Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

Fire from Heaven

And when Solomon had ended praying, the fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Jehovah filled the house.

1

The Dedication of the Temple

When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple.

2

And the priests could not enter into the house of Jehovah, because the glory of Jehovah filled Jehovah's house.

2

The priests could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.

3

And all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah upon the house, and bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshipped and thanked Jehovah: For he is good, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever.

3

When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying,
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!”

4

Solomon's Solemn Sacrifice

And the king and all the people offered sacrifices before Jehovah.

4

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

5

And king Solomon sacrificed a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

5

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.

6

And the priests stood in their charges, and the Levites with Jehovah's instruments of music, which David the king had made to praise Jehovah, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever, when David praised by their means; and the priests sounded the trumpets opposite to them, and all Israel stood.

6

The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the LORD. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.

7

And Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah; for there he offered the burnt-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt-offerings and the oblations and the fat.

7

Solomon then consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the LORD’s Temple. He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar he had built could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat.

8

The Feast of Dedication

And at that time Solomon held the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath unto the torrent of Egypt.

8

For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters.a A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.

9

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

9

On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the Festival of Shelters for seven days.

10

And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Jehovah had done to David and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

10

Then at the end of the celebration,b Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the LORD had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.

11

God's Promise and Warning

And Solomon completed the house of Jehovah, and the king's house; and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Jehovah, and in his own house, he did prosperously.

11

The LORD’s Response to Solomon

So Solomon finished the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace.

12

Then Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen for myself this place for a house of sacrifice.

12

Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said,
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.

13

If I shut up the heavens that there be no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

13

At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you.

14

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

14

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

15

Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attentive to the prayer [made] in this place;

15

My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

16

for I have now chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

16

For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy — a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

17

And [as for] thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;

17

“As for you, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations,

18

then will I establish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to rule over Israel.

18

then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, ‘One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.’

19

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

19

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods,

20

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

20

then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.

21

And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passes by it; so that he shall say, Why has Jehovah done thus to this land and to this house?

21

And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the LORD do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’

22

And they shall say, Because they forsook Jehovah the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and have attached themselves to other gods, and have worshipped them and served them; therefore he has brought upon them all this evil.

22

“And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’”

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 7

2 Chronicles 7