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Texts -- 2 Chronicles 6:1-40 (NET)

Context
6:1 Then Solomon said , “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness . 6:2 O Lord, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently .” 6:3 Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there. 6:4 He said , “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David . 6:5 He told David, ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt , I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live . Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel . 6:6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live , and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel .’ 6:7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel . 6:8 The Lord told my father David , ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me. 6:9 But you will not build the temple ; your very own son will build the temple for my honor .’ 6:10 The Lord has kept the promise he made . I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel , as the Lord promised . I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel 6:11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites .” 6:12 He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands . 6:13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure . It was seven and one-half feet long , seven and one-half feet wide , and four and one-half feet high . He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel . He spread out his hands toward the sky , 6:14 and prayed : “O Lord God of Israel , there is no god like you in heaven or on earth ! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity . 6:15 You have kept your word to your servant , my father David ; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised . 6:16 Now , O Lord God of Israel , keep the promise you made to your servant , my father David , when you said , ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel , provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done .’ 6:17 Now , O Lord God of Israel , may the promise you made to your servant David be realized . 6:18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth ! Look , if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built ! 6:19 But respond favorably to your servant’s prayer and his request for help , O Lord my God . Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you. 6:20 Night and day may you watch over this temple , the place where you promised you would live . May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place . 6:21 Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place . Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive . 6:22 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple , 6:23 listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants ’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent , and give both of them what they deserve . 6:24 “If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help before you in this temple , 6:25 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 . 6:26 “The time will come when the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place , renew their allegiance to you, and turn away from their sin because you punish them, 6:27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants , your people Israel . Certainly you will then teach them the right way to live and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess . 6:28 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine , a plague , blight , and disease , or a locust invasion , or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land , or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 6:29 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help , as they acknowledge their intense pain and spread out their hands toward this temple , 6:30 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place , forgive their sin, and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of their motives . (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people .) 6:31 Then they will honor you by obeying you throughout their lifetimes as they live on the land you gave to our ancestors . 6:32 “Foreigners , who do not belong to your people Israel , will come from a distant land because of your great reputation and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds ; they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple . 6:33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners . Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation , obey you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. 6:34 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies , and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor , 6:35 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help and vindicate them. 6:36 “The time will come when your people will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless !) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies , who will take them as prisoners to their land , whether far away or close by. 6:37 When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner , they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment , admitting , ‘We have sinned and gone astray , we have done evil !’ 6:38 When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors , your chosen city , and the temple I built for your honor , 6:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help , vindicate them, and forgive your sinful people . 6:40 “Now , my God , may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Solomon

    [ebd] peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David's second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded his father on the throne in early man...
    [nave] SOLOMON Son of David by Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 12:24; 1 Kin. 1:13, 17, 21. Named Jedidiah, by Nathan the prophet, 2 Sam. 12:24, 25. Ancestor of Joseph, Matt. 1:6. Succeeds David to the throne of Israel, 1 Kin. 1:11-48; 2:12; 1...

  • Prayer

    [ebd] is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching t...
    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Intercession

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...
    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Religion

    [nave] RELIGION. False Deut. 32:31-33. See: Idolatry; Intolerance; Teachers, False. Family See: Family. National Supported by taxes, Ex. 30:11-16; 38:26. Priests supported by the State, 1 Kin. 18:19; 2 Chr. 11:13-15. Subve...

  • Temple, Solomon's

    [ebd] Before his death David had "with all his might" provided materials in great abundance for the building of the temple on the summit of Mount Moriah (1 Chr. 22:14; 29:4; 2 Chr. 3:1), on the east of the city, on the spot where ...

  • Temple

    [nave] TEMPLE. Solomon's Called also Temple of the Lord, 2 Kin. 11:10; Holy Temple, Psa. 79:1; Holy House, 1 Chr. 29:3; House of God, 1 Chr. 29:2; 2 Chr. 23:9; House of the Lord, 2 Chr. 23:5, 12; Jer. 28:5; Father's House, John 2...

  • TEMPLE, A1

    [isbe] TEMPLE, A1 - tem'-p'l (hekhal, "palace"; sometimes, as in 1 Ki 6:3,5, etc.; Ezek 41:1,15 ff, used for "the holy place" only; bayith, "house," thus always in the Revised Version (British and American); hieron, naos): A. STRUC...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • David

    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Chastisement

    [nave] CHASTISEMENT. From God Lev. 26:28; Deut. 11:2-9; 2 Sam. 7:14, 15; 2 Chr. 6:24-31; 2 Chr. 7:13, 14; Job 5:17; Job 33:19; Psa. 6:1 Psa. 38:1. Psa. 73:14; Psa. 89:32; Psa. 94:12, 13; Psa. 106:41-44; Psa. 107:17-31; Psa. 118:1...

  • Heaven

    [nave] HEAVEN. God's Dwelling Place Deut. 26:15 Zech. 2:13; Isa. 63:15. 1 Kin. 8:30 vs. 39,43,49;; 2 Chr. 6:18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; Jer. 23:24. 1 Chr. 16:31; 1 Chr. 21:26 2 Chr. 7:14; Neh. 9:27. 2 Chr. 2:6; 2 Chr. 30:27; Job ...

  • Repentance

    [nave] REPENTANCE Attributed to God, Gen. 6:6, 7; Ex. 32:14; Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; 1 Sam. 15:11, 29, 35; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Psa. 106:45; 110:4; 135:14; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9...

  • LEVITICUS, 2

    [isbe] LEVITICUS, 2 - III. Origin. 1. Against the Wellhausen Hypothesis: As in the article ATONEMENT, DAY OF, sec. I, 2, (2), we took a stand against the modern attempts at splitting up the text, and in III, 1 against theory of the...

