6:18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth! 2 Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!
6:26 “The time will come when 5 the skies 6 are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people 7 sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, 8 and turn away from their sin because you punish 9 them, 6:27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly 10 you will then teach them the right way to live 11 and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess. 12
1 tn Heb “who has given to David a wise son [who] knows discernment and insight, who will build a house for the
2 tn Heb “Indeed, can God really live with mankind on the earth?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course not,” the force of which is reflected in the translation “God does not really live with mankind on the earth.”
3 tn Heb “listen to the requests of your servant and your people Israel which they are praying concerning this place.”
4 tn Heb “hear and forgive.”
4 tn Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 26-27a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
5 tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
6 tn Heb “they.”
7 tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
8 tn The Hebrew text reads “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (tÿ’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“afflict”).
5 tn The present translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense (“Certainly”). Other translation have “indeed” (NASB), “when” (NRSV), “so” (NEB), or leave the word untranslated (NIV).
6 tn Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”
7 tn Or “for an inheritance.”
6 tn The words “their sin” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification.
7 tn Heb “and act and give to each one according to all his ways because you know his heart.” In the Hebrew text vv. 28-30a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided up for stylistic reasons.
8 tn Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.”
7 tn Heb “over whom my name is called.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.
8 tn Heb “seek my face,” where “my face” is figurative for God’s presence and acceptance.
9 tn Heb “and turn from their sinful ways.”
10 tn Heb “hear.”
11 sn Here the phrase heal their land means restore the damage done by the drought, locusts and plague mentioned in v. 13.
8 tn The phrase כָל צְבָא הֲַשָּׁמַיִם (khol tsÿva’ hashamayim), traditionally translated “all the host of heaven,” refers to the heavenly lights, including stars and planets. In 1 Kgs 22:19 these heavenly bodies are pictured as members of the Lord’s royal court or assembly, but many other texts view them as the illegitimate objects of pagan and Israelite worship.
9 tn Or “served.”
9 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
10 tn Heb “Whoever [is] among you from all his people – may the