2 Chronicles 6:12-42

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like You
in heaven or on earth,^(C)
keeping His gracious covenant
with Your servants who walk before You
with their whole heart.^(D)
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.^(E)
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,^(F)
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,^(G)
much less this temple I have built.
¹⁹ Listen^[d] 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;^(H)
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^[e]
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^[f](I) 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,^[g](J)
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^[h] 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,^(K)
31 so that they may 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:^(L)
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.^(M)

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^(N)
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^(O)—
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.^[i]
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.^(P)
41 Now therefore:^(Q)

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;^[j]
remember the loyalty of Your servant David.^(R)