The Holy Bible: Revised Common Version

1 Then Solomon said,

3 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel. And all the congregation of Israel stood. 4 And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has with his hands fulfilled that which he spoke with his mouth to my father David, saying, 5 'Since the day that I brought forth my people from the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there, neither did I choose 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 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel, 8 But the LORD said to David my father, 'Because it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well in that it was in your heart. 9 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall come forth out of your loins, he shall build the house for my name.' 10 The LORD therefore has performed his word that he has spoken, for I am raised up in place of David my father and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 11 And in it I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the children of Israel."

12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands. 13 (For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court. And upon it he stood and kneeled upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven.) 14 And he said, "O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heaven, nor on the earth, keeping covenant and showing mercy to your servants who walk before you with all their hearts— 15 You who have kept with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, and have spoken with your mouth and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day. 16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel, provided your children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as you have walked before me.' 17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let your word be verified which you have spoken to your servant David.

18 "But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How much less this house which I have built! 19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer which your servant prays before you, 20 So that your eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place of which you have said that you would put your name there, to listen to the prayer which your servant prays toward this place. 21 Listen therefore to the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel which they shall make toward this place. Hear from your dwelling-place, even from heaven, and when you hear, forgive.

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, 23 Then hear from heaven and do, and judge your servants by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head, and by justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

24 "And if your people Israel are smitten before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and return and confess your name and pray and make supplication before you in this house, 25 Then hear from the heavens, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers.

26 "When the heaven is shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, yet if they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin when you afflict them, 27 Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel when you have taught them the good way in which they should walk and send rain upon your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.

28 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, swarming-locusts, or ravaging-locusts, if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatever calamity or whatever sickness there is, 29 Then whatever prayer, or whatever supplication is made by any man, or by all the people of Israel, when each knows his own calamity and his own grief and spreads forth his hands in this house, 30 Then hear from heaven your dwelling-place, forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you alone know the hearts of the children of men), 31 So that they may fear you to walk in your ways as long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.

32 "Moreover, concerning the stranger who is not of your people Israel, but has come from a distant country for your great name's sake and your mighty hand and your out-stretched arm, if they come and pray in this house, 33 Then hear from the heavens, even from your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for, so that all people of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

34 "If your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that you send them and they pray to you toward this city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name, 35 Then hear from the heavens their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause.

36 "If they sin against you (for there is no man who does not sin), and you are angry with them and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives to a land far off or near, 37 Yet if they repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive and turn and pray to you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done amiss and have dealt wickedly,' 38 If they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land which you gave to their fathers, toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name, 39 Then hear from the heavens, even from your dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40 "Now, my God, I implore you, let your eyes be open and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 6^[➚]

Notes

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