2 Chronicles 7:21

7:21 As for this temple, which was once majestic, ¹  everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’

2 Chronicles 36:21

36:21 This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message delivered through Jeremiah. ²  The land experienced ³  its sabbatical years; ⁴  it remained desolate for seventy years, ⁵  as prophesied. ⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “and this house which was high/elevated.” The statement makes little sense in this context, which predicts the desolation that judgment will bring. Some treat the clause as concessive, “Even though this temple is lofty [now].” Others, following the lead of several ancient versions, emend the text to, “this temple will become a heap of ruins.”

² tn Heb “to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.”

³ tn Or “accepted.”

⁴ sn According to Lev 25:4, the land was to remain uncultivated every seventh year. Lev 26:33-35 warns that the land would experience a succession of such sabbatical rests if the people disobeyed God, for he would send them away into exile.

⁵ sn Concerning the seventy years see Jer 25:11.

⁶ tn Heb “all the days of the desolation it rested to fulfill the seventy years.”