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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

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 (A)For Solomon had made a bronze platform, [a]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, (B)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, (C)there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, (D)keeping [b]Your covenant and [c]Your faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; 15 (E)You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You [d]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 [e]promised him, saying, ‘[f](F)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 (G)will God really dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, (H)heaven and the [g]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 (I)eye will be open toward this house day and night, toward (J)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; (K)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, [h](L)punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by [i]repaying him according to his righteousness.

24 “If Your people Israel are [j]defeated before an enemy because (M)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 (N)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, (O)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 (P)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 [k]cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or plea is made by anyone or by all Your people Israel, [l]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—(Q)for You alone know the hearts of the sons of mankind— 31 so that they may [m]fear You, to walk in Your ways [n]as long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.

32 “Also concerning (R)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 [o]fear You as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [p]this house which I have built is (S)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 ((T)for there is no one who does not sin), and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that [q]they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 if they [r]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 (U)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, (V)let Your eyes be open and (W)Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 (X)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; (Y)remember Your faithfulness to Your servant David.”

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Footnotes

  1. 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. 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or the
  3. 2 Chronicles 6:14 Or the
  4. 2 Chronicles 6:15 Lit spoke to
  5. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit have spoken to
  6. 2 Chronicles 6:16 Lit There shall not be cut off to you a man from before Me
  7. 2 Chronicles 6:18 Lit heaven of heavens
  8. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit returning
  9. 2 Chronicles 6:23 Lit giving
  10. 2 Chronicles 6:24 Lit struck
  11. 2 Chronicles 6:28 Lit gates
  12. 2 Chronicles 6:29 Lit whoever shall know
  13. 2 Chronicles 6:31 Or revere
  14. 2 Chronicles 6:31 Lit all the days that they live on the face of the land
  15. 2 Chronicles 6:33 Or revere
  16. 2 Chronicles 6:33 Lit Your name is called upon this house
  17. 2 Chronicles 6:36 Lit their captors lead them captive
  18. 2 Chronicles 6:37 Lit return to their heart