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2 Chronicles 6-7
New Life Version
2 Chronicles 6-7
New Life Version
Solomon’s Words to the People
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would live in the thick cloud. 2 I have built a great house for You. It is a place for You to live in forever.” 3 Then the king turned around and prayed that good would come to all the people of Israel, while all the people of Israel stood.
4 Solomon said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He spoke with His mouth to my father David. And He has kept His promises with His hands, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the families of Israel in which to build a house for My name. I did not 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 rule 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 in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9 But you will not build the house. Your son who will be born to you will build the house for My name.’ 10 Now the Lord has kept His promise which He made. For I have taken the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. And I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have put the special box with the Law of the Lord which He gave to the people of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands. 13 Solomon had made a special place to stand, out of brass. It was as long and as wide as three steps, and as high as a man’s chest. And he had put it in the center of the open space. He stood on it, then got down on his knees in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth. You keep Your promises and show loving-kindness to Your servants who walk with You with all their hearts. 15 You have kept Your promises to Your servant David my father. Yes, You have spoken with Your mouth, and have done all You said You would do, as it is today. 16 So now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep Your promise which You made to Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You will never be without a man to sit on the throne of Israel. But your sons must be careful to walk in My Law, as you have done.’ 17 So now, O Lord, God of Israel, let Your Word be made sure which You have spoken to Your servant David.
18 “But is it true that God will live with man on the earth? See, heaven and the highest heaven cannot hold You. How much less can this house hold You which I have built! 19 But respect the prayer of Your servant and what he asks of You, O Lord my God. Listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays to You. 20 May Your eyes be open day and night toward this house, the place where You have promised to put Your name. Listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place. 21 Listen to what Your servant and Your people Israel ask for when they pray toward this place. Hear from the place where You live, from heaven. Hear and forgive.
22 “If a man sins against his neighbor, and has to make a promise, and he comes and makes a promise before Your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven, and act. Judge Your servants. Punish the sinful by bringing his actions on his own head. And make it known that the one who is right and good is not guilty. Bring good to him because he is right and good.
24 “If Your people Israel lose a battle against those who hate them, because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and tell of Your name, and pray and ask of You in this house, 25 then listen to them from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. Bring them back to the land You have given to them and to their fathers.
26 “When the heavens are shut up and give no rain because the people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and tell of Your name, and turn from their sin when You bring trouble to them, 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel. Teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people.
28 “If there is a time of no food in the land, and if there is a disease that kills the plants, or if there are locusts or grasshoppers, if those who hate Your people send armies to trap them in their cities, whatever trouble or sickness there is, 29 hear the prayer made by any man or by all Your people Israel. Each one will know his own trouble and his own pain. And when he spreads his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven where You live, and forgive. Give to each man what he should have. For You, and only You, know the hearts of men. 31 May they fear You and walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land You have given to our fathers.
32 “If a stranger who is not from Your people Israel comes from a far country because of Your great name, Your powerful hand, and Your strong arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, 33 hear from heaven where You live. Do all that the stranger asks of You. Then all the people of the earth may know Your name and honor You with fear, as Your people Israel do. And then they may know that this house I have built is called by Your name.
34 “When Your people go out to battle against those who hate them, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house I have built for Your name, 35 then hear their prayer from heaven and help them.
36 “When they sin against You, (for there is no man who does not sin), and You are angry with them and give them to those who hate them, they will be carried away against their will to a land far away or near. 37 If they think about it in the land where they have been taken, and are sorry for their sins and turn away from them and pray to You in the land where they have been taken, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have been bad and have done wrong.’ 38 If they come back to You with all their heart and soul in the land where they have been taken and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers and toward the city You have chosen and toward the house I have built for Your name, 39 then hear from heaven where You live. Hear their prayer and what they ask for, and help them. Forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
40 “Now, O my God, I ask You, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears listen to the prayer given in this place. 41 Now rise up, O Lord God. Go to Your resting place, You and the special box of Your power. O Lord God, let Your religious leaders be dressed in saving power. Let those who belong to You be filled with joy in what is good. 42 O Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your chosen one. Remember Your loving-kindness to Your servant David.”
The House of God Is Set Apart for God
7 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and burned up the burnt gift and gifts of worship. And the shining-greatness of the Lord filled the house. 2 The religious leaders could not go into the house of the Lord because it was filled with the Lord’s shining-greatness. 3 All the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the shining-greatness of the Lord upon the house. So they bowed their faces to the ground and worshiped. They gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good. For His loving-kindness lasts forever.”
4 Then the king and all the people gave gifts to the Lord. 5 King Solomon gave a gift of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people set apart the house of God. 6 The religious leaders stood in their places while the Levites were praising the Lord using objects King David had made. They were playing, “For His loving-kindness lasts forever.” As the religious leaders blew horns on the other side, all Israel stood.
