Solomon’s Prayer

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7½ feet[a] long, 7½ feet wide, and 4½ feet[b] high and put it in the court. He stood on it,(A) knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.(B) 14 He said:

Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like you
in heaven or on earth,(C)
who keeps his gracious covenant
with your servants who walk before you
with all their heart.(D)
15 You have kept what you promised
to your servant, my father David.
You spoke directly to him,
and you fulfilled your promise by your power,
as it is today.(E)
16 Therefore, Lord God of Israel,
keep what you promised
to your servant, my father David:
“You will never fail to have a man
to sit before me on the throne of Israel,(F)
if only your sons take care to walk in my Law
as you have walked before me.”
17 Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm
what you promised to your servant David.
18 But will God indeed live on earth with humans?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,(G)
much less this temple I have built.
19 Listen[c] to your servant’s prayer and his petition,
Lord my God,
so that you may hear the cry and the prayer
that your servant prays before you,
20 so that your eyes watch over this temple
day and night,
toward the place where you said
you would put your name;(H)
and so that you may hear the prayer
your servant prays toward this place.
21 Hear the petitions of your servant
and your people Israel,
which they pray toward this place.
May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.
May you hear and forgive.
22 If a man sins against his neighbor
and is forced to take an oath[d]
and he comes to take an oath
before your altar in this temple,
23 may you hear in heaven and act.
May you judge your servants,
condemning the wicked man by bringing
what he has done on his own head
and providing justice for the righteous
by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
24 If your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,
because they have sinned against you,
and they return to you and praise your name,
and they pray and plead for mercy
before you in this temple,
25 may you hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of your people Israel.
May you restore them to the land
you gave them and their ancestors.
26 When the skies are shut and there is no rain
because they have sinned against you,
and they pray toward this place
and praise your name,
and they turn from their sins
because you are afflicting[e](I) them,
27 may you hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of your servants
and your people Israel,
so that you may teach them the good way
they should walk in.
May you send rain on your land
that you gave your people for an inheritance.
28 When there is famine in the land,
when there is pestilence,
when there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper,
when their enemies besiege them
in the land and its cities,[f][g](J)
when there is any plague or illness,
29 every prayer or petition
that any person or that all your people Israel may have—
they each know their own affliction[h] and suffering—
as they spread out their hands toward this temple,
30 may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,
and may you forgive and give to everyone[i]
according to all their ways, since you know each heart,
for you alone know the human heart,(K)
31 so that they may fear you
and walk in your ways
all the days they live on the land
you gave our ancestors.
32 Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel
but has come from a distant land
because of your great name
and your strong hand and outstretched arm:(L)
when he comes and prays toward this temple,
33 may you hear in heaven in your dwelling place,
and do all the foreigner asks you.
Then all the peoples of the earth will know your name,
to fear you as your people Israel do
and know that this temple I have built
bears your name.(M)
34 When your people go out to fight against their enemies,
wherever you send them,
and they pray to you
in the direction of this city you have chosen(N)
and the temple that I have built for your name,
35 may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven
and uphold their cause.
36 When they sin against you—
for there is no one who does not sin(O)
and you are angry with them
and hand them over to the enemy,
and their captors deport them
to a distant or nearby country,
37 and when they come to their senses
in the land where they were deported
and repent and petition you in their captors’ land,
saying, “We have sinned and done wrong;
we have been wicked,”
38 and when they return to you with all their mind and all their heart
in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,
and when they pray in the direction of their land
that you gave their ancestors,
and the city you have chosen,
and toward the temple I have built for your name,
39 may you hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,
your dwelling place,
and uphold their cause.[j]
May you forgive your people
who sinned against you.
40 Now, my God,
please let your eyes be open
and your ears attentive
to the prayer of this place.(P)
41 Now therefore:(Q)
Arise, Lord God, come to your resting place,
you and your powerful ark.
May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
and may your faithful people rejoice in goodness.
42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one;[k]
remember your servant David’s acts of faithful love.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. 6:13 Lit five cubits
  2. 6:13 Lit three cubits
  3. 6:19 Lit Turn
  4. 6:22 Lit and he lifts a curse against him to curse him
  5. 6:26 LXX, Vg; MT reads answering; 1Kg 8:35
  6. 6:28 Lit land of its gates
  7. 6:28 Lit if his (Israel’s) enemies besiege him in the land of his gates; Jos 2:7; Jdg 16:2–3
  8. 6:29 Lit plague
  9. 6:30 Lit give for the man
  10. 6:39 Lit and do their judgment, or justice
  11. 6:42 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read ones; Ps 132:10

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