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to a land that’s near or far away, 37 if they turn their hearts back to you[aa] in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you—even if they do so in the land where they have been taken captive—confessing, ‘We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,’ 38 if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land where they have been taken captive, as they pray in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, 39 then hear their prayer and requests from heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, forgiving your people who have sinned against you.

40 “And now, my God, please let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers that are uttered in[ab] this place.

41 “And now may the Lord God arise, to your place of rest, you, and the ark of your power! Let your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and cause your godly ones to find their joy in what is good.

42 Lord God, do not turn your face away from your anointed one.[ac] Remember your gracious love to your servant David.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:12 Lit. he
  2. 2 Chronicles 6:13 I.e. about seven and a half feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches
  3. 2 Chronicles 6:13 I.e. about four and a half feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches
  4. 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or who keeps
  5. 2 Chronicles 6:14 Lit. who walk before you
  6. 2 Chronicles 6:15 The Heb. lacks It is you, Lord God
  7. 2 Chronicles 6:15 Lit. you spoke by your mouth
  8. 2 Chronicles 6:15 Lit. and by your hand full
  9. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit. spoke
  10. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Cf. 1King 2:4; 2Chr 7:18
  11. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit. ways
  12. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit. walked
  13. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Or have walked before me
  14. 2 Chronicles 6:17 Lit. spoke
  15. 2 Chronicles 6:20 Lit. prays toward this place
  16. 2 Chronicles 6:21 Lit. pray toward this place
  17. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit. by bringing his way upon his head
  18. 2 Chronicles 6:24 Lit. defeated before
  19. 2 Chronicles 6:24 The Heb. lacks to you
  20. 2 Chronicles 6:24 Lit. confess your name
  21. 2 Chronicles 6:25 Or land
  22. 2 Chronicles 6:26 So MT; LXX reads you bring them low
  23. 2 Chronicles 6:28 Or caterpillars
  24. 2 Chronicles 6:31 Lit. and walk in
  25. 2 Chronicles 6:32 Lit. hand
  26. 2 Chronicles 6:32 Lit. your outstretched arm
  27. 2 Chronicles 6:37 The Heb. lacks back to you
  28. 2 Chronicles 6:40 The Heb. lacks that are uttered in
  29. 2 Chronicles 6:42 Or your Messiah