אָז אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה יְהוָה אָמַר לִשְׁכּוֹן בָּעֲרָפֶל׃ 6:1
2Chr. 6:1 Then Solomon said,
“The Lord has spoken of dwelling in the dark cloud,
Verses 6:1 to 6:39 are similar to 1Kin. 8:12 to 8:50. The variations are relatively minor. Then the last three verses in this chapter, 6:40 to 6:42, are original, and do not appear elsewhere in the bible.
וַאֲנִי בָּנִיתִי בֵית־זְבֻל לָךְ וּמָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ עוֹלָמִים׃ 6:2
2Chr. 6:2 but I have built an exalted habitation for You,
and a place for Your everlasting abode.”
וַיַּסֵּב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־פָּנָיו וַיְבָרֶךְ אֵת כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד׃ 6:3
2Chr. 6:3 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel as the whole congregation of Israel was standing.
וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּפִיו אֵת דָּוִיד אָבִי וּבְיָדָיו מִלֵּא לֵאמֹר׃ 6:4
2Chr. 6:4 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, Who promised David, my father, with His ‘mouth,’ and fulfilled with His ‘hand,’ saying,
מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶת־עַמִּי מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֹא־בָחַרְתִּי בְעִיר מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת 6:5
לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם וְלֹא־בָחַרְתִּי בְאִישׁ לִהְיוֹת נָגִיד עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
2Chr. 6:5 ‘Since the day that I brought out My people from the land of Egypt I did not decide on a city from any of the tribes of Israel to build a house where My name was to be, and I did not decide on a man to be a prince over My people, Israel,
וָאֶבְחַר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם וָאֶבְחַר בְּדָוִיד לִהְיוֹת עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 6:6
2Chr. 6:6 but I have decided on Jerusalem where My name is to be, and I decided on David to be over My people, Israel.’”
These two verses, 6:5 and 6:6, exhibit a subtle anthropomorphism of the Lord, implying He makes decisions in mundane time. This view of the Lord is not in keeping with the belief that He exists outside of time. We must experience the consequences of His decisions in this worldly time, but the decisions themselves would not be considered as existing in our concept of time.
וַיְהִי עִם־לְבַב דָּוִיד אָבִי לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 6:7
2Chr. 6:7 “And it was with the heart of David, my father, to build a house for the name of the Lord, God of Israel.”
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־דָּוִיד אָבִי יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם־לְבָבְךָ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי הֱטִיבוֹתָ כִּי הָיָה עִם־לְבָבֶךָ׃ 6:8
2Chr. 6:8 “But the Lord said to David, my father, ‘Although it was with your heart to build a house for My name, you did well, for it was with your heart.’
רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבָּיִת כִּי בִנְךָ הַיּוֹצֵא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ הוּא־יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי׃ 6:9
2Chr. 6:9 ‘Except you shall not build the house; instead your son coming forth from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.’”
וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר וָאָקוּם תַּחַת דָּוִיד אָבִי וָאֵשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה 6:10
וָאֶבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
2Chr. 6:10 “And the Lord confirmed His word that He had spoken, as I arose in place of David, my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel as the Lord had promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord, God of Israel.”
וָאָשִׂים שָׁם אֶת־הָאָרוֹן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם בְּרִית יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִם־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 6:11
2Chr. 6:11 “And I have set there the ark in which is the covenant of the Lord that He made with the children of Israel.”
וַיַּעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּח יְהוָה נֶגֶד כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּפְרֹשׂ כַּפָּיו׃ 6:12
2Chr. 6:12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands
כִּי־עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה כִּיּוֹר נְחֹשֶׁת וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ בְּתוֹךְ הָעֲזָרָה חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת אָרְכּוֹ וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמּוֹת 6:13
שָׁלוֹשׁ קוֹמָתוֹ וַיַּעֲמֹד עָלָיו וַיִּבְרַךְ עַל־בִּרְכָּיו נֶגֶד כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּפְרֹשׂ כַּפָּיו הַשָּׁמָיְמָה׃
2Chr. 6:13 (for Solomon had fashioned a brass platform and set it in the middle of the court, five cubits its length and five cubits its width and three cubits its height), and he stood on it and knelt on his knees in front of the whole congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven
The parenthetical interjection in this verse is not found in 1Kings Chapter 8. In fact, the two verses, 6:12 and this one, are combined in one shorter verse in 1Kin. 8:22.
וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין־כָּמוֹךָ אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד לַעֲבָדֶיךָ 6:14
הַהֹלְכִים לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל־לִבָּם׃
2Chr. 6:14 and said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, the Preserver of covenant and mercy for Your servants, proceeding before You with all their heart,
אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ דָּוִיד אָבִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּרְתָּ לוֹ וַתְּדַבֵּר בְּפִיךָ וּבְיָדְךָ מִלֵּאתָ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃ 6:15
2Chr. 6:15 Who kept for Your servant, David, my father, what He had promised to him. Thus You speak with Your ‘mouth’ and fulfill with Your ‘hand,’ like this day.”
וְעַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֹר לְעַבְדְּךָ דָוִיד אָבִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לֹּו לֵאמֹר לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ 6:16
מִלְּפָנַי יֹושֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל רַק אִם־יִשְׁמְרוּ בָנֶיךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם לָלֶכֶת בְּתֹורָתִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ לְפָנָי׃
2Chr. 6:16 “So, now Lord, God of Israel, heed for Your servant, David, my father, what You promised to him saying, ‘No man of yours shall be cut off from sitting on the throne of Israel before Me as long as your children will heed their way, to proceed according to My Torah, as you have proceeded before Me.”
וְעַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵאָמֵן דְּבָרְךָ אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְדָוִיד׃ 6:17
2Chr. 6:17 “Now therefore, Lord, God of Israel, let Your word be upheld that You spoke to Your servant, to David.”
כִּי הַאֻמְנָם יֵשֵׁב אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עַל־הָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה שָׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ אַף כִּי־הַבַּיִת 6:18
הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי׃
2Chr. 6:18 “But might God truly dwell with humankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this house that I have built!”
וּפָנִיתָ אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּתוֹ יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־הָרִנָּה וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּה אֲשֶׁר עַבְדְּךָ 6:19
מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ׃
2Chr. 6:19 “Yet You would turn to the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer that Your servant is interposing before You
לִהְיוֹת עֵינֶיךָ פְתֻחוֹת אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתָּ לָשׂוּם שִׁמְךָ שָׁם 6:20
לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶל־הַתְּפִלָּה אֲשֶׁר יִתְפַּלֵּל עַבְדְּךָ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃
2Chr. 6:20 for Your ‘eyes’ to be open toward this house day and night, to the place where You said to put Your name, to listen to the prayer that Your servant would interpose to this place,
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנֵי עַבְדְּךָ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִמְּקוֹםָ 6:21
שִׁבְתְּךָ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמַעְתָּ וְסָלָחְתָּ׃
2Chr. 6:21 and You would listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people, Israel, that they will pray at this place, and You would listen from Your dwelling place, from heaven, and would hear and forgive.”
אִם־יֶחֱטָא אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וְנָשָׁא־בוֹ אָלָה לְהַאֲלֹתוֹ וּבָא אָלָה לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּחֲךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה׃ 6:22
2Chr. 6:22 “When one shall sin regarding his neighbor and he takes an oath because of it for his swearing, and he come swearing, before Your altar in this house,
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעָשִׂיתָ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ לְהָשִׁיב לְרָשָׁע לָתֵת דַּרְכּוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וּלְהַצְדִּיק 6:23
צַדִּיק לָתֶת לוֹ כְּצִדְקָתוֹ׃
2Chr. 6:23 then You would hear from the heavens and do, and judge Your servants, returning to a guilty one, setting his way on his own head, and justifying a righteous one, giving to him according to his righteousness.”
