2 Chronicles 6

(1 Kings 8:12–21)

1ThenH227 SolomonH8010 declaredH559:

3And as the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of IsraelH3478 stoodH5975 there, the kingH4428 turned aroundH5437 and blessedH1288 them allH3605H6951H3478 4and saidH559:

“BlessedH1288 be the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, who has fulfilledH4390 with His own handH3027 what He spokeH1696 with His mouthH6310 toH854 my fatherH1 DavidH1732, sayingH559, 5‘SinceH4480 the dayH3117 I broughtH3318 My peopleH5971 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, I have notH3808 chosenH977 a cityH5892 from anyH3605 tribeH7626 of IsraelH3478 in which to buildH1129 a houseH1004 so that My NameH8034 would beH1961 thereH8033, norH3808 have I chosenH977 anyoneH376 to beH1961 rulerH5057 overH5921 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478. 6But now I have chosenH977 JerusalemH3389 for My NameH8034 to beH1961 thereH8033, and I have chosenH977 DavidH1732 to beH1961 overH5921 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478.’

7Now it wasH1961 inH5973 the heartH3824 of my fatherH1 DavidH1732 to buildH1129 a houseH1004 for the NameH8034 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. 8But the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 my fatherH1 DavidH1732, ‘SinceH3282 it wasH1961 inH5973 your heartH3824 to buildH1129 a houseH1004 for My NameH8034, you have done wellH2895 to have thisH3588H1961 inH5973 your heartH3824. 9NeverthelessH7535, youH859 are notH3808 the one to buildH1129H1004 it; butH3588 your sonH1121, your own offspringH3318H2504H1931, will buildH1129 the houseH1004 for My NameH8034.’

10Now the LORDH3068 has fulfilledH6965 the wordH1697 thatH834 He spokeH1696. I have succeededH6965H8478 my fatherH1 DavidH1732, and I sitH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478, asH834 the LORDH3068 promisedH1696. I have builtH1129 the houseH1004 for the NameH8034 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. 11And there I have placedH7760H8033H853 the arkH727, which containsH8033 the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068 thatH834 He madeH3772 withH5973 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

(1 Kings 8:22–53)

12Then Solomon stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068 in front ofH5048 the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of IsraelH3478 and spread outH6566 his handsH3709. 13NowH3588 SolomonH8010 had madeH6213 a bronzeH5178 platformH3595 fiveH2568 cubitsH520 longH753, fiveH2568 cubitsH520 wideH7341, and threeH7969 cubitsH520 highH69671 and had placed itH5414 in the middleH8432 of the courtyardH5835. He stoodH5975 on itH5921, knelt downH1288H5921H1290 beforeH5048 the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of IsraelH3478, spread outH6566 his handsH3709 toward heavenH8064, 14and saidH559:

“O LORDH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, there is noH369 GodH430 like YouH3644 in heavenH8064 or on earthH776, keepingH8104 Your covenantH1285 of loving devotionH2617 with Your servantsH5650 who walkH1980 before YouH6440 with allH3605 their heartsH3820. 15You have keptH8104 Your promiseH1696 to Your servantH5650, my fatherH1 DavidH1732. What You spokeH1696 with Your mouthH6310 You have fulfilledH4390 with Your handH3027 thisH2088 dayH3117.

16Therefore nowH6258, O LORDH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, keepH8104 for Your servantH5650, my fatherH1 DavidH1732, whatH834 You promisedH1696 when You saidH559: ‘You will neverH3808 failH3772 to have a manH376 to sitH3427 before MeH6440 onH5921 the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478, ifH518 onlyH7535 your descendantsH1121 guardH8104 their wayH1870 to walkH1980 in My lawH8451 asH834 you have walkedH1980 before MeH6440.’ 17And nowH6258, O LORDH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, please confirmH539H1697 whatH834 You promisedH1696 to Your servantH5650 DavidH1732.

18ButH3588 will GodH430 indeedH552 dwellH3427 withH854 manH120 uponH5921 the earthH776? The heavensH8064, even the highest heavensH8064, cannotH3808 contain YouH3557, much lessH637H3588 thisH2088 templeH1004 I have builtH1129. 19Yet regardH6437 the prayerH8605 andH413 pleaH8467 of Your servantH5650, O LORDH3068 my GodH430, so that You may hearH8085H413 the cryH7440H413 and the prayerH8605 thatH834 Your servantH5650 is prayingH6419 before YouH6440.

20May Your eyesH1961 beH5869 openH6605 towardH413 thisH2088 templeH1004 dayH3119 and nightH3915, towardH413 the placeH4725 whereH834 You saidH559 You would putH7760 Your NameH8034, so that You may hearH8085 the prayerH8605 thatH834 Your servantH5650 praysH6419 towardH413 thisH2088 placeH4725. 21HearH8085 the pleaH8469 of Your servantH5650 and of Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 whenH834 they prayH6419 towardH413 thisH2088 placeH4725. May YouH859 hearH8085 fromH4480 heavenH8064, Your dwellingH3427 placeH4725. May You hearH8085 and forgiveH5545.

22WhenH518 a manH376 sinsH2398 against his neighborH7453 and is requiredH5375 to take an oathH423H422, and he comesH935 to take an oathH423 beforeH6440 Your altarH4196 in thisH2088 templeH1004, 23then may YouH859 hearH8085 fromH4480 heavenH8064 and actH6213. May You judgeH8199 Your servantsH5650, condemningH7725 the wicked manH7563 by bringingH5414 down on his own headH7218 what he has doneH1870, and justifyingH6663 the righteous manH6662 by rewardingH5414 him according to his righteousnessH6666.

