The Ark Enters the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:1–14)
1 ULT Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all of the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon{ at} Jerusalem, to bring up the Box of the Covenant of Yahweh from the City of David(it{ is} Zion). BSB BSB: At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David.
2 ULT And all of the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, at the feast(it{ is} the seventh month). BSB BSB: And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim.
3 ULT And all of the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the Box. BSB BSB: When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark,
4 ULT And they brought up the Box of Yahweh and the tent of meeting and all of the vessels of holiness that{ were} in the tent. And the priests and the Levites brought them up. BSB BSB: and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting with all its sacred furnishings. So the priests and Levites carried them up.
5 ULT And King Solomon and all of the congregation of Israel, the ones having congregated themselves to him,{ who were} with him to the face of the Box, were sacrificing sheep and cattle that were not counted and were not numbered from abundance. BSB BSB: There, before the ark, King Solomon and the whole congregation of Israel who had assembled with him sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.
6 ULT And the priests brought the Box of the Covenant of Yahweh into its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, into the Holy of Holies, to beneath the wings of the cherubs. BSB BSB: Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.
7 ULT For the cherubs were spreading wings toward the place of the Box, and the cherubs covered over the Box and over its poles from above. BSB BSB: For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.
8 ULT And the poles were long, and the heads of the poles were seen from the Holy Place, at the face of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen on the outside. And they are there to this day. BSB BSB: The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day.
9 ULT Nothing{ was} in the Box except the two tablets of stone that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where Yahweh cut with the sons of Israel when they came out from the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.
10 ULT And it happened, when the priests came out from the Holy Place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh. BSB BSB: And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD
11 ULT And the priests were not able to stand to minister from the face of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh. BSB BSB: so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
Solomon Blesses the LORD (2 Chronicles 6:1–11)
12 ULT Then Solomon said,“Yahweh said he would dwell in a dark cloud. BSB BSB: Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
13 ULT Building, I have built a house of habitation for you, a place for your dwelling{ for} ages.” BSB BSB: I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”
14 ULT And the king turned his face around, and he blessed all of the assembly of Israel. Now all of the assembly of Israel was standing. BSB BSB: And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
15 ULT And he said,“Blessed{ be} Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke by his mouth to David my father and fulfilled by his hand, saying, BSB BSB: 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,
16 ULT ‘From the day when I brought out my people, Israel, from Egypt, I did not choose a city from all of the tribes of Israel to build a house for my name to be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ BSB BSB: ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out 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. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
17 ULT And it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. BSB BSB: Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
18 ULT But Yahweh said to David my father,‘Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was with your heart. BSB BSB: 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.
19 ULT However, you, you will not build the house, but rather your son coming out from your loins, he, he will build the house for my name.’ BSB BSB: Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
20 ULT And Yahweh has raised up his word that he spoke. And I have arisen in place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, just as Yahweh spoke. And I have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. BSB BSB: 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.
21 ULT And I have made a place there for the Box where the Covenant of Yahweh{ is} there, which he cut with our fathers when he brought them out from the land of Egypt.” BSB BSB: And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (2 Chronicles 6:12–42)
22 ULT And Solomon stood to the face of the altar of Yahweh, in front of all of the assembly of Israel. And he spread out his palms to the heavens, BSB BSB: Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
23 ULT and he said,“Yahweh, the God of Israel, no god{ is} like you in the heavens from above or on the earth from below, keeping the covenant and covenant faithfulness with your servants walking to your face with all of their heart, BSB BSB: and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
24 ULT which you have kept for your servant David, my father, what you spoke to him. And you spoke with your mouth, and by your hand you fulfilled, as this day. BSB BSB: You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.
25 ULT And now, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David, my father, what you spoke to him, saying,‘A man to you will not be cut off from to my face, sitting on the throne of Israel, if only your sons will keep their way, to walk to my face just as you have walked to my face.’ BSB BSB: 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 before Me as you have done.’
26 ULT And now, God of Israel, may your word please be confirmed that you spoke to your servant David, my father. BSB BSB: And now, O God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David.
27 ULT But will God truly dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens do not contain you. How much less this house that I have built! BSB BSB: But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
28 ULT Yet may you turn to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer that your servant is praying to your face today, BSB BSB: 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 today.
29 ULT that your eyes may be opened to this house night and day, to the place{ about} which you have said,‘My name will be there,’ to listen to the prayer that your servant will pray toward this place. BSB BSB: May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
30 ULT And may you listen to the supplication of your servant and your people Israel that they will pray toward this place. And you, may you hear in the place of your dwelling, in the heavens, and may you hear and forgive. BSB BSB: 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.
31 ULT Whoever sins, a man against his neighbor, and he lifts an oath against him to adjure him, and an oath comes to the face of your altar in this house, BSB BSB: 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,
32 ULT then you, may you hear{ in} the heavens and act and judge your servants, to condemn the wicked, to put his way on his head, and to acquit the righteous, to give to him according to his righteousness. BSB BSB: 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.
33 ULT When your people Israel are struck to the face of an enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn back to you and they confess your name and they pray and they supplicate toward you in this house, BSB BSB: 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 with You in this temple,
34 ULT then you, may you hear{ in} the heavens, and may you forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land that you gave to their fathers. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to their fathers.
35 ULT When the heavens are restrained and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray toward this place and they confess your name and they turn back from their sin because you have afflicted them, BSB BSB: 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,
36 ULT then you, may you hear{ in} the heavens, and may you forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, for you teach the good way in which they should walk. And may you give rain on your land that you have given to your people for an inheritance. BSB BSB: 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.
