2 Chronicles 6:38

2 Chronicles 6:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
• New International Version (NIV)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;
• English Standard Version (ESV)if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name,
• New King James Version (NKJV)and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name:

Context of 2 Chronicles 6:38

36“They may sin against you. (No one is sinless.) You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them to ⌞another⌟ country as captives, ⌞whether it is⌟ far or near. 37If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they’ve done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,’ if they change their attitude toward you in the land where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, 39then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. 40“Finally, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers ⌞offered⌟ in this place.

2 Chronicles 6:38 word by word

וְשָׁ֣בוּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּכָל־לִבָּם֙ וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁב֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֗וּ דֶּ֤רֶךְ אַרְצָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם וְהָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתָּ וְלַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנִ֥יתִי לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If they returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• to thee with all their heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• and with all their soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of their captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
• whither they have carried them captivesשָׁבָהshâbâh · to take captiveH7617
• and prayפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
• towardדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
• which thou gavestנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• unto their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• which thou hast chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• and toward the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• which I have builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• for thy nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 6:38

• Deuteronomy 30:2If you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, doing everything I command you today,
• Jeremiah 29:12Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
• Hosea 14:1Israel, return to the Lord your God. You have stumbled because of your sins.
• Joel 2:12“But even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart— with fasting, crying, and mourning.”
• 2 Chronicles 33:11So the Lord made the army commanders of the king of Assyria invade Judah. They took Manasseh captive, put a hook in his nose, put him in bronze shackles, and brought him to Babylon.
• Daniel 9:3So I turned to the Lord God and looked to him for help. I prayed, pleaded, and fasted in sackcloth and ashes.
• 2 Chronicles 6:34“When your people go to war against their enemies (wherever you may send them) and they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name,
• Daniel 6:10When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 6:38

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-39Verses 1-39 Compare Kings (marginal references). Compare Kings (marginal references).Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-39Petition 7: Solomon worried that Israel might be completely exiled, as shown in the last part of his prayer. Israel faced many exiles, but the total destruction of Jerusalem and its temple was the hardest test of faith. Solomon saw the temple as a source of faith; even in a foreign land, people could remember it and pray. Mentioning the land, city, and temple (2 Chronicles 6:38) suggests total destruction, not just partial exile. Even if the temple was…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3838. If they return to thee ... in the land of their captivity ... and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers--These words gave rise to the favorite usage of the ancient as well as modern Jews, of turning in prayer toward Jerusalem, in whatever quarter of the world they might be, and of directing their faces toward the temple when in Jerusalem itself or in any part of the holy land (1Ki 8:44).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 6:38

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Attent
• Prayer
• Solomon
• Sore
• Intercession
• Temple
• Worship

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings