2 Chronicles 7:8-18

8 Therefore Solomon made a solemnity in that time in seven days, and all Israel with him, a full great church, or congregation, from the entering of Hamath unto the strand of Egypt. (And so Solomon made a feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, the full great congregation, from the entrance to Hamath unto the River of Egypt, that is, unto the Nile.)

9 And in the eighth day he made a gathering of money, that is, for necessaries of the temple, for he had hallowed the altar in seven days, and had made [the] solemnity in seven (more) days. (And on the eighth day they gathered money for the necessities of the Temple, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days, and then had kept the feast for another seven days.)

10 Therefore in the three and twentieth day of the seventh month, he let the peoples go to their tabernacles (he let the people go back to their tents, or their homes), joying and gladding upon the goodness that God had done to David, and to Solomon, and to his people Israel.

11 And Solomon performed the house of the Lord, and the house of the king, and all things which he had disposed in his heart for to do in the house of the Lord, and in his own house; and he had prosperity. (And Solomon finished the House of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the things that he had disposed in his heart to do for the House of the Lord, and for his own house; and he prospered.)

12 Forsooth the Lord appeared to him in the night, and said, I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen this place to me into an house of sacrifice. (And the Lord appeared to him in the night, and said, I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen this place to be a House of sacrifice to me.)

13 If I close heaven, and rain cometh not down, and if I send, and command to the locust, that he devour the land, and if I send pestilence into my people; (And if I close up the heavens, and rain cometh not down, or if I command to the locusts, that they devour the land, or if I send pestilence into my people;)

14 forsooth if my people is converted, on which my name is called, and if it beseecheth me, and seeketh my face, and doeth penance of his full evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven, and I shall be merciful to the sins of them, and I shall heal the land of them. (and if my people, who be called by my name, be turned, and if they beseech me, and seek my face, and do penance for their full evil ways, then I shall hear from heaven, and I shall be merciful to their sins, and I shall heal their land.)

15 And mine eyes shall be opened, and mine ears shall be raised up to the prayer of him, that prayeth in this place (who prayeth in this place);

16 for I have chosen, and hallowed this place, that my name be there without end, and that mine eyes and mine heart dwell there in all days.

17 Also if thou goest before me, as David thy father went, and doest by all those things which I commanded to thee, and keepest my rightfulnesses and my dooms, (And if thou goest before me, as thy father David went, and doest by all those things which I commanded to thee, and obeyest my statutes and my judgements,)

18 I shall raise up the throne of thy realm, as I promised to David thy father, and said, A man of thy generation shall not be taken away, that shall be prince in Israel. (I shall raise up the throne of thy kingdom, as I promised to thy father David, and said, There shall always be a man of thy descendants, who shall be the leader of Israel.)

2 Chronicles 7:8-18 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.