# 2 Chronicles 06 đ: Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đ Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#đ§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#âď¸ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#đ Key Principles / đ Life Application]]
> [[#đŹ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#âď¸ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đ Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#đ Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đ Internal Notes]]
## đ Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
[[#Verse 01.]] Then Solomon said, âThe Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] O Lord, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.âÂ
[[#Verse 03.]] Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] He said, âThe Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.
[[#Verse 05.]] He told David, âSince the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live, and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.âÂ
[[#Verse 07.]] Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] The Lord told my father David, âIt is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.âÂ
[[#Verse 10.]] The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father Davidâs place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of IsraelÂ
[[#Verse 11.]] and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.â
[[#Verse 12.]] He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was 7½ long, 7½ wide, and 4½ feet high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky,Â
[[#Verse 14.]] and prayed: âO Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.Â
[[#Verse 15.]]Â You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;Â this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] Now, O Lord God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, âYou will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.âÂ
[[#Verse 17.]] Now, O Lord God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant David be realized.
[[#Verse 18.]] âGod does not really live with humankind on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!Â
[[#Verse 19.]] But respond favorably to your servantâs prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you.Â
[[#Verse 20.]] Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servantâs prayer for this place.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place. Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive.
[[#Verse 22.]]Â âWhen someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple,Â
[[#Verse 23.]]Â listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servantsâ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.
[[#Verse 24.]] âIf your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help before you in this temple,Â
[[#Verse 25.]]Â then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
[[#Verse 26.]] âThe time will come when the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, and turn away from their sin because you punish them,Â
[[#Verse 27.]] then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly you will then teach them the right way to live and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.
[[#Verse 28.]] âThe time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight, and disease, or a locust invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs.Â
[[#Verse 29.]] When all your people Israel pray and ask for help, as they acknowledge their intense pain and spread out their hands toward this temple,Â
[[#Verse 30.]] then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of their motives. (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.)Â
[[#Verse 31.]] Then they will honor you by obeying you throughout their lifetimes as they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
[[#Verse 32.]] âForeigners who do not belong to your people Israel will come from a distant land because of your great reputation and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds; they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple.Â
[[#Verse 33.]] Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, obey you as your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.
[[#Verse 34.]] âWhen you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies, and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor,Â
[[#Verse 35.]] then listen from heaven to their prayers for help and vindicate them.
[[#Verse 36.]] âThe time will come when your people will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their land, whether far away or close by.Â
[[#Verse 37.]] When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, âWe have sinned and gone astray, we have done evil!âÂ
[[#Verse 38.]] When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,Â
[[#Verse 39.]] then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help, vindicate them, and forgive your sinful people.
[[#Verse 40.]]Â âNow, my God, may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.Â
[[#Verse 41.]] Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance. May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give.Â
[[#Verse 42.]] O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones! Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!â
## đ Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
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###### Verse 14.
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###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
###### Verse 36.
###### Verse 37.
###### Verse 38.
###### Verse 39.
###### Verse 40.
###### Verse 41.
###### Verse 42.
## đ¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Solomon stood on a bronze platform 5 cubits square and 3 cubits high (6:13), a detail found only in Chronicles.
2. Solomon knelt and spread out his hands toward heaven as he prayed (6:13).
3. The prayer includes seven specific situations in which Israel might pray toward the temple (6:22-39).
4. Solomon prayed for foreigners who would come because of God's great name (6:32-33).
5. Solomon openly admits that there is no one who does not sin (6:36).
6. Chronicles ends Solomon's prayer by quoting Psalm 132:8-10 (6:41-42).
7. The phrase "Your servant David" appears repeatedly, grounding the prayer in God's promise to David.
8. Daniel later prayed toward Jerusalem from Babylon three times a day (Daniel 6:10).
9. The prayer foresees exile and asks God to forgive those who repent in a foreign land (6:36-39).
10. Solomon calls on God to remember His loyal love toward David (6:42).
## đ§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## âď¸ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the true meeting place of God and people. Solomon asked God to hear prayers made toward the temple (6:20-21), but now we come to the Father through Jesus, our one Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
## đ Key Principles / đ Life Application
> [!note] đą Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đŹ Discussion Questions
1. Solomon knelt and spread his hands toward heaven in front of everyone (6:13). What does his posture teach about prayer?
2. Solomon admitted there is no one who does not sin (6:36). How does honesty about sin shape our prayers?
3. Solomon prayed even for foreigners who would come to pray (6:32-33). What does this say about God's heart for the nations?
## âď¸ Key Verses to Remember
- đ verse 14: There is no God like the Lord, who keeps His covenant of loyal love.
- đ verse 18: Will God really live on earth with people? Heaven cannot contain Him.
- đ verse 21: Solomon asks God to hear from heaven and forgive.
## đ Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đ [[1 Kings 08#Verse 22.|1 Kings 8:22-53]] - The parallel account of Solomon's prayer.
- đ [[Psalm 132#Verse 08.|Psalm 132:8-10]] - Arise, Lord, to Your resting place.
- đ [[Daniel 06#Verse 10.|Daniel 6:10]] - Daniel prays toward Jerusalem.
- đ [[Matthew 12#Verse 06.|Matthew 12:6]] - Something greater than the temple is here.
- đ [[1 Timothy 02#Verse 05.|1 Timothy 2:5]] - One Mediator between God and humanity.
## đ Devotional Reflection
đ SOAP: [[2 Chronicles 06 - SOAP|Rejoice in Godâs Goodness]]
## đ Internal Notes