2Ch 6 | HCSB | STEP | Then Solomon said : The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness ,

‏ 2 Chronicles 6

Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple

1 Then Solomon said: ^a

The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness, ^b
2 but I have built an exalted temple for You,
a place for Your residence forever.

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

May the Lord God of Israel be praised!
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, ^c
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.
6 But I have chosen Jerusalem
so that My name will be there, ^d
and I have chosen David
to be over My people Israel.” ^e

7 Now it was in the heart of my father David
to build a temple for the name of ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh, the God of Israel. ^g
8 However, Yahweh 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.
9 Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,
but your son, your own offspring,
will build the temple for My name.”
10 So Yahweh has fulfilled what He promised.
I have taken the place of my father David
and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised.
I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
11 I have put the ark there,
where Yahweh’s covenant is
that He made with the Israelites. ^h

Solomon’s Prayer

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7¹/₂ feet ^{▼▼Lit five cubits} long, 7¹/₂ feet ^{▼▼Lit five cubits} wide, and 4¹/₂ feet ^{▼▼Lit three cubits} high and put it in the court. He stood on it, ^l knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. ^m 14 He said:

Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like You
in heaven or on earth, ⁿ
keeping His gracious covenant
with Your servants who walk before You
with their whole heart. ^o
15 You 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. ^p
16 Therefore, 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, ^q
if only your sons guard their way to walk in My Law
as you have walked before Me.”
17 Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm
what You promised to Your servant David.

18 But will God indeed live on earth with man?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, ^r
much less this temple I have built.
19 Listen ^{▼▼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,
20 so that Your eyes watch over this temple
day and night,
toward the place where You said
You would put Your name; ^t
and so that You may hear the prayer
Your servant prays toward this place.
21 Hear 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.

22 If a man sins against his neighbor
and is forced to take an oath ^{▼▼Lit and he lifts a curse against him to curse him}
and he comes to take an oath
before Your altar in this temple,
23 may 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.

24 If 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,
25 may 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.

26 When 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 ^{▼▼LXX, Vg; MT reads answering; 1Kg 8:35
,} ^w them,
27 may 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.

28 When there is famine on the earth,
when there is pestilence,
when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper,
when their enemies besiege them
in the region of their fortified cities, ^{▼▼Lit if his (Israel’s) enemies besiege him in the land of his gates; Jos 2:7; Jdg 16:2-3
,} ^y
when there is any plague or illness,
29 whatever prayer or petition
anyone from your people Israel might have –
each man knowing his own affliction ^{▼▼Lit plague} and suffering,
and spreading out his hands toward this temple –
30 may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place,
and may You forgive and repay the man
according to all his ways, since You know his heart,
for You alone know the human heart, ^aa
31 so that they may ^{▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}fear You
and walk in Your ways
all the days they live on the land
You gave our ancestors.

32 Even for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel
but has come from a distant land
because of Your great name
and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm: ^ac
when he comes and prays toward this temple,
33 may 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
is called by Your name. ^ad

34 When 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 ^ae
and the temple that I have built for Your name,
35 may You hear their prayer and petition in heaven
and uphold their cause.

36 When they sin against You –
for there is no one who does not sin ^af –
and You are angry with them
and hand them over to the enemy,
and their captors deport them
to a distant or nearby country,
37 and 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,”
38 and when they return to You with their whole mind and 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,
39 may You hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,
Your dwelling place,
and uphold their cause. ^{▼▼Lit and do their judgment or justice}
May You forgive Your people
who sinned against You.

40 Now, my God,
please let Your eyes be open
and Your ears attentive
to the prayer of this place. ^ah
41 Now therefore: ^ai

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 godly people rejoice in goodness.
42 Lord God, do not reject Your anointed one; ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read ones; Ps 132:10}
remember the loyalty of Your servant David. ^ak