Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 6

Verses 1-42

2. Solomon praises the Lord on his Entrance into the new Temple: 2 Chronicles 6:1-11

2 Chronicles 6:1.Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that He would dwell in darkness. 2And I, even I, have built a house of abiding for Thee, and a place for Thy dwelling for ever.

3And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. 4And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath spoken with His mouth to David my father, and by His 5hands hath fulfilled it, saying, From the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; and I chose no man to be ruler over my 6people Israel. And I chose Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I 7chose David to be over my people Israel. And it was in the heart of David my 8father to build a house to the name of the Lord God of Israel. And the Lord said to David my father, Because it was in thy heart to build a house to my 9name, thou hast done well that it was in thy heart. But thou shalt not build the house; but thy son, that cometh forth out of thy loins, he shall build to my 10name. And the Lord hath established His word that He hath spoken; and I am risen up instead of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord hath spoken; and I have built the house to the name of the Lord God 11of Israel. And there I have put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord that He made with the children of Israel.

3. Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication: 2 Chronicles 6:12-42

12And he stood before the altar of the Lord, before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands. 13For Solomon had made a scaffold of brass, and set it in the midst of the [outer] court; its length was five cubits, its breadth five cubits, and its height three cubits; and he stood upon it, and kneeled down on his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands 14towards heaven, And said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the heaven nor in the earth, who keepest the covenant and the mercy unto Thy 15servants that walk before Thee with all their heart. Who hast kept with Thy servant David that which Thou hast spoken to him; and Thou speakest with Thy 16mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thy hand, as it is this day. And now, Lord God of Israel, keep with Thy servant David my father that which Thou hast spoken to him, saying, There shall not be cut off from thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel, only if thy sons take heed to their way to walk in 17my law, as thou hast walked before me. And now, Lord God of Israel, let Thy word be verified which Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant David. 18But will God in truth dwell with men on the earth ? Behold, heaven, and the heaven of 19heavens, cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built ! But have respect unto the prayer of Thy servant, and to his supplication, o lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which Thy servant prayeth before Thee. 20That Thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, to the place where Thou hast said that Thou wilt put Thy name; to hearken unto the 21prayer which Thy servant prayeth in this place. And hearken unto the supplication of Thy servant and of Thy people Israel, which they shall make in this place, and hear Thou from Thy dwelling-place, from heaven; yea, hear, and for give. 22If a man sin against his neighbours, and he lay on him an oath to make him swear, and he enter into an oath before Thine altar in this house: 23Then hear Thou from heaven, and do, and judge Thy servants, to requite the wicked, and bring his way upon his own head; and to justify the righteous, and give him according to his righteousness. 24And if Thy people Israel be smitten before the enemy, because they have sinned against Thee, and shall return and confess Thy name, and pray and entreat before Thee in this house: 25Then hear Thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which Thou gavest to them and to their fathers. 26When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against Thee, and they pray in this place, and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin, because Thou dost humble them: 27Then hear Thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy servants and of Thy people Israel, because Thou teachest them the good way in which they should walk, and send rain upon the land which Thou hast given unto Thy people for an inheritance. 28If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, blasting, or mildew, locust or waster; if their enemies besiege them in the land 29of their gates; if there be any plague or sickness. Every prayer, every supplication that shall be made by any man or by all Thy people Israel, when they shall know every man his own plague and his own pain, and shall spread his hands to this house: 30Then hear Thou from heaven, Thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and render unto every man according to all his ways, as Thou knowest his heart; for Thou alone knowest the heart of the sons of man. 31That they may fear Thee to walk in Thy ways, all the days that they live on the ground 32which Thou gavest to our fathers. And also to the stranger, who is not of Thy people Israel, but cometh from a far country for sake of Thy great name and Thy mighty hand, and Thy outstretched arm; if they come and pray towards this house: 33Then hear Thou1 from the heaven, from Thy dwelling-place, and do all that the stranger calleth to Thee for, that all peoples of the earth may know Thy name, and fear Thee as Thy people Israel, and may know that Thy name is called upon this house which I have built. 34If Thy people go out to war against their enemies in the way that Thou shalt send them, and they pray unto Thee toward this city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built to Thy name: 35Then hear Thou from the heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their right. 36If they sin against Thee, for there is no man that sinneth not, and Thou be angry with them, and give them up before their enemies, and their 37captors take them to a far or near land. And they turn their heart in the land in which they are captive, and turn and pray unto Thee in the land of their 38captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have been wrong and wicked. And they return to Thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity, whither they have taken them, and pray toward the land which Thou gavest to their fathers, and the city which Thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built to Thy name: 39Then hear Thou from the heaven, from Thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their right, and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee. 40Now, my God, let Thine eyes now be open, and Thine ears attent unto the prayer of this place. 41And now arise, O lord God, unto Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy strength: let Thy priests, o lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints be 42glad for the good. O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thy anointed; remember the mercies of David Thy servant.

See 2 Chronicles 7:1 ff for EXEGETICAL.

Footnotes: 

[1] וְאַתָּה, supported by all the witnesses, Bertheau, without reason, changes into אַתָּה (after 1 Kings 8:43).