The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

(Psalm 136:1–26)

Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glory of Yahweh filled the house.

The priests could not enter the house of Yahweh, because his glory filled his house.

All the people of Israel looked on when the fire came down and the glory of Yahweh was on the house. They bowed with their faces to the ground on the stone pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh. They said, “For he is good, for his covenant loyalty endures forever.”

Sacrifices of Dedication

(1 Kings 8:62–66)

So the king and all the people offered sacrifices to Yahweh.

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen and 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

The priests stood, each standing where they serve; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh in the song, “For his covenant faithfulness endures for ever.” All the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

Solomon set apart the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of Yahweh. There he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that he had made was not able to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.

So Solomon held the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and the feast for seven days.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people away to their homes with glad and joyful hearts because of the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, Solomon, and Israel, his people.

The LORD’s Response to Solomon

(1 Kings 9:1–9)

Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh and his own house. Everything that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of Yahweh and in his own house, he successfully carried out.

Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.

Suppose that I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send disease among my people,

then if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers that are made in this place.

For I have now chosen and set apart this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there every day.

As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, obeying all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my decrees,

then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I said in a covenant with David your father, when I said, ‘A descendant of yours will never fail to be ruler in Israel.’

But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have placed before you, and if you go worship other gods and bow down to them,

then I will uproot them from out of my ground that I have given them. This house that I have set apart for my name, I will cast away from before me, and I will make it a proverb and a joke among all the peoples.

Even though this temple is so lofty now, everyone who passes by it will be shocked and will hiss. They will ask, ‘Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?’

Others will answer, ‘Because they forsook Yahweh, their God, who had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and they laid hold of other gods and bowed down to them and worshiped them. That is why Yahweh has brought all this disaster on them.’”

(Psalm 136:1–26)

Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the LORD’s glory filled the house.

The priests could not enter into the LORD’s house, because the LORD’s glory filled the LORD’s house.

All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the LORD’s glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!”

Sacrifices of Dedication

(1 Kings 8:62–66)

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God’s house.

The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to give thanks to the LORD, when David praised by their ministry, saying “For his loving kindness endures forever.” The priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.

Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court that was before the LORD’s house holy; for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the fat.

So Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly; for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that the LORD had shown to David, to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

The LORD’s Response to Solomon

(1 Kings 9:1–9)

Thus Solomon finished the LORD’s house and the king’s house; and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the LORD’s house and in his own house.

Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice.

“If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people,

if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to prayer that is made in this place.

For now I have chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.

“As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances,

then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel.’

But if you turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?’

They shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took other gods, worshiped them, and served them. Therefore he has brought all this evil on them.’”