  • Azariah

    [ebd] whom Jehovah helps. (1.) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 2:8). (2.) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest (1 Chr. 6:9; 1 Kings 4:2) in the days of Solomon. He officiated at the consec...

  • CATERPILLAR

    [ebd] the consumer. Used in the Old Testament (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chr. 6:28; Ps. 78:46; Isa. 33:4) as the translation of a word (hasil) the root of which means "to devour" or "consume," and which is used also with reference to the lo...
    [smith] The representative in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew word chasil and yelek . Chasil occurs in (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28; Psalms 78:46; Isaiah 33:4; Joel 1:4) and seems to be applied to a locust, perhaps in...

  • TEMPLE, B

    [isbe] TEMPLE, B - B. IN CRITICISM I. ALLEGED LACK OF HARMONY BETWEEN EARLIER (KINGS) AND LATER (CODE OF HAMMURABI) VERSIONS OF TEMPLE BUILDING 1. Second Version Not a Facsimile of First 2. The Two Versions Differ as to the Builder...

  • Rain

    [nave] RAIN Forty days of, at the time of the flood, Gen. 7:4, 10-12, 17-24. The plague of, upon Egypt, Ex. 9:22-26, 33, 34. Miraculously caused by Samuel, 1 Sam. 12:16-19; by Elijah, 1 Kin. 18:41-45. David delivered by, 2 Sam. ...

  • Queen

    [ebd] No explicit mention of queens is made till we read of the "queen of Sheba." The wives of the kings of Israel are not so designated. In Ps. 45:9, the Hebrew for "queen" is not malkah, one actually ruling like the Queen of She...

  • OATH

    [ebd] a solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 4:2), in various forms (Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hos. 4:15; Rom. 1:9), and taken in different ways (Gen. 14:22; 24:2; 2 Chr. 6:22). God is re...
    [smith] The principle on which an oath is held to be binding is incidentally laid down in (Hebrews 6:16) viz. as an ultimate appeal to divine authority to ratify an assertion. On the same principle, that oath has always been held mos...
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Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • [2Ch 6:21] When The Weary, Seeking Rest
  • [2Ch 6:27] God Of Pity, God Of Grace
  • [2Ch 6:35] Now To Heaven Our Prayer Ascending
  • [2Ch 6:40] Heavenly Father, We Beseech Thee

Questions

  • I've heard and read the same statement a number of times, but have never troubled myself to look up each passage. I'm not surprised that looking up "heaven" and "hell" in a concordance would give you contradictory results. T...
  • In Jerusalem, the Jews always turned their faces toward the "holy hill" of the temple while praying (see Dan. 6:10; II Chron. 6:34). The Samaritans, on the contrary, faced Mt. Gerizim. In the court of the temple, the Jews in ...
  • The primary Greek word for "confess" is homologeo which basically means "to say the same thing" and then "agree, admit, acknowledge." The context must determine the precise nature, emphasis, and meaning of the word. Thus, it ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generat...
  • This list obviously parallels to some extent David's genealogy (chs. 1-3). Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin, not from the tribe of Judah that God had promised leadership of the nation. One reason the writer had an interes...
  • The dominating theme in 1 Chronicles is the Davidic Covenant, the receiving of which was the most important event in David's life. God promised to give him an eternal kingdom, and He formalized that promise by making a covena...
  • Even though 1 and 2 Chronicles give one continuous story the emphasis in 2 Chronicles is different from that in 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles the emphasis is the importance of the temple in national life. However in 2 Chronic...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Chronicles)III. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-9A. Solomon's wisdom and prosperity ch. 1B. The building of the temple 2:1-5:11. Preparations for building the temple ch. 22. The temple proper 3:1-93. Th...
  • Solomon repeated some of the promises in the Davidic Covenant publicly. His completion of the temple fulfilled part of what God had promised. Complete fulfillment required Solomon's continued faithfulness to God (1 Chron. 28:...
  • In his prayer Solomon explained the significance of God's coming to indwell His temple. God had come to empower, to have fellowship, and to judge if necessary. God was present among His people, and He would hear their prayers...
  • This chapter does not appear in Kings. It illustrates well that "the Lord will rule (judge),"the meaning of Jehoshaphat's name and the truth that characterized his reign. The motif of retribution is very strong here. God gave...
  • Joash's life, as the writer narrated it, proves again the principles that Chronicles stresses. God was faithful to His promise to provide rulers over His people from David's descendants. Each king's success depended on his su...
  • These two verses determine the whole mood of Chronicles. Rather than ending with the failure of man the writer concluded by focusing our attention on the faithfulness of God (cf. Lam. 3:22-23). God was in control of the Persi...
  • The priests presented the evening offering (v. 5) between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in Jesus' day.130Ezra's prayer contains four primary characteristics: solidarity, confession, readiness to change, and faith in God's mercy.131In hi...
  • 132:11-12 God promised David that He would raise up a dynasty of David's descendents that would follow him on Israel's throne (2 Sam. 7:12-16). If they were faithful to the Lord, He would give them an unbroken succession. Of ...
  • 6:10 The new decree did not deter Daniel from continuing to pray for the welfare of the city where God had sent them into exile and for the Jews' return from exile. That this was the subject of his praying, among other things...
  • This is the first of four oracles that appear within the visions that Zechariah saw. These were messages that the prophet was to deliver along with the revelation of the vision."The vision had lifted the veil which hides the ...
  • There are several connections between this section and the preceding ones that provide continuity. One is the continuation of water as a symbol (cf. 2:6; 3:5; 4:10-15). Another is the continuation of conversation in which Jes...
  • "In this paragraph Paul continues his instructions on prayers' begun in verse 1. But now the concern is for proper demeanor on the part of the pray-ers.' But whythese concerns, and why in this way? And why the inordinate amou...
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