2 Chronicles 6

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then Solomon said: Yahweh has chosen to dwel in thick cloud,	1 Then Solomon said: "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud.
2 and I have built you a princely dwel ing, a residence for you for ever.	2 I have truly built you a princely house and dwelling, where you may abide forever."
3 Then the king turned round and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly ofIsrael stood.	3 Turning about, the king greeted the whole community of Israel as they stood.
4 He said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who has carried out by his hand what he promisedverbally to my father David, when he said,	4 He said: "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his own mouth made a promise to my father David and by his own hands brought it to fulfillment. He said:
5 "From the day I brought my people out of Egypt I chose no city, in any of the tribes of Israel, to have atemple built where my name should be, nor did I choose anyone to be prince of my people Israel;	5 'Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen any city from among all the tribes of Israel for the building of a temple to my honor, nor have I chosen any man to be commander of my people Israel;
6 but I did choose Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I did choose David to rule my people Israel."	6 but now I choose Jerusalem, where I shall be honored, and I choose David to rule my people Israel.'
7 My father David had set his heart on building a temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,	7 My father David wished to build a temple to the honor of the LORD, the God of Israel,
8 but Yahweh said to my father David, "You have set your heart on building a temple for my name, and inthis you have done wel ;	8 but the LORD said to him: 'In wishing to build a temple to my honor, you do well.
9 and yet, you are not the man to build the temple; but your son, yet to be born to you, wil be the one tobuild the temple for my name."	9 However, you shall not build the temple; rather, your son whom you will beget shall build the temple to my honor.'
10 Yahweh has kept the promise which he made: I have succeeded my father David and am seated onthe throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised; I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,	10 "Now the LORD has fulfilled the promise that he made. I have succeeded my father David and have taken my seat on the throne of Israel, as the LORD foretold, and I have built the temple to the honor of the LORD, the God of Israel.
11 and I have placed in it the ark containing the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with the Israelites.'	11 And I have placed there the ark, in which abides the covenant of the LORD which he made with the Israelites."
12 Then in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, he stood facing the altar of Yahweh andstretched out his hands-	12 Solomon then took his place before the altar of the LORD in the presence of the whole community of Israel and stretched forth his hands.
13 for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and five cubits high, whichhe had placed in the middle of the court and on which he was standing; he knelt down in front of the wholeassembly of Israel, stretched out his hands to heaven-	13 He had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, which he had placed in the middle of the courtyard. Having ascended it, Solomon knelt in the presence of the whole of Israel and stretched forth his hands toward heaven.
14 and said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth, you who are loyal tothe covenant and show faithful love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly in your way.	14 Thus he prayed: "LORD, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth; you keep your covenant and show kindness to your servants who are wholeheartedly faithful to you.
15 You have kept it with your servant, my father David, as you promised him you would. What youpromised verbally today you have carried out by your hand.	15 You have kept the promise you made to my father David, your servant. With your own mouth you spoke it, and by your own hand you have brought it to fulfillment this day.
16 And now, Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise which you made to your servant David when yousaid, "You wil never lack for a man to sit in my presence before me on the throne of Israel, provided that yoursons are careful how they behave, fol owing my law as you yourself have done."	16 Now, therefore, LORD, God of Israel, keep the further promise you made to my father David, your servant, when you said, 'You shall always have someone from your line to sit before me on the throne of Israel, provided only that your descendants look to their conduct so as always to live according to my law, even as you have lived in my presence.'
17 So now, God of Israel, let the words come true which you spoke to your servant, my father David.	17 Now, LORD, God of Israel, may this promise which you made to your servant David be confirmed.
18 Yet wil God real y live with the people on earth? Why, the heavens and the heavens of the heavenscannot contain you! How much less this temple built by me!	18 "Can it indeed be that God dwells with mankind on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built!
19 Even so, listen favourably to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cryand to the prayer which your servant makes to you:	19 Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication your servant makes before you.
20 Day and night, may your eyes watch over this temple, over this place in which you have promised toput your name. Listen to the prayer which your servant offers in this place.	20 May your eyes watch day and night over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; may you heed the prayer which I your servant offer toward this place.
21 'Listen to the entreaties of your servant and of your people Israel; whenever they pray in this place,listen from the place where you reside in heaven; and when you hear, forgive.	21 Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel which they direct toward this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling, and when you have heard, pardon.
22 'If someone has wronged his neighbour and a curse is laid on him to make him swear here beforeyour altar in this Temple,	22 "When any man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath of execration against himself, and when he comes for the oath before your altar in this temple,
23 then listen from heaven and do justice between your servants, paying back the guilty one by makinghim suffer for his conduct, and acquitting the upright by rewarding him as his uprightness deserves.	23 listen from heaven: take action and pass judgment on your servants, requiting the wicked man and holding him responsible for his conduct, but absolving the innocent and rewarding him according to his virtue.
