2 Chronicles 5; 2 Chronicles 6; 2 Chronicles 7

2 Chronicles 5

1 Solomon finished all of the work for the LORD's temple. Then he brought in the things his father David had set apart for the Lord. They included the silver and gold and all of the articles for God's temple. Solomon placed them with the other treasures that were there.

2 Then Solomon sent for the elders of Israel. He told them to come to Jerusalem. They included all of the leaders of the tribes. They also included the chiefs of the families of Israel. Solomon wanted them to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant from Zion. Zion was the City of David.

3 All of the men of Israel came together to where the king was. It was at the time of the Feast of Booths. The feast was held in the seventh month.

4 All of the elders of Israel arrived. Then the Levites picked up the ark and carried it.

5 They brought up the ark. They also brought up the Tent of Meeting and all of the sacred articles that were in the tent. The priests, who were Levites, carried everything up.

6 The entire community of Israel had gathered around King Solomon. All of them were in front of the ark. They sacrificed huge numbers of sheep and cattle. There were so many that they couldn't be recorded. In fact, they couldn't even be counted.

7 The priests brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the Most Holy Room of the temple. They put it under the wings of the cherubim.

8 The cherubim's wings were spread out over the place where the ark was. They covered the ark. They also covered the poles that were used to carry it.

9 The poles reached out from the ark. They were so long that their ends could be seen from in front of the Most Holy Room. But they couldn't be seen from outside the Holy Room. They are still there to this very day.

10 There wasn't anything in the ark except the two tablets. Moses had placed them in it at Mount Horeb. That's where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites. He made it after they came out of Egypt.

11 The priests left the Holy Room. All of the priests who were there had set themselves apart to the Lord. It didn't matter what group they were in.

12 All of the Levites who played music stood near the east side of the altar. They included Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives. They were dressed in fine linen. They were playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were joined by 120 priests who were blowing trumpets.

13 The trumpet players and singers made music together as if they were only one voice. They praised the Lord. They gave thanks to him. Some of them played their trumpets, cymbals and other instruments. The others raised their voices to praise the Lord. They sang, "He is good. His faithful love continues forever." Then a cloud filled the temple of the Lord.

14 The priests couldn't do their work because of it. The glory of the LORD filled God's temple.

2 Chronicles 6

1 Then Solomon said, "Lord, you have said you would live in a dark cloud.

2 I've built a beautiful temple for you. You can live in it forever."

3 The whole community of Israel was standing there. The king turned around and gave them his blessing.

4 Then he said, "I praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David. With his powerful hands he made it come true. He said,

5 'I brought my people out of Egypt. Ever since I did that, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple could be built for my Name. I have not chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel.

6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem. I will put my Name there. And I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.'

7 "With all his heart my father David wanted to build a temple. He wanted to do it so the Name of the LORD could be there. The LORD is the God of Israel.

8 "But the LORD spoke to my father David. He said, 'With all your heart you wanted to build a temple for my Name. It is good that you wanted to do that.

9 But you will not build the temple. Instead, your son will build the temple for my Name. He is your own flesh and blood.'

10 "The LORD has kept the promise he made. I've become the next king after my father David. Now I'm sitting on the throne of Israel. That's exactly what the LORD promised would happen. I've built the temple for the Name of the Lord. He is the God of Israel.

11 I've placed the ark there. The tablets of the LORD's covenant are inside it. He made that covenant with the people of Israel."

12 Then Solomon stood in front of the LORD's altar. He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He spread out his hands to pray.

13 He had made a bronze stage. It was seven and a half feet long and seven and a half feet wide. It was four and a half feet high. He had placed it in the center of the outer courtyard. He stood on the stage. Then he got down on his knees in front of the whole community of Israel. He spread out his hands toward heaven.

14 He said, "Lord, you are the God of Israel. There is no God like you in heaven or on earth. You keep the covenant you made with us. You show us your love. You do that when we follow you with all our hearts.

15 You have kept your promise to my father David. He was your servant. With your mouth you made a promise. With your powerful hand you have made it come true. And today we can see it.

16 "Lord, you are the God of Israel. Keep the promises you made to my father David. Do it for him. He was your servant. You said to him, 'You will always have a son to sit on the throne of Israel in my sight. That will be true only if your sons are careful in everything they do. They must live the way my law tells them to. That is the way you have lived.'

17 Lord, you are the God of Israel. So let your promise to your servant David come true.

18 "But will you really live on earth with human beings? After all, the heavens can't hold you. In fact, even the highest heavens can't hold you. So this temple I've built certainly can't hold you!

19 "But please pay attention to my prayer. LORD my God, show me your favor as I make my appeal to you. Listen to my cry for help. Hear the prayer I'm praying to you.

20 Let your eyes look toward this temple day and night. You said you would put your Name here. Listen to the prayer I'm praying toward this place.

21 "Hear me when I ask you to show us your favor. Listen to your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Listen to us from heaven. It's the place where you live. When you hear us, forgive us.

22 "Suppose a man does something wrong to his neighbor. And he is required to take an oath and make a promise. He must come and do it in front of your altar in this temple.

23 When he does, listen to him from heaven. Take action. Judge between the man and his neighbor. Pay back the one who is guilty. Do to him what he has done to the other person. Tell everyone that the person who hasn't done anything wrong is free of blame. That will prove he isn't guilty.

24 "Suppose your people Israel have lost the battle against their enemies. And suppose they've sinned against you. But they turn back to you and praise your name. They pray to you in this temple. And they ask you to show them your favor.

25 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Bring them back to the land you gave to them and their people who lived long ago.

26 "Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn't any rain. But your people pray toward this place. They praise you by admitting they've sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer.

27 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.

