2 Chronicles 6:1-25 ▼

1 Then Solomon said: “YHWH said He would dwell in the dark cloud.

2 And I have surely built a house exalted unto You, and a place for Your dwelling forever.”

3 And the king turned around his face, and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing.

4 And he said: “Blessed be YHWH, God of Israel, who has spoken with His mouth to David my father, and with His hands He has fulfilled it, saying,

5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house for My name being there, and I have not chosen any man to be a ruler over My people Israel.

6 And I have chosen Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

7 And it was with the heart of David my father to build a temple for the Name of YHWH, God of Israel.

8 And YHWH said to David my father, ‘Because that it was with your heart to build a house for My name, you did well in that it was with your heart.

9 Nevertheless, you shall not build the temple; but your son who will come from your loins, he shall build the house for My Name.’

10 And YHWH has fulfilled His word that He spoke, and I have risen instead of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as YHWH spoke, and I have built the house for the name of YHWH, God of Israel.

11 And I have put there the ark, in which there is the covenant of YHWH, which He cut with the sons of Israel.”

12 And he stood before the face of the altar of YHWH in front of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.

13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform and had set it in the midst of the court: Five cubits long, and five cubits wide, and three cubits high. And he stood on it, and he knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands toward the heavens,

14 and he said: “O YHWH, God of Israel, there is not a god like You in the heavens or on the earth, who keeps the covenant of loving devotion with Your servants walking before You with all their heart,

15 who has kept for Your servant David my father what You spoke to him. You have spoken with Your mouth and with Your hand you have fulfilled it, as this day.

16 And now, O YHWH, God of Israel, keep for Your servant David my father what You spoke to him, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man before Me, to sit on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, to walk in My law, as you have walked before My face.’

17 And, O YHWH, God of Israel, confirm Your word that You have spoken to Your servant David.

18 But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You. How much less this house that I have built!

19 And You have turned toward the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O YHWH my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.

20 For may Your eyes be open toward this house day and night, toward the place where You have said to put Your name, that You may listen to the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.

21 And may You listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place, and may You hear from Your dwelling place, the heavens, and may You hear and forgive.

22 If anyone sins against his neighbor, and it is lifted up upon him to take an oath to swear, and he comes in to swear before Your altar in this house,

23 then may You hear from the heavens and act and judge Your servants, to give back to the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and to justify the righteous by giving to him according to his righteousness.

24 And if Your people Israel are struck before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return and confess Your name, and they pray and make supplication before You in this house,

25 then may You hear from the heavens and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land that You gave to them and to their fathers.