2 Chronicles 6

Solomon Praises the Lord

1Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. 2Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”

3Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing: 4“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father, 5‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel. 6But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”

7Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, 9but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

10“And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that the Lord made with the people of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer. 13Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 7-1/2 feet long, 7-1/2 feet wide, and 4-1/2 feet high#6:13 Hebrew 5 cubits [2.3 meters] long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits [1.4 meters] high. and had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven. 14He prayed,

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. 15You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.

16“And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ 17Now, O Lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.

18“But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built! 19Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you. 20May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. 21May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.

22“If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar at this Temple, 23then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Pay back the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.

24“If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple, 25then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.

26“If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them, 27then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.

28“If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is— 29and if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, 30then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart. 31Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.

32“In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, 33then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.

34“If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name, 35then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.

36“If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near. 37But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’ 38If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name— 39then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40“O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.

41“And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place,

along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.

May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation;

may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.

42O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed.

Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”

Currently Selected:

2 Chronicles 6: NLT

Highlight

Copy

Compare

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

For more information about the NLT:

Learn More About New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 6

Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple

1Then Solomon said: # 6:1–42 1Kg 8:12–53

The Lord said he would dwell in total darkness, # 6:1 Ex 20:21; Dt 4:11; 5:22

2but I have built an exalted temple for you,

a place for your dwelling forever.

3Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. 4He said:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!

He spoke directly to my father David,

and he has fulfilled the promise

by his power.

He said,

5“Since the day I brought my people Israel

out of the land of Egypt, # 6:5–9 2Sm 7:1–13

I have not chosen a city to build a temple in

among any of the tribes of Israel,

so that my name would be there,

and I have not chosen a man

to be ruler over my people Israel.

6But I have chosen Jerusalem

so that my name will be there, # 6:6 2Ch 12:13

and I have chosen David

to be over my people Israel.” # 6:6 1Ch 28:4

7My father David had his heart set

on building a temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. # 6:7 2Sm 7:2–3; 1Ch 22:7

8However, the Lord said to my father David,

“Since it was your desire to build a temple for my name,

you have done well to have this desire.

9Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,

but your son, your own offspring,

will build the temple for my name.”

10So the Lord has fulfilled what he promised.

I have taken the place of my father David

and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised.

I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

11I have put the ark there,

where the Lord’s covenant is

that he made with the Israelites. # 6:11 2Ch 5:7,10

Solomon’s Prayer

12Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 1/2 feet # 6:13 Lit five cubits long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feet # 6:13 Lit three cubits high and put it in the court. He stood on it, # 6:13 Ex 9:29,33; Ezr 9:5; Neh 8:4 knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. # 6:13 1Kg 8:54 14He said:

Lord God of Israel,

there is no God like you

in heaven or on earth, # 6:14 Ex 15:11; Dt 3:24

who keeps his gracious covenant

with your servants who walk before you

with all their heart. # 6:14 Dt 7:9

15You have kept what you promised

to your servant, my father David.

You spoke directly to him,

and you fulfilled your promise by your power,

as it is today. # 6:15 1Ch 22:9–10

16Therefore, Lord God of Israel,

keep what you promised

to your servant, my father David:

“You will never fail to have a man

to sit before me on the throne of Israel, # 6:16 1Kg 2:4; 2Ch 7:18

if only your sons take care to walk in my Law

as you have walked before me.”

17Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm

what you promised to your servant David.

18But will God indeed live on earth with humans?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, # 6:18 2Ch 2:6

much less this temple I have built.

19Listen # 6:19 Lit Turn to your servant’s prayer and his petition,

Lord my God,

so that you may hear the cry and the prayer

that your servant prays before you,

20so that your eyes watch over this temple

day and night,

toward the place where you said

you would put your name; # 6:20 Dt 12:11

and so that you may hear the prayer

your servant prays toward this place.

21Hear the petitions of your servant

and your people Israel,

which they pray toward this place.

May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.

May you hear and forgive.

22If a man sins against his neighbor

and is forced to take an oath # 6:22 Lit and he lifts a curse against him to curse him

and he comes to take an oath

before your altar in this temple,

23may you hear in heaven and act.

May you judge your servants,

condemning the wicked man by bringing

what he has done on his own head

and providing justice for the righteous

by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

24If your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,

because they have sinned against you,

and they return to you and praise your name,

and they pray and plead for mercy

before you in this temple,

25may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your people Israel.

May you restore them to the land

you gave them and their ancestors.

26When the skies are shut and there is no rain

because they have sinned against you,

and they pray toward this place

and praise your name,

and they turn from their sins

because you are afflicting # 6:26 LXX, Vg; MT reads answering; 1Kg 8:35,# 6:26 1Kg 8:35 them,

27may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your servants

and your people Israel,

so that you may teach them the good way

they should walk in.

May you send rain on your land

that you gave your people for an inheritance.

28When there is famine in the land,

when there is pestilence,

when there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper,

when their enemies besiege them

in the land and its cities, # 6:28 Lit land of its gates,# 6:28 Lit if his (Israel’s) enemies besiege him in the land of his gates; Jos 2:7; Jdg 16:2–3,# 6:28 Jos 2:7; Jdg 16:2–3

when there is any plague or illness,

29every prayer or petition

that any person or that all your people Israel may have —

they each know their own affliction # 6:29 Lit plague and suffering —

as they spread out their hands toward this temple,

30may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

and may you forgive and give to everyone # 6:30 Lit give for the man

according to all their ways, since you know each heart,

for you alone know the human heart, # 6:30 1Sm 16:7; 1Ch 28:9

31so that they may fear you

and walk in your ways

all the days they live on the land

you gave our ancestors.

32Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel

but has come from a distant land

because of your great name

and your strong hand and outstretched arm: # 6:32 Is 56:6–8; Zch 8:20–23; 14:16–21

when he comes and prays toward this temple,

33may you hear in heaven in your dwelling place,

and do all the foreigner asks you.

Then all the peoples of the earth will know your name,

to fear you as your people Israel do

and know that this temple I have built

bears your name. # 6:33 2Ch 7:14

34When your people go out to fight against their enemies,

wherever you send them,

and they pray to you

in the direction of this city you have chosen # 6:34 Dt 12:11

and the temple that I have built for your name,

35may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven

and uphold their cause.

36When they sin against you —

for there is no one who does not sin # 6:36 Jb 15:14–16; Jms 3:2; 1Jn 1:8–10 —

and you are angry with them

and hand them over to the enemy,

and their captors deport them

to a distant or nearby country,

37and when they come to their senses

in the land where they were deported

and repent and petition you in their captors’ land,

saying, “We have sinned and done wrong;

we have been wicked,”

38and when they return to you with all their mind and all their heart

in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,

and when they pray in the direction of their land

that you gave their ancestors,

and the city you have chosen,

and toward the temple I have built for your name,

39may you hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,

your dwelling place,

and uphold their cause. # 6:39 Lit and do their judgment, or justice

May you forgive your people

who sinned against you.

40Now, my God,

please let your eyes be open

and your ears attentive

to the prayer of this place. # 6:40 2Ch 7:15; Neh 1:6,11; Ps 17:1

41Now therefore: # 6:41–42 Ps 132:8–10

Arise, Lord God, come to your resting place,

you and your powerful ark.

May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,

and may your faithful people rejoice in goodness.

42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one; # 6:42 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read ones; Ps 132:10

remember your servant David’s acts of faithful love. # 6:42 1Ch 16:8–22; Ps 105:1–15; Is 55:3

Learn More About Christian Standard Bible