2 Chronicles 7:1-11

The Dedication Ceremonies

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

2 The priests were not able to enter the Lord's temple because the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord.

3 All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the Lord came on the temple. They bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement. They worshiped and praised the Lord: For He is good, for His faithful love endures forever.^[a]

4 The king and all the people were offering sacrifices in the Lord's presence.

5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. In this manner the king and all the people dedicated God's temple.

6 The priests were standing at their stations, as were the Levites with the musical instruments of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord-"for His faithful love endures forever"-when David offered praise with them.^[b] Across from them, the priests were blowing trumpets, and all the people were standing.

7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of the Lord's temple because that was where he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings^[c] since the bronze altar that Solomon had made^[d] could not accommodate the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat [of the fellowship offerings].

8 So Solomon and all Israel with him-a very great assembly, from the entrance to Hamath^[e] to the Brook of Egypt-observed the festival at that time for seven days.

9 On the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for the dedication of the altar lasted seven days and the festival seven days.

10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, rejoicing and with happy hearts for the goodness the Lord had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel.^[f]

11 So Solomon finished the Lord's temple and the royal palace. Everything that had entered Solomon's heart to do for the Lord's temple and for his own palace succeeded.^[g]

2 Chronicles 7:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 7

In this chapter is an account of the Lord's acceptance of the sacrifices offered at the dedication of the temple by fire, to the great surprise and encouragement of the people, 2Ch 7:1-7, and of the feast kept on that account, and the feast of tabernacles, 2Ch 7:8-12, and of the Lord's appearance to Solomon, giving an answer to his prayer, 2Ch 7:13-22.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Ch 5:13; 1 Ch 16:41; Ezr 3:11; Ps 106:1; Jr 33:11
• [b]. 2 Ch 29:26-30; 1 Ch 23:5; 16:42; Neh 12:36
• [c]. Lv 7:30-31
• [d]. 2 Ch 4:1
• [e]. Or from Lebo-hamath
• [f]. 1 Kg 8:54,62-66
• [g]. 1 Kg 9:1