2 Chronicles 6:18-21

6:18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth! ¹  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 ²  your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer ³  the desperate prayer ⁴  your servant is presenting to you. ⁵  6:20 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. ⁶  May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place. ⁷  6:21 Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place. ⁸  Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive. ⁹ 

[6:18]  ¹ 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.”

[6:19]  ² tn Heb “turn to.”

[6:19]  ³ tn Heb “by listening to.”

[6:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “the loud cry and the prayer.”

[6:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “praying before you.”

[6:20]  ³ tn Heb “so your eyes might be open toward this house night and day, toward the place about which you said, ‘My name will be there.’”

[6:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “by listening to the prayer which your servant is praying concerning this place.”

[6:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “listen to the requests of your servant and your people Israel which they are praying concerning this place.”

[6:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “hear and forgive.”