37 ULT If famine is in the land, if{ there} is pestilence, if{ there} is blight, mildew, locust, grasshopper, if his enemy makes{ it} narrow to him in the land of his gates, any plague, any sickness, BSB BSB: When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,
38 ULT any prayer, any supplication that is to any man, to any of your people Israel who know, a man the plague of his heart, and he spreads out his palms toward this house, BSB BSB: then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
39 ULT then you, may you hear{ in} the heavens, the place of your dwelling, and may you forgive, and may you act and give to a man according to all of his ways, for you know his heart. For you, you know, you alone, the heart of all of the sons of man, BSB BSB: be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men—
40 ULT so that they may fear you all of the days that they{ are} alive on the face of the land that you gave to our fathers. BSB BSB: so that they may fear You all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.
41 ULT And also, concerning the foreigner, he who{ is} not from your people Israel, and he comes from a distant land because of your name, BSB BSB: And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name—
42 ULT for they will hear{ about} your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, and he will come and pray toward this house, BSB BSB: for they will hear of Your great name and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,
43 ULT you, may you hear in the heavens, the place of your dwelling, and may you act according to all that the foreigner has cried out to you, so that all of the peoples of the earth will know your name, to fear you as your people Israel{ do} and to know that your name has been called over this house that I have built. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.
44 ULT If your people goes out to battle against its enemy by the way that you send them, and they pray to Yahweh{ in} the way of the city upon which you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, BSB BSB: When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name,
45 ULT then may you hear{ in} the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and may you do their justice. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.
46 ULT If they sin against you(for{ there is} no man who does not sin) and you are angry with them and you give them to the face of an enemy and they take them captive{ as} their captives to the land of the enemy, distant or near, BSB BSB: When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near,
47 ULT and they bring back to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive there, and they turn back and supplicate to you in the land of their captors, saying,‘We have sinned and done iniquity, we have acted wickedly,’ BSB BSB: and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’
48 ULT and they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies where they took them captive, and they pray to you{ in} the way of their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, BSB BSB: and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,
49 ULT then may you hear{ in} the heavens, the place of your dwelling, their prayer and their supplication, and may you do their justice. BSB BSB: then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause.
50 ULT And may you forgive your people who have sinned against you and all of their transgressions that they have transgressed against you. And may you give them compassion to the face of their captors, and may they have compassion on them. BSB BSB: May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.
51 ULT For they{ are} your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out from Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron, BSB BSB: For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace for iron.
52 ULT for your eyes to be opened to the supplication of your servant and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them in all of their crying out to you. BSB BSB: May Your eyes be open to the pleas of Your servant and of Your people Israel, and may You listen to them whenever they call to You.
53 ULT For you, you separated them for yourself as an inheritance from all of the peoples of the earth, just as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant when you brought out our fathers from Egypt, my Lord Yahweh.” BSB BSB: For You, O Lord GOD, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought our fathers out of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Benediction 54 ULT And it happened that when Solomon finished praying to Yahweh all of this prayer and supplication, he arose from to the face of the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his palms spread out{ toward} the heavens. BSB BSB: Now when Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.
55 ULT And he stood, and he blessed all of the assembly of Israel{ in} a great voice, saying, BSB BSB: And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:
56 ULT “Blessed{ be} Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he spoke. One word has not fallen from all of his good word that he spoke by the hand of Moses his servant. BSB BSB: “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.
57 ULT May Yahweh our God be with us, just as he was with our fathers. May he not forsake us and may he not abandon us, BSB BSB: May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He never leave us or forsake us.
58 ULT may he stretch out our heart to him, to walk in all of his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. BSB BSB: May He incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances He commanded our fathers.
59 ULT And may these my words, which I have supplicated to the face of Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God by day and{ by} night, to do the justice of his servant and the justice of his people Israel, the matter of a day in its day, BSB BSB: And may these words with which I have made my petition before the LORD be near to the LORD our God day and night, so that He may uphold the cause of His servant and of His people Israel as each day requires,
60 ULT so that all of the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh, he{ is} God,{ there is} no other! BSB BSB: so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God. There is no other!
61 ULT And may your heart be complete with Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments, as this day.” BSB BSB: So let your heart be fully devoted to the LORD our God, as it is this day, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments.”
Sacrifices of Dedication (2 Chronicles 7:4–10)
62 ULT And the king and all of Israel with him were sacrificing sacrifices to the face of Yahweh. BSB BSB: Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD.
63 ULT And Solomon sacrificed a sacrifice of peace offerings that he sacrificed to Yahweh, 22, 000 cattle and 120, 000 sheep. And the king and all of the sons of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh. BSB BSB: And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.
64 ULT On that day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was to the face of the house of Yahweh, so that there he made the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings, for the altar of bronze that{ was} to the face of Yahweh was small from the containing of the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings. BSB BSB: On that same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to contain all these offerings.
65 ULT And Solomon made the feast at that time, and all of Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the wadi of Egypt, to the face of Yahweh our God, seven days and seven days, fourteen days. BSB BSB: So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.
66 ULT On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, and they went to their tents rejoicing and good of heart over all of the good that Yahweh had done for David his servant and for Israel his people. BSB BSB: On the fifteenth day Solomon sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things that the LORD had done for His servant David and for His people Israel.
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