2 Chronicles 6

Revised Geneva Translation

6 Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the dark cloud.

² “And I have built You a House to dwell in, a habitation for You 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).

⁴ And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, Who spoke with His Mouth to David, my father, and has fulfilled it with His Hand, 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 a House, so that My Name might be there. Nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel.

⁶ ‘But I have chosen Jerusalem, so that My Name might be there. And I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

⁷ “And it was in the heart of David, my father, to build a House to the Name of the LORD God of Israel.

⁸ “But the LORD said to David, my father, ‘Insofar as it was in your heart to build a House to My Name, you did well to be so minded.

⁹ ‘Notwithstanding, you shall not build the House. Rather, your son who shall come out of your loins, he shall build a House to My Name.’

¹⁰ “And the LORD has performed His Word that He spoke. And I have risen up in the place of David, my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. And I have built a House to the Name of the LORD God of Israel.

¹¹ “And I have set the Ark there, in which is the Covenant of the LORD that He made with the children of Israel.”

¹² And the 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 bronze scaffold and set it in the midst of the court, five cubits long and five cubits broad and three cubits of height. And he stood upon it and kneeled down upon his knees before all the Congregation of Israel and stretched out his hands toward Heaven.

¹⁴ And he said, “O LORD God of Israel! There is no God like You in Heaven or on Earth, Who keeps Covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart.

¹⁵ “You have kept what You have promised Your servant David, my father. For You spoke with Your Mouth and have fulfilled it with Your Hand, as it is this day.

¹⁶ “Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep what You have promised Your servant David, my father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man in My sight who shall sit upon the throne of Israel, so that Your sons consider their ways, to walk in My Law, as You have walked before Me.’

¹⁷ “And now, O LORD God of Israel, let Your Word be verified which You spoke to Your servant David.

¹⁸ “Is it indeed true that God would dwell with man on Earth? Behold, the heavens, and the heavens of heavens are not able to contain You. How much more so is this House which I have built?

¹⁹ “But do You have respect for the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hear the cry and prayer which Your servant prays before You,

²⁰ “so that Your Eyes may be open toward this House, day and night toward the place which You have said that You would put Your Name, so that You may listen to the prayer which Your servant prays in this place.

²¹ “Hear, therefore, the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, which they pray in this place. And hear in the place of Your habitation, in Heaven. And when You hear, be merciful.

²² “When a man shall sin against his neighbor. And he lays an oath upon him, to cause him to swear. And the swearer shall come before Your Altar in this House,

²³ “then hear in Heaven. And do, and judge Your servants, by recompensing the wicked in bringing his way upon his head, and by justifying the righteous in giving to him according to his righteousness.

²⁴ “And when Your people Israel shall be overthrown before the enemy, because they have sinned against You, and turn again and confess Your Name, and pray, and make supplication before You in this House,

²⁵ “then hear in Heaven and be merciful to the sin of Your people Israel. And bring them back to the land which You gave to them and to their fathers.

²⁶ “When heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain, because they have sinned against You, and shall pray in this place and confess Your Name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them,

²⁷ “then hear in Heaven. And pardon the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel (after You have taught them the good way in which they may walk) and give rain upon Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

²⁸ “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 in the cities of their land, or any plague or any sickness,

²⁹ “whatever prayer and supplication shall be made by any man, or by all Your people Israel, when everyone shall know his own plague, and his own disease, and shall stretch forth his hands toward this House,

³⁰ “then hear in Heaven, Your dwelling place, and be merciful. And give every man according to all his ways, as You know his heart (for You only know the hearts of the children of men),

³¹ “so that they may fear You, and walk in Your ways, as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

³² “Moreover, as touching the stranger who is not of Your people Israel, who shall come out of a far country for Your great Name’s sake, and Your mighty Hand, and Your stretched out Arm, when they shall come and pray in this House,

³³ “hear in Heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls for to You, so that all the people of the Earth may know Your Name and fear You like Your people Israel, and that they may know that Your Name is called upon in this House which I have built.

³⁴ “When your people shall go out to battle against their enemies, by the way that You shall send them, and they pray to You on the way toward this city, which You have chosen, toward the House which I have built to Your Name,

³⁵ “then hear their prayer and their supplication in Heaven. And judge 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 to the enemies. And they take them and carry them away captive to a land far or near,

³⁷ “if they turn back to their heart in the land where they have been carried as captives and turn and pray to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have transgressed and have done wickedly,’

³⁸ “if they turn back to You with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity where they have been carried captives, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, and toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the House which I have built for Your Name,

³⁹ “then hear in Heaven, in the place of Your habitation. Hear their prayer and their supplication and judge their cause and be merciful to Your people who have sinned against You.

⁴⁰ “Now, my God, I pray. Let Your Eyes be open and Your Ears attentive to the prayer in this place.

⁴¹ “Now therefore, arise, O LORD God, into Your rest, You and the Ark of Your strength! O LORD God, let Your Priests be clothed with salvation! And let Your saints rejoice in goodness!

⁴² “O LORD God, do not refuse the face of Your anointed. Remember the mercies promised to David, Your servant.