2 Chronicles 6

1 Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.2 But I have built thee a house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in for ever.3 And the king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.4 And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hands fulfilled it, saying,5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel:6 but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.8 But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:9 nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.10 And Jehovah hath performed his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.11 And there have I set the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with the children of Israel.12 And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands13 (for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;)14 and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven, or on earth; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart;15 who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.16 Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me.17 Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded!19 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee;20 that thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.21 And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest forgive.22 If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this house;23 then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.24 And if thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;25 then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.26 When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:27 then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.28 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness there be;29 what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house:30 then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling-place and forgive, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men;)31 that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.32 Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thine outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house:33 then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.34 If thy people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatsoever way thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;35 then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.36 If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive unto a land far off or near;37 yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;38 if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:39 then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee.40 Now, O my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place.41 Now therefore arise, O Jehovah God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.42 O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember thy lovingkindnesses to David thy servant.

2 Chronicles 6

1 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness.2 O Lord,t I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.”3 Then the king turned aroundt and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.t4 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilledt what he promisedt my father David.5 He told David,t ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.t Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel.6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live,t and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.ts8 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.t9 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’t10 The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel

11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”
12 He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was seven and one-half feett long, seven and one-half feett wide, and four and one-half feett high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky,14 and prayed:t “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyaltyt to your servants who obey you with sincerity.t15 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;t this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.t16 Now, O Lord God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,t provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.’t

17 Now, O Lord God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant David be realized.t
18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth!t Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!19 But respond favorably tot your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answert the desperate prayert your servant is presenting to you.t20 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live.t May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.t

21 Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place.t Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive.t
22 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple,t

23 listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.t
24 “If your people Israel are defeated by an enemyt because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,t and pray for your helpt before you in this temple,

25 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.t
26 “The time will come whent the skiest are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your peoplet sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,t and turn away from their sin because you punisht them,

27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainlyt you will then teach them the right way to livet and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.t
28 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight, and disease, or a locustt invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land,t or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs.29 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help,t as they acknowledge their intense paint and spread out their hands toward this temple,30 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin,t and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of their motives.t (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.)t

31 Then they will honort you by obeying yout throughout their lifetimes ast they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
32 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your great reputationt and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds;t they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple.

33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners.t Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation,t obeyt you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.t
34 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies,t and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor,t

35 then listen from heaven to their prayers for helpt and vindicate them.t
36 “The time will come when your peoplet will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their land, whether far away or close by.37 When your peoplet come to their sensest in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astrayt, we have done evil!’38 When they return to you with all their heart and beingt in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,t

39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help,t vindicate them,t and forgive your sinful people.
40 “Now, my God, may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.t41 Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance!t May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give!t

42 O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones!s Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!”