- 2 Chronicles
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6
1 Then Solomon spoke, “The Lord said that he lives in deep darkness. 2 However, I have built you a magnificent Temple, a place for you to live forever.”
3 Then the king turned and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, as they all stood. 4 He said, “Praise the Lord God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said, 5 ‘Ever since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a town from any tribe of Israel where a Temple could be built to honor me, and I have not chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem so that I will be honored there, and I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’
7 My father David really wanted to build this Temple to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord told my father David, ‘You really wanted to build me a Temple to honor me—and it was good for you to want to do this. 9 But you are not going to build the Temple. Your son, one of your children, will build the Temple to honor me.’
10 Now the Lord has kept the promise he made. For I have taken the place of my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel as the Lord said, and I have built the Temple to honor the Lord God of Israel. 11 I have placed the Ark there, which has inside it the agreement the Lord made with the sons of Israel.”
12 Then Solomon stood in front of the altar of the Lord before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands in prayer. 13 Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. He had set it in the middle of the courtyard, and he was standing on it. Then he knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth, keeping your agreement of trustworthy love with your servants who follow you with complete devotion. 15 You have kept the promise you made to your servant, my father David. With your own mouth you made that promise, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.
16 So now, Lord God of Israel, please keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father, when you told him, ‘If your descendants pay close attention to follow my way, and to keep my law as you have done, you will never fail to have one of them to sit on the throne of Israel.’ 17 Now, Lord God of Israel, please fulfill this promise you made to your servant David.
18 But will God really live here on earth among people? The heavens, even highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this Temple I have built! 19 Please listen to the prayer of your servant and his request, Lord my God. Please hear the appeals and the prayers that your servant is presenting before you. 20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, caring for the place where you said you would be honored. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place, 21 and hear the request of your servant and your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Please hear from heaven where you live. May you hear and forgive.
22 When someone sins against another and is required to take an oath declaring the truth* “Declaring the truth”: implied. before your altar in this Temple, 23 listen from heaven, act and judge your servants. Pay back the guilty; vindicate and reward those who do right.
24 When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they come back in repentance to you, praying for forgiveness 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 them and their forefathers.
26 If the skies are closed shut and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and if they come back in repentance to you, turning away from their sin because you have punished them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the good way so that they can walk on it, and send rain on the earth that you have given to your people as their possession.
28 If there is famine in the land, or disease, or blight or mildew on the crops, or if there are locusts or caterpillars, or if an enemy comes to lay siege to the towns in the land—it can be whatever kind of plague or whatever kind of disease— 29 then whatever kind of prayer or whatever kind of appeal is made by anyone or all your people Israel, in fact anyone who, knowing their problems and pains, prays toward this Temple, 30 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, and forgive. Give according to the way they live their lives, for you know what people are really like inside, and you alone know the true character of people. 31 Then they will respect you and follow your ways all the time they live in the land you gave to our forefathers.
32 As for the foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel but who come from a distant land, having heard of your great nature and power and ability to help, when they come and pray toward this Temple, 33 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, and give them what they're asking. That way, everyone on earth will come to know and respect you, just as your own people Israel do. They will also know that this Temple I have built honors you.
34 When your people go to fight against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you towards the city you have chosen and the house I have built to honor you, 35 then hear from heaven what they are praying and asking for, and support their cause.
36 If they sin against you—and there is nobody who does not sin—you may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them away as prisoners to a foreign land, near or far. 37 But if they think again in their land of captivity and repent and plead for mercy from you, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly,’ 38 and they come back to you with complete sincerity in their thoughts and attitudes there in their land of captivity; and they pray towards the land you gave their forefathers and the city you chose and the Temple I have built to honor you, 39 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, respond and support their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 Now my God, please open your eyes, and may your ears pay attention to the prayers offered in this place.
41 ‘Come, Lord, and enter your home,† Literally, “resting place,” but with the sense that this is the usual place where someone resides, hence “home.” together with your Ark of power. May your priests wear salvation like clothing; may your faithful people shout for joy in your goodness.
42 Lord God, don't reject the king you have chosen. Remember your trustworthy love for your servant David.’ ”‡ Verses 41 and 42 come from Psalms 132.

- 2 Chronicles
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*6:22 “Declaring the truth”: implied.

†6:41 Literally, “resting place,” but with the sense that this is the usual place where someone resides, hence “home.”

‡6:42 Verses 41 and 42 come from Psalms 132.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher