UNROLL
First light in the empty court of Solomon’s temple: the long pale stone house and its two bronze pillars catching the sun, the great bronze altar with a thread of smoke, and a low square bronze platform standing empty in the middle of the court.

The Book of

2 Chronicles 6

The glory has filled the house. Now the king kneels in front of everyone and asks: will God really live with us?

42 verses≈ 10 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1SolomonWisdom asked at Gibeon
  2. 2–5The templeBuilt on Mount Moriah
  3. 6–7DedicationIf My people humble themselvesChapter 6
  4. 8–9Solomon's gloryThe queen of Sheba
  5. 10–16DivisionRehoboam to Asa
  6. 17–20JehoshaphatThe battle is God's
  7. 21–24Dark yearsJehoram to Joash
  8. 25–28Proud kingsAmaziah to Ahaz
  9. 29–32HezekiahDoors opened, Passover kept
  10. 33–35Manasseh to JosiahMercy and the Book found
  11. 36Exile and returnMay he go up

Solomon Blesses the LORD

Then Solomon declared:

“The LORD has said that He would dwell

in the thick cloud.

But I have built You an exalted house,

a place for You to dwell forever.”

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

In the temple court on a clear autumn morning, King Solomon has turned his back to the bronze altar to face the standing assembly of Israel, one hand lifted over them in blessing, the temple porch and a bronze pillar at the edge of the frame.

And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all

and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,

‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’

Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

2 Chronicles 6:10

And there I have placed the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with the children of Israel.”

Reflect

With His own hand

Solomon blessed the LORD, “who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David.” Write down one promise of God you have seen Him keep. Which one are you still waiting for?

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

Seen from behind and a little above, King Solomon kneels on a low square bronze platform in the middle of the temple court, arms spread wide and open hands raised to an empty sky, the assembly of Israel standing still all around.

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,

0:20

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.

What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.

2 Chronicles 6:15

Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ And now, O LORD, God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.

But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

2 Chronicles 6:18

Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.

May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

Question

Quick question

Chronicles tells us something about this prayer that Kings leaves out.

Where did Solomon kneel to pray?

Over terraced hill-country fields cracked and brown with drought, a dark rain cloud sweeps in and the first heavy rain falls in silver curtains, while a farmer at the field’s edge lifts his open hands.

Toward this house

When they pray toward this place

  1. Justice

    An oath at the altar

    When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple, then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

  2. Forgive

    Defeated by an enemy

    When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading before You in this temple, then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to them and their fathers.

  3. Send rain

    The skies shut, no rain

    When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them, then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.

  4. You know the heart

    Famine, plague, siege

    When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come, then may whatever prayer or plea Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple— be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men— so that they may fear You and walk in Your ways all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.

Solomon

for there is no one who does not sin

2 Chronicles 6:36

Pray

Hear and forgive

Again and again Solomon asked, “may You hear from heaven.” Thank God that He hears and forgives. Say it plainly, in Solomon’s words: “We have sinned and done wrong.” Pray for those who come from far away because of His “great name,” and for anyone far from home or far from God to “return to You with all their heart and soul.” Amen.

Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

Late afternoon in the temple court, seen across the golden pavement: the long stone house with its two bronze pillars, its tall double doors open on a quiet darkness, and two rows of priests in white linen standing glad on the porch steps.

Now therefore, arise, O LORD God, and enter Your resting place,

You and the ark of Your might.

May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,

and may Your godly ones rejoice in goodness.

O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one.

Remember Your loving devotion to Your servant David.”

You’ve experienced

2 Chronicles 6

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A verse to carry with you

But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

2 Chronicles 6:18

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