וְאִם־יִנָּגֵף עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי אוֹיֵב כִּי יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָךְ וְשָׁבוּ וְהוֹדוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ וְהִתְחַנְּנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ 6:24
בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה׃
2Chr. 6:24 “And if Your people, Israel, shall be smitten before an enemy when they sin regarding You, but they return and confess Your name and pray and seek favor before You in this house,
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְסָלַחְתָּ לְחַטַּאת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַהֲשֵׁיבוֹתָם אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּה לָהֶם 6:25
וְלַאֲבֹתֵיהֶם׃
2Chr. 6:25 then You would hear from the heavens and forgive regarding the sin of Your people, Israel, and bring them back to the ground that You gave to them and to their fathers.”
בְּהֵעָצֵר הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה מָטָר כִּי יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָךְ וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְהוֹדוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ 6:26
מֵחַטָּאתָם יְשׁוּבוּן כִּי תַעֲנֵם׃
2Chr. 6:26 “Upon the heavens being restrained that there would be no rain because they would sin regarding You, and they would pray at this place and confess Your name, turn back from their sin when You would afflict them,
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם וְסָלַחְתָּ לְחַטַּאת עֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי תוֹרֵם אֶל־הַדֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר 6:27
יֵלְכוּ־בָהּ וְנָתַתָּה מָטָר עַל־אַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּה לְעַמְּךָ לְנַחֲלָה׃
2Chr. 6:27 then You would hear the heavens and offer forgiveness for the sin of Your servants and Your people, Israel, so that you can direct them into the best way on which they must proceed, and produce rain upon Your land that You have given to Your people for an inheritance.”
רָעָב כִּי־יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ דֶּבֶר כִּי־יִהְיֶה שִׁדָּפוֹן וְיֵרָקוֹן אַרְבֶּה וְחָסִיל כִּי יִהְיֶה כִּי יָצַר־לוֹ אוֹיְבָיו בְּאֶרֶץ 6:28
שְׁעָרָיו כָּל־נֶגַע וְכָל־מַחֲלָה׃
2Chr. 6:28 When famine will be in the land, when will be pestilence, blight or mildew, when will be locust or caterpillar, if its enemies shall lay siege to it in the land of its cities -- any plague or any sickness –
כָּל־תְּפִלָּה כָל־תְּחִנָּה אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְכָל־הָאָדָם וּלְכֹל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יֵדְעוּ אִישׁ נִגְעֹו וּמַכְאֹבֹו 6:29
וּפָרַשׂ כַּפָּיו אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה׃
2Chr. 6:29 any prayer, any supplication which shall be any man's or all of Your people, Israel's, who would know each his own plague and his own pain, and spread forth his hands at this house,
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם מְכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ וְסָלַחְתָּ וְנָתַתָּה לָאִישׁ כְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו אֲשֶׁר תֵּדַע אֶת־לְבָבוֹ כִּי 6:30
אַתָּה לְבַדְּךָ יָדַעְתָּ אֶת־לְבַב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם׃
2Chr. 6:30 then You would hear from the heavens, from the place of Your habitation, and forgive, and grant to each according to all his ways, whose heart You must know, for You alone know the heart of the children of humanity
לְמַעַן יִירָאוּךָ לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכֶיךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־הֵם חַיִּים עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ׃ 6:31
2Chr. 6:31 so that they would revere You, to walk in Your ways all the days that they are alive on the surface of the ground that You gave to our fathers.”
וְגַם אֶל־הַנָּכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וּבָא מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְיָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה 6:32
וּזְרוֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה וּבָאוּ וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה׃
2Chr. 6:32 “And also concerning the foreigner who is not from Your people, Israel, and may have come from a distant land because of Your great name and Your mighty ‘hand’ and Your outstretched ‘arm,’ and they should come and pray toward this house,
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם מִמְּכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ כָל־עַמֵּי 6:33
הָאָרֶץ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ וּלְיִרְאָה אֹתְךָ כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָדַעַת כִּי־שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי׃
2Chr. 6:33 then You would hear from the heavens, from the place of Your habitation, and do according to all that the foreigner might call to You, so that all the peoples of the earth would know Your name and to fear You as Your people, Israel, and to know that Your name is called on behalf of this house that I have built.”
