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2 Chronicles 6
New Century Version
2 Chronicles 6
New Century Version
Solomon Speaks to the People
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in the dark cloud. 2 Lord, I have built a wonderful Temple for you—a place for you to live forever.”
3 While all the Israelites were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them. 4 Then he said, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord said, 5 ‘Since the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple will be built for me. I did not choose a man to lead my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place I am to be worshiped, and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’
7 “My father David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘It was good that you wanted to build a temple for me. 9 But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who comes from your own body, is the one who will build my temple.’
10 “Now the Lord has kept his promise. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have put the Ark, in which is the Agreement the Lord made with the Israelites.”
Solomon’s Prayer
12 Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar, and all the Israelites were standing behind him. He spread out his hands. 13 He had made a bronze platform seven and one-half feet long, seven and one-half feet wide, and seven and one-half feet high, and he had placed it in the middle of the outer courtyard. Solomon stood on the platform. Then he kneeled in front of all the people of Israel gathered there, and he spread out his hands toward the sky. 14 He said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you. 15 You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and finished it with your hands today.
16 “Now, Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘If your sons are careful to obey my teachings as you have obeyed, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.’ 17 Now, Lord, God of Israel, please continue to keep that promise you made to your servant.
18 “But, God, can you really live here on the earth with people? The sky and the highest place in heaven cannot contain you. Surely this house which I have built cannot contain you. 19 But please listen to my prayer and my request, because I am your servant. Lord my God, hear this prayer your servant prays to you. 20 Day and night please watch over this Temple where you have said you would be worshiped. Hear the prayer I pray facing this Temple. 21 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel when we pray facing this place. Hear from your home in heaven, and when you hear, forgive us.
22 “If someone wrongs another person, he will be brought to the altar in this Temple. If he swears an oath that he is not guilty, 23 then hear in heaven. Judge the case, punish the guilty, but declare that the innocent person is not guilty.
24 “When your people, the Israelites, sin against you, their enemies will defeat them. But if they come back to you and praise you and pray to you in this Temple, 25 then listen from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray, facing this place and praising you; they will stop sinning when you make them suffer. 27 When this happens, hear their prayer in heaven, and forgive the sins of your servants, the Israelites. Teach them to do what is right. Then please send rain to this land you have given particularly to them.
28 “At times the land will get so dry that no food will grow, or a great sickness will spread among the people. Sometimes the crops will be destroyed by locusts or grasshoppers. Your people will be attacked in their cities by their enemies, or will become sick. 29 When any of these things happens, the people will become truly sorry. If your people spread their hands in prayer toward this Temple, 30 then hear their prayers from your home in heaven. Forgive and treat each person as he should be treated because you know what is in a person’s heart. Only you know what is in people’s hearts. 31 Then the people will respect and obey you as long as they live in this land you gave our ancestors.
32 “People who are not Israelites, foreigners from other lands, will hear about your greatness and power. They will come from far away to pray at this Temple. 33 Then hear from your home in heaven, and do whatever they ask you. Then people everywhere will know you and respect you, just as your people Israel do. Then everyone will know that I built this Temple as a place to worship you.
34 “When your people go out to fight their enemies along some road on which you send them, your people will pray to you, facing this city which you have chosen and the Temple I have built for you. 35 Then hear in heaven their prayers, and do what is right.
36 “Everyone sins, so your people will also sin against you. You will become angry with them and will hand them over to their enemies. Their enemies will capture them and take them away to a country far or near. 37 Your people will be sorry for their sins when they are held as prisoners in another country. They will be sorry and pray to you in the land where they are held as prisoners, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong and acted wickedly.’ 38 They will truly turn back to you in the land where they are captives. They will pray, facing this land you gave their ancestors, this city you have chosen, and the Temple I have built for you. 39 Then hear their prayers from your home in heaven and do what is right. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, look at us. Listen to the prayers we pray in this place.
41 Now, rise, Lord God, and come to your resting place.
Come with the Ark of the Agreement that shows your strength.
Let your priests receive your salvation, Lord God,
and may your holy people be happy because of your goodness.
42 Lord God, do not reject your appointed one.
Remember your love for your servant David.”
2 Chronicles 6
New International Version
2 Chronicles 6
New International Version
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;(A) 2 I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.(B)”
3 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 4 Then he said:
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said, 5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem(C) for my Name(D) to be there, and I have chosen David(E) to rule my people Israel.’
7 “My father David had it in his heart(F) to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’
10 “The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant(G) of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(H)(I)
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Now he had made a bronze platform,(J) five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high,[a] and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down(K) before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said:
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you(L) in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love(M) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised(N) and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail(O) to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law,(P) as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.
18 “But will God really dwell(Q) on earth with humans? The heavens,(R) even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 19 Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 May your eyes(S) be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name(T) there. May you hear(U) the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 21 Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.(V)
22 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath(W) and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 23 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning(X) the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.
24 “When your people Israel have been defeated(Y) by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(Z) because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive(AA) the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.
28 “When famine(AB) or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive,(AC) and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),(AD) 31 so that they will fear you(AE) and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come(AF) from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand(AG) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner(AH) asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
34 “When your people go to war against their enemies,(AI) wherever you send them, and when they pray(AJ) to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
36 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(AK)—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive(AL) to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart(AM) in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive(AN) your people, who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive(AO) to the prayers offered in this place.
41 “Now arise,(AP) Lord God, and come to your resting place,(AQ)
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests,(AR) Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.(AS)
42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.(AT)
Remember the great love(AU) promised to David your servant.”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 6:13 That is, about 7 1/2 feet long and wide and 4 1/2 feet high or about 2.3 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.