7 Then Solomon set apart the center of the open space in front of the Lord’s house. There he gave the burnt gifts and the fat of the peace gifts. The brass altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt gift, the grain gift and the fat.
8 At that time Solomon gave the special supper for seven days, and all Israel with him. Many people were there. They had come from the gate of Hamath to the river of Egypt. 9 On the eighth day they gathered together for a special time. For seven days they had to set apart the altar, and for seven days they had the special supper. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon sent the people to their tents. They were full of joy and happy in their heart for the good that the Lord had shown to David and Solomon and His people Israel.
God Comes to Solomon Again
11 Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the Lord’s house and in his own house was well done. 12 Then the Lord came to Solomon during the night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer. And I have chosen this place for Myself as a house of gifts given in worship. 13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, and if I tell the locust to destroy the land, or send disease upon My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name put away their pride and pray, and look for My face, and turn from their sinful ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open. And My ears will hear the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this house and have made it holy, that My name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will always be there. 17 As for you, if you walk in My ways as your father David walked and do all that I have told you to do and keep My Laws, 18 then I will make your throne to last as I promised your father David. I said, ‘You will never be without a man to rule Israel.’
19 “But if you turn away and leave My Laws and My Word which I have given you, if you go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will take you from the land I have given you. And I will turn My eyes away from this house which I have set apart for My name. I will make it so all people speak of it in shame. 21 Everyone will look with wonder at this house that was once honored. They will say, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house?’ 22 Then they will say, ‘It is because they turned away from the Lord, the God of their fathers, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They have taken other gods, and worshiped them and served them. So the Lord has brought all this trouble on them.’”
2 Chronicles 6-7
New International Version
2 Chronicles 6-7
New International Version
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;(A) 2 I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.(B)”
3 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 4 Then he said:
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said, 5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem(C) for my Name(D) to be there, and I have chosen David(E) to rule my people Israel.’
7 “My father David had it in his heart(F) to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’
10 “The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant(G) of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(H)(I)
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Now he had made a bronze platform,(J) five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high,[a] and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down(K) before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said:
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you(L) in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love(M) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised(N) and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail(O) to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law,(P) as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.
18 “But will God really dwell(Q) on earth with humans? The heavens,(R) even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 19 Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 May your eyes(S) be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name(T) there. May you hear(U) the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 21 Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.(V)
22 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath(W) and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 23 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning(X) the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.
24 “When your people Israel have been defeated(Y) by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(Z) because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive(AA) the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.
28 “When famine(AB) or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive,(AC) and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),(AD) 31 so that they will fear you(AE) and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come(AF) from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand(AG) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner(AH) asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
34 “When your people go to war against their enemies,(AI) wherever you send them, and when they pray(AJ) to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
36 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(AK)—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive(AL) to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart(AM) in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive(AN) your people, who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive(AO) to the prayers offered in this place.
41 “Now arise,(AP) Lord God, and come to your resting place,(AQ)
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests,(AR) Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.(AS)
42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.(AT)
Remember the great love(AU) promised to David your servant.”
The Dedication of the Temple(AV)
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire(AW) came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled(AX) the temple.(AY) 2 The priests could not enter(AZ) the temple of the Lord because the glory(BA) of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,
“He is good;
his love endures forever.”(BB)
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. 5 And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. 6 The priests took their positions, as did the Levites(BC) with the Lord’s musical instruments,(BD) which King David had made for praising the Lord and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, “His love endures forever.” Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.
7 Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat(BE) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.
8 So Solomon observed the festival(BF) at that time for seven days, and all Israel(BG) with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath(BH) to the Wadi of Egypt.(BI) 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated(BJ) the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival(BK) for seven days more. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.
The Lord Appears to Solomon(BL)
11 When Solomon had finished(BM) the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared(BN) to him at night and said:
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen(BO) this place for myself(BP) as a temple for sacrifices.
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,(BQ) or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name,(BR) will humble(BS) themselves and pray and seek my face(BT) and turn(BU) from their wicked ways, then I will hear(BV) from heaven, and I will forgive(BW) their sin and will heal(BX) their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.(BY) 16 I have chosen(BZ) and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
17 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully(CA) as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees(CB) and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted(CC) with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor(CD) to rule over Israel.’(CE)
19 “But if you[b] turn away(CF) and forsake(CG) the decrees and commands I have given you[c] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot(CH) Israel from my land,(CI) which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule(CJ) among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[d] who pass by will be appalled(CK) and say,(CL) ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them(CM)—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 That is, about 7 1/2 feet long and wide and 4 1/2 feet high or about 2.3 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high
- 2 Chronicles 7:19 The Hebrew is plural.
- 2 Chronicles 7:19 The Hebrew is plural.
- 2 Chronicles 7:21 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now so imposing, all
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