2 Chronicles 7

1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Jehovah filled the house.2 And the priests could not enter into the house of Jehovah, because the glory of Jehovah filled Jehovah’s house.3 And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto Jehovah, saying, For he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Jehovah.5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.6 And the priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of Jehovah, which David the king had made to give thanks unto Jehovah, (for his lovingkindness endureth for ever,) when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah; for there he offered the burnt-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat.8 So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt.9 And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away unto their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.11 Thus Solomon finished the house of Jehovah, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of Jehovah, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.12 And Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place.16 For now have I chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;18 then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;20 then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.21 And this house, which is so high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why hath Jehovah done thus unto this land, and to this house?22 And they shall answer, Because they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

2 Chronicles 7

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heavent and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple.2 The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple.

3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,t “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”
4 The king and all the people were presenting sacrifices to the Lord.5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple.6 The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord.t (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”)t Opposite the Levites,t the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there.7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered burnt sacrifices, grain offerings,s and the fat from the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to hold all these offerings.t8 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south.t9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days.

10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomont sent the people home. They leftt happy and contentedt because of the good the Lord had done for David, Solomon, and his people Israel.

The Lord Gives Solomon a Promise and a Warning

11 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, and accomplished all his plans for the Lord’s temple and his royal palace,t12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answeredt your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made.t13 Whent I close up the skyt so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation,t or send a plague among my people,14 if my people, who belong to me,t humble themselves, pray, seek to please me,t and repudiate their sinful practices,t then I will respondt from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.s15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.t16 Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home;t I will be constantly present there.t17 You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations.ts

18 Then I will establish your dynasty,t just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’t
19 “But if you peoplet ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep,t and decide to serve and worship other gods,t20 then I will remove yout from my land I have given you,t I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence,st and I will make yout an object of mockery and ridiculet among all the nations.21 As for this temple, which was once majestic,t everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’

22 Others will then answer,t ‘Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors,t who led them out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served.t That is why he brought all this disaster down on them.’”