2 Chronicles 6:1-11

Solomon's Dedication of the Temple

1 Then Solomon said: The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness,^[a]

2 but I have built an exalted temple for You, a place for Your residence forever.

3 Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.

4 He said: May the Lord God of Israel be praised! He spoke directly to my father David, and He has fulfilled [the promise] by His power. He said,

5 "Since the day I brought My people Israel out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city to build a temple in among any of the tribes of Israel, so that My name would be there, and I have not chosen a man to be ruler over My people Israel.

6 But I have chosen Jerusalem so that My name will be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel."

7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

8 However, the Lord said to my father David, "Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name, you have done well to have this desire.

9 Yet, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own offspring, will build the temple for My name."^[b]

10 So the Lord has fulfilled what He promised. I have taken the place of my father David and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

11 I have put the ark there, where the Lord's covenant is that He made with the Israelites.^[c]

2 Chronicles 6:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 21

This chapter respects the priests, the sons of Aaron, and forbids their mourning for the dead, unless in some cases, Le 21:1-6; or their marriage with an whore or a divorced woman, Le 21:7,8; and the daughters of any of them to commit fornication, which is made punishable with death, Le 21:9; and it contains particular laws for the high priest to observe, who was not to mourn for any, even for his parents, Le 21:10,11; nor to go out of the sanctuary, Le 21:12; nor to marry any woman but a virgin, Le 21:13-15; and it also directs, that none of the priests having any blemish in them should be employed in divine service, though they might eat of the holy things, Le 21:16-24.

Footnotes

• [a] Ex 20:21; Dt 5:22
• [b] 2 Sm 7:1-13
• [c] 1 Kg 8:12-21