6 3 Solomon blesseth the people. 4 He praiseth the Lord. 14 He prayeth unto God for those that shall pray in the Temple.
1 Then (A)Solomon [a]said, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the dark cloud:
2 And I have built thee an house to dwell in, an habitation for thee to dwell in forever.
3 And the King turned his face, and blessed all the Congregation of Israel (for all the Congregation of Israel stood there.)
4 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his [b]hand fulfilled it, saying,
5 Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city of all the tribes of Israel to build an [c]house, that my Name might be there, neither chose I any man to be a ruler 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 (B)And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house unto the Name of the Lord God of Israel.
8 But the Lord said to David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name, thou diddest well, that [d]thou wast so minded.
9 Notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house, but thy son, which shall come out of thy loins, he shall build an house unto my Name.
10 And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake: and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel as the Lord promised, and have built an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.
11 And I have set the Ark there, wherein is the [e]covenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel.
12 And the [f]king stood before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his hands,
13 (For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, and set it in the midst of the court, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits of height, and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the Congregation of Israel, and [g]stretched out his hands toward heaven.)
14 And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven nor in earth, which keepest covenant and mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart.
15 Thou that hast kept with thy servant David my father, that thou hast promised him: for thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine [h]hand, as appeareth this day.
16 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father, that thou hast promised him, saying, Thou [i]shalt not want a man in my sight, that shall sit upon the throne of Israel, so that thy sons take heed to their ways to walk in my Law, as thou hast walked before me.
17 And now, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.
18 (Is it true indeed that God will dwell with man on earth? behold, the (C)heavens, and the heavens of heavens are not able to contain thee: how much more unable is this house which I have built?)
19 But have thou respect to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hear the cry and prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee,
20 That thine [j]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, that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer, which thy servant prayeth in this place.
21 Hear thou therefore the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they pray in this place: and hear thou in the place of thine habitation, even in heaven, and when thou hearest, be merciful.
22 ¶ (D)When a man shall sin against his [k]neighbor, and he lay upon him an oath to cause him to swear, and the [l]swearer shall come before thine altar in this house,
23 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, in recompensing the wicked to bring his way [m]upon his head, and in justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
24 ¶ And when thy people Israel shall be overthrown before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and turn again, and [n]confess thy Name, and pray, and make supplication before thee in this house,
25 Then hear thou in heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
26 When heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain, because they have sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place and confess thy Name, and [o]turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,
27 Then hear thou in heaven, and pardon the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught them the good way wherein they may walk) and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.
28 ¶ (E)When there shall be famine in the land, when there shall be pestilence, blasting, or mildew, when there shall be grasshopper, or caterpillar, when their enemy shall besiege them [p]in the cities of their land, or any plague or any sickness,
29 Then what prayer and supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own plague, and his own disease, and shall stretch forth his hands toward this house,
30 Hear thou then in heaven, thy dwelling place, and be merciful, and give every man according unto all his ways, as thou dost know his [q]heart (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men)
31 That they may fear thee, and walk in thy ways, as long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
32 ¶ Moreover, as touching the stranger which is not of thy people Israel, who shall come out of a far country for thy great Name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm: when they shall come and [r]pray in this house,
33 Hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth for unto thee, that all the people of the earth may know thy Name, and fear thee like thy people Israel, and that they may know that thy Name is called upon in this house which I have built.
34 ¶ When thy people shall go out to battle against their enemies, by the way that [s]thou shalt send them, and they pray to thee, [t]in the way toward this city, which thou hast chosen, even toward the house which I have built to thy Name,
35 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and judge their cause.
36 If they sin against thee ((F)for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them unto the enemies, and they take them and carry them away captive unto a land far or near,
37 If they [u]turn again to their heart in the land whither they be carried in captives, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have transgressed and have done wickedly,
38 If they turn again 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,
39 Then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thine habitation, their prayer and their supplication, and [v]judge their cause, and be merciful unto thy people, which have sinned against thee.
40 Now my God, I beseech thee, let thine eyes be open, and thine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
41 (G)Now therefore arise, O Lord God, to come into thy [w]rest, thou, and the Ark of thy strength: O Lord God, let thy Priests be clothed with [x]salvation, and let thy Saints rejoice in goodness.
42 O Lord God, refuse not the face of [y]thine anointed: remember the mercies promised to David thy servant.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:1 After that he had served the glory of the Lord in the cloud.
- 2 Chronicles 6:4 Or, power.
- 2 Chronicles 6:5 Or, Temple.
- 2 Chronicles 6:8 Hebrew, that it was in thine heart.
- 2 Chronicles 6:11 Meaning, the two Tables, wherein is contained the effect of the covenant that God made with our fathers.
- 2 Chronicles 6:12 On a scaffold that was made for that purpose, that he praying for the whole people might be heard of all, as 1 Kings 8:22.
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 Both to give thanks for the great benefits of God bestowed upon him, and also to pray for the perseverance and prosperity of his people.
- 2 Chronicles 6:15 Or, in effect, or by thy power.
- 2 Chronicles 6:16 Hebrew, a man shall not be cut off.
- 2 Chronicles 6:20 That thou mayest declare in effect that thou hast a continual care over this place.
- 2 Chronicles 6:22 By retaining anything from him, or by denying that which he hath left him to keep, or do him any wrong.
- 2 Chronicles 6:22 Hebrew, oath.
- 2 Chronicles 6:23 Meaning, to give him that which he hath deserved.
- 2 Chronicles 6:24 Or, praise.
- 2 Chronicles 6:26 Or, toward this place.
- 2 Chronicles 6:28 Hebrew, in the land of their gates.
- 2 Chronicles 6:30 He declareth that the prayers of hypocrites cannot be heard, nor of any but of them which pray unto God with an unfeigned faith and in true repentance.
- 2 Chronicles 6:32 He showeth that before God there is no deception of person, but all people that feareth him and worketh righteousness, are accepted, Acts 10:35.
- 2 Chronicles 6:34 Meaning, that none ought to enterprise any war, but at the Lord’s commandment, that is, which is lawful by his word.
- 2 Chronicles 6:34 Or, according to the manner of this city.
- 2 Chronicles 6:37 Or, repent.
- 2 Chronicles 6:39 Or, maintain their right.
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 That is, into thy Temple.
- 2 Chronicles 6:41 Let them be preserved by thy power, and made virtuous and holy.
- 2 Chronicles 6:42 Hear my prayer which am thine anointed king.