2 Chronicles 6:1-11
New English Translation
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 2 O Lord,[a] I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 3 Then the king turned around[b] and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.[c] 4 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled[d] what he promised[e] my father David. 5 He told David,[f] ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.[g] Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live,[h] and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.[i] 8 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.[j] 9 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’[k] 10 The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel 11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”
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- 2 Chronicles 6:2 tn The words “O Lord” do not appear in the Hebrew text, but they are supplied in the translation for clarification; Solomon addresses the Lord in prayer at this point.
- 2 Chronicles 6:3 tn Heb “turned his face.”
- 2 Chronicles 6:3 tn Heb “and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing.”
- 2 Chronicles 6:4 tn The Hebrew text reads, “fulfilled by his hand,” but the phrase “by his hand” is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- 2 Chronicles 6:4 tn The Hebrew text reads, “promised by his mouth,” but the phrase “by his mouth” is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- 2 Chronicles 6:5 tn Heb “saying.”
- 2 Chronicles 6:5 tn Heb “to build a house for my name to be there.” Here “name” is used by metonymy for the Lord himself, and thus the expression “to be there” refers to his taking up residence there (hence the translation, “a temple in which to live”). In this case the temple is referred to as a “house” where the Lord himself can reside.
- 2 Chronicles 6:6 tn Heb “for my name to be there.” See also the note on the word “live” in v. 5.
- 2 Chronicles 6:7 tn Heb “and it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.”sn On the significance of the Lord’s “name,” see the note on the word “live” in v. 5.
- 2 Chronicles 6:8 tn Heb “Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was with your heart.”
- 2 Chronicles 6:9 tn Heb “your son, the one who came out of your body, he will build the temple for my name.”
2 Chronicles 6:1-11
Amplified Bible
Solomon’s Dedication
6 Then Solomon said,
“The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
2
“I have built You a lofty house,
A place for You to dwell forever.”
3 Then the king turned around and blessed the entire assembly of Israel, while they were all standing. 4 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled with His hands what He promised, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city among all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name (Presence) might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a leader over My people Israel; 6 but I have chosen Jerusalem that My Name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was [a]in your heart to build a house for My Name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will be born to you, he shall build the house for My Name.’ 10 Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark [the symbol of His Presence] in which is the covenant of the Lord [the Ten Commandments], which He made with the people (descendants) of Israel.”
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- 2 Chronicles 6:8 I.e. your heartfelt desire.
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