28 "Suppose there isn't enough food in the land. And a plague strikes the land. The hot winds completely dry up our crops. Or locusts or grasshoppers come and eat them up. Or enemies surround one of our cities and get ready to attack it. Or trouble or sickness comes.

29 But suppose one of your people prays to you. He asks you to show him your favor. He is aware of how much he is suffering. And he spreads out his hands toward this temple to pray.

30 Then listen to him from heaven. It's the place where you live. Forgive him. Deal with him in keeping with everything he does. You know his heart. In fact, you are the only one who knows every human heart.

31 "Your people will have respect for you. They will live the way you want them to. They'll live that way as long as they are in the land you gave our people long ago.

32 "Suppose a stranger who doesn't belong to your people Israel has come from a land far away. He has come because he's heard about your great name. He has heard that you reached out your mighty hand and powerful arm. So he comes and prays toward this temple.

33 Then listen to him from heaven. It's the place where you live. Do what that stranger asks you to do. "Then all of the nations on earth will know you. They will have respect for you. They'll respect you just as your own people Israel do. They'll know that your Name is in this house I've built.

34 "Suppose your people go to war against their enemies. It doesn't matter where you send them. And suppose they pray to you toward this city you have chosen. They pray toward the temple I've built for your Name.

35 Then listen to them from heaven. Listen to their prayer. Listen to them when they ask you to show them your favor. Stand up for them.

36 "Suppose they sin against you. After all, there isn't anyone who doesn't sin. And suppose you get angry with them. You hand them over to their enemies. They take them as prisoners to another land. It doesn't matter whether it's near or far away.

37 But suppose your people change their ways in the land where they are held as prisoners. They turn away from their sins. They beg you to help them in the land where they are prisoners. They say, 'We have sinned. We've done what is wrong. We've done what is evil.'

38 And they turn back to you with all their heart and soul. Suppose it happens in the land where they were taken as prisoners. There they pray toward the land you gave their people long ago. They pray toward the city you have chosen. And they pray toward the temple I've built for your Name.

39 Then listen to them from heaven. It's the place where you live. Listen to their prayer. Listen to them when they ask you to show them your favor. Stand up for them. Your people have sinned against you. Please forgive them.

40 "My God, let your eyes see us. Let your ears pay attention to the prayers that are offered in this place.

41 "LORD God, rise up and come to your resting place. Come in together with the ark. It's the sign of your power. LORD God, may your priests put on salvation as if it were their clothes. May your faithful people be glad because you are so good.

42 LORD God, don't turn your back on your anointed king. Remember the great love you promised to your servant David."

2 Chronicles 7

1 Solomon finished praying. Then fire came down from heaven. It burned up the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 The priests couldn't enter the temple of the Lord. His glory filled it.

3 All of the people of Israel saw the fire coming down. They saw the glory of the LORD above the temple. So they got down on their knees in the courtyard with their faces toward the ground. They worshiped the Lord. They gave thanks to him. They said, "He is good. His faithful love continues forever."

4 Then the king and all of the people offered sacrifices to the Lord.

5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and all of the people set the temple of God apart.

6 The priests and Levites took their positions. The Levites played the LORD's musical instruments. King David had made them for praising the Lord. They were used when he gave thanks to the Lord. He said, "His faithful love continues forever." Across from where the Levites were, the priests blew their trumpets. All of the people of Israel were standing.

7 Solomon set the middle area of the courtyard apart to the Lord. It was in front of the LORD's temple. There Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings. He also sacrificed the fat of the friendship offerings there. He did it there because the bronze altar he had made couldn't hold all of the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat parts.

8 At that time Solomon celebrated the Feast of Booths for seven days. The whole community of Israel was with him. It was a huge crowd. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the Wadi of Egypt.

9 On the eighth day they held a service. For seven days they had celebrated by setting the altar apart to honor God. The feast continued for seven more days.

10 Then Solomon sent the people home. It was the 23rd day of the seventh month. The people were glad. Their hearts were full of joy. That's because the LORD had done good things for David and Solomon and his people Israel.

11 Solomon finished the LORD's temple and the royal palace. He had done everything he had planned to do in the LORD's temple and his own palace.

12 The LORD appeared to him at night. He said, "I have heard your prayer. I have chosen this place for myself. It is a temple where sacrifices will be offered.

13 "Suppose I close up the sky and there isn't any rain. Suppose I command locusts to eat up the crops. And I send a plague among my people.

14 But they make themselves low in my sight. They pray and look to me. And they turn from their evil ways. Then I will listen to them from heaven. I will forgive their sin. And I will heal their land. After all, they are my people.

15 "Now my eyes will see them. My ears will pay attention to the prayers they offer in this place.

16 I have chosen this temple. I have set it apart for myself. My Name will be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

17 "But you must walk with me, just as your father David did. Do everything I command you to do. Obey my rules and laws.

18 Then I will set up your royal throne. I made a covenant with your father David to do that. I said to him, 'You will always have a son to rule over Israel.'

19 "But suppose all of you turn away from me. You refuse to obey the rules and commands I have given you. And you go off to serve other gods and worship them.

20 Then I will remove Israel from my land. It is the land I gave them. I will turn my back on this temple. I will do it even though I have set it apart for my Name to be there. I will make all of the nations hate it. They will laugh and joke about it.

21 "This temple is now so grand and beautiful. But the time is coming when all those who pass by it will be shocked. They will say, 'Why has the LORD done a thing like this to this land and temple?'

22 "People will answer, 'Because they have deserted the Lord. He is the God of their people who lived long ago. He brought them out of Egypt. But they have been holding on to other gods. They've been worshiping them. They've been serving them. That's why he has brought all of this horrible trouble on them.' "