2 Chronicles 6

Solomon Blesses the Assembly

1Then Solomon said:

“The LORD said
that he would dwell
in thick darkness. 2Yet I have built you
an exalted house,
a place for you to dwell
forever.” 3Then the king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 4He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father and fulfilled it with his hands, saying, 5‘From the day I brought my people out from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house so that my name might be there, and I did not choose a man to be ruler over my people Israel. 6Yet I have chosen Jerusalem so that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 7It was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9Even so, you will not build the house, but your son who comes from your body—he will build the house for my name.’ 10The LORD has established his word that he spoke, for I have risen in place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD spoke, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11There I have placed the ark in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the children of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13For Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had put it among the court. He stood upon it, knelt on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward the heavens. 14He said:

“O LORD, God of Israel,
there is no God like you
in the heavens or on the earth,
keeping covenant and steadfast love
with your servants
who walk before you
with all their heart. 15You have kept with your servant David my father what you spoke to him. You spoke with your mouth and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 16And now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father what you spoke to him, saying, ‘There will not be cut off from you a man before me to sit upon the throne of Israel, if only your sons guard their way, to walk in my instruction as you have walked before me.’ 17And now, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed that you spoke to your servant David.

Will God Really Dwell with Humanity?

18“But will God truly dwell with humanity upon the earth? Look, the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 19Yet turn toward the prayer of your servant and toward his plea, O LORD my God, to hear the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you, 20that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which you said that you would put your name there, to hear the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. 21Hear the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from your dwelling place, from the heavens; hear and forgive.

When a Person Sins against a Neighbor

22“If a man sins against his neighbor and an oath is laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath comes before your altar in this house, 23then hear from the heavens and act. Judge your servants, repaying the wicked by bringing his way upon his head and declaring the righteous righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

When Israel Is Defeated

24“When your people Israel are struck before an enemy because they sinned against you, and they return and confess your name and pray and plead before you in this house, 25then hear from the heavens and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the ground that you gave to them and to their ancestors.

When the Heavens Are Shut

26“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they sinned against you, and they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you humble them, 27then hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk. Give rain upon your land that you gave to your people as an inheritance.

When Famine or Plague Comes

28“If there is famine in the land, if there is plague, blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper; if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates; whatever plague or sickness there may be— 29whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any person or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and pain and spreading out his hands toward this house— 30then hear from the heavens, your dwelling place, and forgive. Give to each according to all his ways, for you know his heart—for you alone know the heart of the children of humanity— 31so that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live upon the face of the ground that you gave to our ancestors.

When a Foreigner Prays

32“And also concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a distant land because of your great name, your strong hand, and your outstretched arm, and he comes and prays toward this house, 33then hear from the heavens, from your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as your people Israel do, and know that your name is called upon this house that I have built.

When Your People Go Out to Battle

34“When your people go out to battle against their enemies by the way you send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 35then hear from the heavens their prayer and their plea and maintain their cause.

When Your People Go into Exile

36“When they sin against you—for there is no human being who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them before an enemy, and their captors carry them captive to a land far or near, 37and they bring it back to their heart in the land where they were carried captive and return and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have acted perversely, and we have acted wickedly,’ 38and they return to you with all their heart and with all their life in the land of their captivity where they carried them captive, and pray toward their land that you gave to their ancestors, the city that you chose, and the house that I built for your name, 39then hear from the heavens, from your dwelling place, their prayer and their pleas, maintain their cause, and forgive your people who sinned against you.

Arise, O LORD God, to Your Resting Place

40“And now, my God, please let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place. 41And now arise, O LORD God,
to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength.
Let your priests, O LORD God,
be clothed with salvation,
and let your faithful ones
rejoice in goodness. 42O LORD God,
do not turn away the face
of your anointed one.
Remember the steadfast love
of David your servant.”