כִּי־יֵצֵא עַמְּךָ לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל־אוֹיְבָיו בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁלָחֵם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֵלֶיךָ דֶּרֶךְ הָעִיר הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר 6:34
בָּחַרְתָּ בָּהּ וְהַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנִיתִי לִשְׁמֶךָ׃
2Chr. 6:34 “If Your people should go forth to battle against its enemies according to the way that You might send them, and they pray to You toward this city on which You have decided, and the house that I have built for Your name,
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָם וְאֶת־תְּחִנָּתָם וְעָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטָם׃ 6:35
2Chr. 6:35 then You would hear their prayer and their supplication from the heavens and attend to their cause.”
כִּי יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָךְ כִּי אֵין אָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֶחֱטָא וְאָנַפְתָּ בָם וּנְתַתָּם לִפְנֵי אוֹיֵב וְשָׁבוּם שׁוֹבֵיהֶם אֶל־אֶרֶץ 6:36
רְחוֹקָה אוֹ קְרוֹבָה׃
2Chr. 6:36 “When they will sin toward You -- for there is no human who will not sin -- and You become ‘angry’ with them and set them before the enemy, and they take them away their captives to a land, distant or near,
וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶל־לְבָבָם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבּוּ־שָׁם וְשָׁבוּ וְהִתְחַנְּנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם לֵאמֹר חָטָאנוּ הֶעֱוִינוּ 6:37
וְרָשָׁעְנוּ׃
2Chr. 6:37 and they should turn in to their heart in the land where they were taken away captive, and they turn back and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity saying, ‘We have sinned, committed iniquity, and behaved wickedly,’
וְשָׁבוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְּכָל־לִבָּם וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁם בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁבוּ אֹתָם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצָם אֲשֶׁר 6:38
נָתַתָּה לַאֲבוֹתָם וְהָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ וְלַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנִיתִי לִשְׁמֶךָ׃
2Chr. 6:38 and return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity where they had taken them away captive, and pray toward their land that You had given to their fathers and the city that You have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for Your name,
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם מִמְּכֹון שִׁבְתְּךָ אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָם וְאֶת־תְּחִנֹּתֵיהֶם וְעָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטָם וְסָלַחְתָּ לְעַמְּךָ 6:39
אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ־לָךְ׃
2Chr. 6:39 then You would hear from the heavens, from the place of Your habitation, their prayer and their supplications and attend to their cause and offer forgiveness to Your people who have sinned toward You.”
עַתָּה אֱלֹהַי יִהְיוּ־נָא עֵינֶיךָ פְּתֻחוֹת וְאָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לִתְפִלַּת הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃ 6:40
2Chr. 6:40 “Now, my God, I beseech You, let Your ‘eyes’ be open and Your ‘ears’ attentive to the prayer of this place, and now be confirmed, Lord, God, in Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, Lord, God, wear salvation; and let Your saints rejoice in goodness.”
וְעַתָּה קוּמָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לְנוּחֶךָ אַתָּה וַאֲרוֹן עֻזֶּךָ כֹּהֲנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים יִלְבְּשׁוּ תְשׁוּעָה וַחֲסִידֶיךָ 6:41
יִשְׂמְחוּ בַטּוֹב׃
2Chr. 6:41 and now be confirmed, Lord, God, in Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests wear salvation, Lord, God,
and Your saints rejoice in goodness.”
יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אַל־תָּשֵׁב פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחֶיךָ זָכְרָה לְחַסְדֵי דָּוִיד עַבְדֶּךָ׃ 6:42
2Chr. 6:42 O Lord, God, You must not reject the face of Your anointed.
Think back to the good deeds of David, Your servant.”
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