2 Chronicles 6

Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

Solomon expressed, "God has promised to reside even in the deepest shadows."

But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

I've lovingly created a forever home for you, a sanctuary where you can always dwell.

And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

With a heartfelt gaze, the king showered blessings upon all of Israel's people, who stood united in reverence.

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,

He exclaimed, "Praise the LORD, the God of Israel! He has faithfully accomplished what He promised my father David with His own hands."

Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

From the moment I freed my people from Egypt, I didn't favor any city among Israel's tribes to build a home for my name. I also didn't select any man to rule my people Israel.

But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

I've lovingly selected Jerusalem as my spiritual home, and chosen David as the leader of my cherished people, Israel.

Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

David, my father, deeply desired to construct a sanctuary in honor of the LORD God of Israel.

But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

The LORD expressed to my father David, "Your desire to build a home in my honor was a noble intention. It was good that you had such a heartfelt desire."

Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

Even though you won't be the one to build the house, your son, your own flesh and blood, will. He will construct it in my honor.

The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

God has indeed kept His promise. Just as He said, I've taken my father David's place and now rule Israel. I've also built a home in honor of our Lord, the God of Israel.

And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.

I've placed the ark inside, which holds the sacred promise that God made with the people of Israel.

And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

Standing before God's altar, he faced the entire community of Israel, his hands outstretched in a heartfelt gesture.

For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

Solomon had built a large, bronze platform in the center of the courtyard. He climbed atop it, knelt down humbly before the gathered crowd of Israel, and passionately extended his hands towards the heavens.

And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

With heartfelt reverence, I declare, O LORD, God of Israel, none can compare to you, neither in heaven nor on earth. You, who faithfully uphold your promises and shower your servants with mercy, as they follow you wholeheartedly.

Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

You, who faithfully kept your promise to my father David, spoke it and made it come true with your own hands, just as we see today.

Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

Please, O LORD God of Israel, remember your promise to my father David. You assured him that his lineage would always rule Israel, provided they follow your laws, just as he did.

Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

Now, O Lord God of Israel, please affirm your promise, the one you made to your servant David.

But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

Can God truly live among us on earth? Even the vast heavens cannot hold His greatness, let alone this humble home I've built!

Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:

Please, Lord my God, pay attention to my prayer and my plea. Hear my cries and prayers that I offer to you.

That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

May your eyes always watch over this home, day and night, the place where you promised your presence would be. Listen to the prayers your servant offers in this place.

Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

Please listen to the heartfelt prayers of your servant and your people, Israel, as they pray towards this sacred place. From your heavenly home, hear their pleas and when you do, show them your forgiveness.

If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;

If a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to swear an oath, and he comes to swear it before your sacred altar in this place;

Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

Listen from above, act and judge us. Punish the wicked for their wrongs, let their actions rebound on them. Reward the good, give them what their righteousness deserves.

And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;

If your people, Israel, fall before their foes due to their sins against you, and they turn back, acknowledging your name, pleading and praying to you in this sacred place;

Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.

Listen from the heavens, forgive Israel's sins, and guide them back to the land you promised their ancestors.

When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

When the skies close and rain ceases due to their sins against you, yet if they pray sincerely, acknowledge your name, and abandon their wrongdoings during their times of suffering;

Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

Listen from the heavens, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel, and guide us on the right path. Bless our land with rain, the land you've gifted us as our heritage.

If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:

If the land suffers from famine, disease, or destructive forces like locusts and caterpillars; if their enemies surround them in their cities; no matter what pain or illness they face:

Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:

Whenever anyone, or all of your people, Israel, deeply understand their own pain and sorrow, and reach out their hands in prayer in this place, hear their plea.

Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

Listen from your heavenly home, forgive us, and treat each of us as our actions deserve, for you alone truly know our hearts, you who understand the hearts of all humanity.

That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

May they respect you, follow your path, and cherish the land you gifted to our ancestors for as long as they live.

Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;

When a foreigner, not from Israel, travels from a distant land because they've heard of your great reputation, your strong hand, and your outstretched arm, and they come to pray in this house,

Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

Listen from your heavenly home and respond to the stranger's plea. Let everyone on earth recognize your name and respect you, just like your people, Israel, do. Let them know that this house I've built is named after you.

If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;

When your people march to battle against their foes, following the path you've set, and they pray to you, focusing on this city you've chosen, and the home I've built in your honor;

Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

Listen from the heavens to their heartfelt prayers and pleas, and stand up for their cause.

If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;

If they sin against you, for no one is without sin, and you become angry with them and hand them over to their enemies, who take them as prisoners to a distant or nearby land;

Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;

If they reflect on their actions while in the land where they've been taken captive, and sincerely pray to you, admitting, "We've sinned, we've made mistakes, and acted wickedly";

If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:

If they come back to you, with their hearts and souls fully committed, in the land where they are held captive, and they pray toward their homeland, the land you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and toward the house I built for your name,

Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

Listen from your heavenly home, hear our prayers and pleas. Stand by us, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Dear God, I beg you, please open your eyes and lend your ears to the prayers made here.

Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

Rise up, O Lord, to your place of peace, you and your powerful ark. May your priests, O Lord, be wrapped in your saving grace, and may your faithful followers find joy in your goodness.

O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

Dear Lord, don't turn your back on your chosen one. Remember the kindness you showed your servant David.