24 'If your people Israel are defeated by the enemy because they have sinned against you, but thenreturn to you and acknowledge your name, and pray and seek your favour in this temple,	24 When your people Israel have sinned against you and are defeated by the enemy, but afterward they return and praise your name, and they pray to you and entreat you in this temple,
25 then listen from heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the countrywhich you gave to them and their ancestors.	25 listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which you gave them and their fathers.
26 'When the heavens are shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray inthis place and praise your name and, having been humbled by you, desist from their sin,	26 When the sky is closed so that there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, but then they pray toward this place and praise your name, and they withdraw from sin because you afflict them,
27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servant and of your people Israel -- for you areconstantly showing them the good way which they must fol ow -- and send rain on your country, which you havegiven to your people as their heritage.	27 listen in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. But teach them the right way to live, and send rain upon your land which you gave your people as their heritage.
28 'Should there be famine in the country, or pestilence, wind-blast or mildew, locust or caterpil ar; shouldtheir enemy lay siege to their territory; should there be any plague or any disease;	28 When there is famine in the land, when there is pestilence, or blight, or mildew, or locusts, or caterpillars; when their enemies besiege them at any of their gates; whenever there is a plague or sickness of any kind;
29 whatever be the prayer or entreaty of any individual, or of al your people Israel, each being aware ofhis own affliction and pain; when he stretches out his hands towards this Temple,	29 when any Israelite of all your people offers a prayer or petition of any kind, and in awareness of his affliction and pain, stretches out his hands toward this temple,
30 then listen from heaven where you reside; forgive and, since you know what is in his heart, deal witheach as his conduct deserves -- for you alone know what is in the human heart-	30 listen from your heavenly dwelling place, and forgive. Knowing his heart, render to everyone according to his conduct, for you alone know the hearts of men.
31 so that they may revere you by following your directions, which you gave to our ancestors, throughouttheir lives on earth.	31 So may they fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live on the land you gave our fathers.
32 'Even the foreigner, not belonging to your people Israel but coming from a distant country, attracted byyour great name, your mighty hand and outstretched arm, if he comes and prays in this Temple,	32 "For the foreigner, too, who is not of your people Israel, when he comes from a distant land to honor your great name, your mighty power, and your outstretched arm, when they come in prayer to this temple,
33 then listen from heaven where you reside, and grant al that the foreigner asks of you, so that al thepeoples of the earth may acknowledge your name and, like your people Israel, revere you, and know that thisTemple, which I have built, bears your name.	33 listen from your heavenly dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner entreats you, that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, fearing you as do your people Israel, and knowing that this house which I have built is dedicated to your honor.
34 'If your people go out to war against their enemies, on whatever mission you send them, and they prayto you, turning towards this city which you have chosen and towards the Temple which I have built for yourname,	34 "When your people go forth to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and pray to you in the direction of this city and of the house I have built to your honor,
35 then listen from heaven to their prayer and their entreaty, and uphold their cause.	35 listen from heaven to their prayer and petition, and defend their cause.
36 'When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you are angry with them andabandon them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to a country be it far away or near,	36 When they sin against you (for there is no man who does not sin), and in your anger against them you deliver them to the enemy, so that their captors deport them to another land, far or near,
37 if they come to their senses in the country to which they have been taken as captives and pray to youonce again in the country of their captivity, saying, "We have sinned, we have acted wrongly and wickedly,"	37 when they repent in the land where they are captive and are converted, when they entreat you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,'
38 and turn back to you with al their heart and soul in the country of their captivity to which they havebeen carried away as captives, and pray, turning towards the country which you gave to their ancestors, towardsthe city you have chosen, and towards the Temple which I have built for your name,	38 and with their whole heart and with their whole soul they turn back to you in the land of those who hold them captive, when they pray in the direction of their land which you gave their fathers, and of the city you have chosen, and of the house which I have built to your honor,
39 then listen from heaven where you reside, hear their prayer and entreaties, uphold their cause andforgive your people for having sinned against you.	39 listen from your heavenly dwelling place, hear their prayer and petitions, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 'Now, O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to prayer offered in this place.	40 My God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.
41 And now Yahweh God, go up to your resting-place, you and your fortress, the Ark! Let your priests,Yahweh God, be robed in salvation, let your faithful rejoice in what is good!	41 And now, "Advance, LORD God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your majesty. May your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your faithful ones rejoice in good things.
42 Yahweh God, do not rebuff your Anointed -- remember the faithful love of your servant David!'	42 LORD God, reject not the plea of your anointed, remember the devotion of David, your servant."