2 Chronicles 6:33-42

6:33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. ¹  Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, ²  obey ³  you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. ⁴ 

6:34 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies, ⁵  and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor, ⁶  6:35 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help ⁷  and vindicate them. ⁸ 

6:36 “The time will come when your people ⁹  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 ¹⁰  come to their senses ¹¹  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 ¹² , we have done evil!’ 6:38 When they return to you with all their heart and being ¹³  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, ¹⁴  6:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help, ¹⁵  vindicate them, ¹⁶  and forgive your sinful people.

6:40 “Now, my God, may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁷  6:41 Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance! ¹⁸  May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give! ¹⁹  6:42 O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones! ²⁰  Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!”

[6:33]  ¹ tn Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.”

[6:33]  ² tn Heb “name.” See the note on “reputation” in v. 32.

[6:33]  ³ tn Heb “fear.”

[6:33]  ⁴ tn Heb “that your name is called over this house which I built.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.

[6:34]  ⁵ tn Heb “When your people go out for battle against their enemies in the way which you send them.”

[6:34]  ⁶ tn Heb “toward this city which you have chosen and the house which I built for your name.”

[6:35]  ⁷ tn Heb “their prayer and their request for help.”

[6:35]  ⁸ tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.”

[6:36]  ⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:37]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:37]  ¹¹ tn Or “stop and reflect”; Heb “bring back to their heart.”

[6:37]  ¹² tn Or “done wrong.”

[6:38]  ¹³ tn Or “soul.”

[6:38]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “your honor”).

[6:39]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “their prayer and their requests for help.”

[6:39]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.”

[6:40]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “May your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.”

[6:41]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “be clothed with deliverance.”

[6:41]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and may your loyal ones rejoice in good.”

[6:42]  ²⁰ tc Heb “do not turn away the face of your anointed ones.” Many medieval Hebrew mss, as well as the ancient versions, read the singular, “your anointed,” which would probably refer to Solomon specifically, rather than the people.