24WhenH518 Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 are defeatedH5062 beforeH6440 an enemyH341 becauseH3588 they have sinned against YouH2398, and they returnH7725 to You and confessH3034 Your nameH8034, prayingH6419 and pleadingH2603 before YouH6440 in thisH2088 templeH1004, 25then may YouH859 hearH8085 fromH4480 heavenH8064 and forgiveH5545 the sinH2403 of Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478. May You restore themH7725 toH413 the landH127 You gaveH5414 to them and their fathersH1.

26When the skiesH8064 are shutH6113 and there isH1961 noH3808 rainH4306 becauseH3588 Your people have sinnedH2398 against You, and they prayH6419 towardH413 thisH2088 placeH4725 and confessH3034 Your nameH8034, and they turnH7725 from their sinsH2403 becauseH3588 You have afflicted themH6031, 27then may YouH859 hearH8085 from heavenH8064 and forgiveH5545 the sinH2403 of Your servantsH5650, Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, so thatH3588 You may teach themH3384H413 the goodH2896 wayH1870 in whichH834 they should walkH1980. May You sendH5414 rainH4306 onH5921 the landH776 thatH834 You gaveH5414 Your peopleH5971 as an inheritanceH5159.

28WhenH3588 famineH7458 or plagueH1698 comesH1961 upon the landH776, or blightH7711 or mildewH3420 or locustsH697 or grasshoppersH2625, or whenH3588 their enemiesH341 besiegeH6696 them inH776 their citiesH8179, whateverH3605 plagueH5061 or sicknessH4245 may come, 29then may whateverH3605 prayerH8605 or pleaH8467 Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 makeH1961—eachH376 knowingH3045 his ownH5061 afflictionsH4341 and spreading outH6566 his handsH3709 towardH413 thisH2088 templeH1004— 30be heardH8085 by YouH859 fromH4480 heavenH8064, Your dwellingH3427 placeH4349. And may You forgiveH5545 and repayH5414 each manH376 according to allH3605 his waysH1870, sinceH834 You knowH3045 his heartH3824—forH3588 YouH859 aloneH905 knowH3045 the heartsH3824 of menH1121H120— 31so thatH4616 they may fear YouH3372 and walkH1980 in Your waysH1870 allH3605 the daysH3117 theyH1992 liveH2416 inH5921H6440 the landH127 thatH834 You gaveH5414 to our fathersH1.

32AndH1571 as forH413 the foreignerH5237 whoH834 is notH3808 of Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478H1931 but has comeH935 from a distantH7350 landH776 because ofH4616 Your greatH1419 nameH8034 and Your mightyH2389 handH3027 and outstretchedH5186 armH2220—when he comesH935 and praysH6419 towardH413 thisH2088 templeH1004, 33then may YouH859 hearH8085 fromH4480 heavenH8064, Your dwellingH3427 placeH4349, and doH6213 according to allH3605 for whichH834 the foreignerH5237 callsH7121 to YouH413. ThenH4616 allH3605 the peoplesH5971 of the earthH776 will knowH3045 Your nameH8034 and fearH3372 YouH853, as do Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, and they will knowH3045 thatH3588 thisH2088 houseH1004 I have builtH1129 is calledH7121H5921 by Your NameH8034.

34WhenH3588 Your peopleH5971 goH3318 to warH4421 againstH5921 their enemiesH341, whereverH1870 You send themH7971, and when they prayH6419 to YouH413 in the directionH1870 of this cityH5892 You have chosenH977 and the houseH1004 I have builtH1129 for Your NameH8034, 35then may You hearH8085 from heavenH4480H8064 their prayerH8605 andH853 their pleaH8467, and may You upholdH6213 their causeH4941.

36WhenH3588 they sinH2398 against You—forH3588 there is noH369 oneH120 whoH834 does notH3808 sinH2398—and You become angryH599 with them and deliver themH5414 toH6440 an enemyH341 who takes themH7617 as captivesH7617 toH413 a landH776 farH7350 orH176 nearH7138, 37and when they comeH7725 toH413 their sensesH3824 in the landH776 to whichH834 they were takenH7617H8033, and they repentH7725 and pleadH2603 with YouH413 in the landH776 of their captorsH7628, sayingH559, ‘We have sinnedH2398 and done wrongH5753; we have acted wickedlyH7561,’ 38and when they returnH7725 to YouH413 with allH3605 their heartH3820 andH3605 soulH5315 in the landH776 of the enemiesH7628 whoH834 took them captiveH7617, and when they prayH6419 in the directionH1870 of the landH776 thatH834 You gaveH5414 to their fathersH1, the cityH5892 You have chosenH977, and the houseH1004 I have builtH1129 for Your NameH8034, 39then may You hearH8085 fromH4480 heavenH8064, Your dwellingH3427 placeH4349, their prayerH8605 and pleasH8467, and may You upholdH6213 their causeH4941. May You forgiveH5545 Your peopleH5971 whoH834 sinnedH2398 against You.

40NowH6258, my GodH430, mayH4994 Your eyesH5869 beH1961 openH6605 and Your earsH241 attentiveH7183 to the prayer offeredH8605 in thisH2088 placeH4725.