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2 Chronicles 7
2 Chronicles 7:1
the house
"Yahweh's house" or "the temple"
2 Chronicles 7:2
General Information:
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2 Chronicles 7:3
they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the stone pavement
This is a position of humility and worship. Alternate translation: "they lay down on the ground with their faces touching the stone pavement" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-symaction)
his covenant loyalty endures forever
The abstract noun "covenant loyalty" can be expressed with the adjective "loyal" and the verb "promise." Alternate translation: "God will always be loyal to us because of his covenant" or "God will always faithfully do for us what he promised" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
2 Chronicles 7:4
all the people
This generalization refers either 1) to the people whom Solomon called to Jerusalem and who are listed in 2 Chronicles 5:2, or 2) to those who traveled to Jerusalem for the feast, not necessarily to every person who lived in Israel. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
2 Chronicles 7:5
twenty-two thousand head of cattle
"22,000 head of cattle" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
120,000 sheep and goats
"one hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
2 Chronicles 7:6
each standing where they serve
"each standing in their appointed place"
the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh
The word "stood" is understood from the previous phrase. Alternate translation: "the Levites also stood with instruments of music of Yahweh" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis)
For his covenant faithfulness endures for ever
The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be stated as "faithfully" or "faithful." See how you translated "covenant faithfulness" in 2 Chronicles 7:3. Alternate translation: "God will always be faithful to his covenant with us" or "God will always faithfully love us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
all Israel
This generalization refers to those who were at the feast in Jerusalem, not necessarily to every person who lived in Israel. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
2 Chronicles 7:7
the bronze altar that he had made
The author speaks of Solomon commanding someone to make the bronze altar and telling him how to do it as if Solomon himself had made it. Alternate translation: "the bronze altar that he had commanded someone to make" or "the bronze altar that he had caused to be made" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
was not able to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat
This was because there were so many offerings. Alternate translation: "was not able to hold the large amount of burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
2 Chronicles 7:8
all Israel with him
This generalization refers to those who were at the feast in Jerusalem, not necessarily to every person who lived in Israel. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
from Lebo Hamath to the brook of Egypt
Lebo Hamath was north of Israel, and the brook of Egypt was south of Israel. These are used together to emphasize that people from every part of Israel were at the festival. Alternate translation: "from Lebo Hamath in the north to the brook of Egypt in the south" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-merism and rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
2 Chronicles 7:9
the eighth day
The word "eighth" is the ordinal form of "8." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-ordinal)
a solemn assembly
This was a special religious gathering.
they kept the dedication of the altar
Here "kept the dedication" is an idiom meaning "celebrated the dedication." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
2 Chronicles 7:10
the twenty-third day of the seventh month
This is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. The twenty-third day is near the middle of October on Western calendars. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-hebrewmonths and rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-ordinal)
with glad and joyful hearts
The words "glad" and "joyful" mean basically the same thing. Together they emphasize the intensity of joy. Alternate translation: "with very glad hearts" or "and they were very joyful" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
because of the goodness that Yahweh had shown
"because Yahweh had shown wonderful goodness" or "because Yahweh had been so good"
Israel, his people
"Israel, God's people." The phrase "his people" emphasizes God's faithfulness to Israel. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-distinguish)
2 Chronicles 7:11
Solomon finished the house of Yahweh and his own house
The readers should understand that Solomon probably commanded other people to do the actual work. Alternate translation: "the workers whom Solomon commanded finished the house of Yahweh and Solomon's own house" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Everything that came into Solomon's heart to make
The heart is spoken of as if it were a container, and desires are spoken of as if they came into the heart. Alternate translation: "Everything that Solomon desired to make" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
he successfully carried out
This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "he successfully finished" or "he caused to be done successfully (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
2 Chronicles 7:12
by night
"at night" or "one night"
a house of sacrifice
"the house where people will offer sacrifices to me"
2 Chronicles 7:13
Suppose that I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain
Here "heavens" refers to the sky, and is spoken of as if it were a building in which God stores the rain. See how you translated a similar phrase in 2 Chronicles 6:26. Alternate translation: "Suppose that I do not allow the rain to fall from the skies" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
devour the land
The word "land" represents the plants and crops on the land. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
if I send disease among my people
Here "send disease" represents causing diseases. Alternate translation: "if I cause my people to have diseases" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
2 Chronicles 7:14
who are called by my name
Here being called by God's name is an idiom meaning belonging to God. Alternate translation: "who belong to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
seek my face
Here God's face represents his acceptance of them. Possible meanings are "seek my face" represents 1) urgently asking him for forgiveness. Alternate translation: "beg me to forgive them" or 2) strongly wanting to please him. Alternate translation: "choose to please me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
turn from their wicked ways
Here "turn from" is a metaphor meaning to stop doing something, and "ways" represent behavior. Alternate translation: "stop their wicked behavior" or "stop doing wicked things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
heal their land
Here land that does not produce much is spoken of as though it were sick. Alternate translation: "make their land good again" or "make their land produce good crops" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)
2 Chronicles 7:15
my eyes will be open
The eyes being open is a metonym for seeing. Here it represents looking attentively. Alternate translation: "I will pay attention to you" or "I will watch you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
my ears attentive to the prayers
The ears being attentive is a metonym for listening attentively. Alternate translation: "I will listen to the prayers" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
the prayers that are made in this place
This can be expressed in active form. Alternate translation: "to the prayers that you make in this place" or "to you as you pray to me in this place" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
2 Chronicles 7:16
that my name may be there forever
Possible meanings are 1) God's name represents himself. Alternate translation: "that I may be there forever" or 2) God's name represents Yahweh's reputation, and his name being there represents people worshiping him there. Alternate translation: "for people to worship me there forever" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
My eyes and my heart will be there every day
Here "My eyes" represents God's careful attention, and "my heart" represents his love. These being at his temple implies that he will protect his temple. Alternate translation: "I will watch and protect it forever" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
2 Chronicles 7:17
As for you
Here "you" refers to King Solomon.
if you walk before me as David your father walked
Here walking is a metaphor for living. Walking before God represents living in obedience to him. Alternate translation: "If you obey me as David your father did" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
David your father
Solomon was one of David's sons.
keeping my statutes and my decrees
"obeying my statutes and my decrees"
2 Chronicles 7:18
I will establish the throne of your kingdom
Here the throne represents ruling. Establishing the throne of Solomon's kingdom represents causing Solomon to have descendants who will rule over Israel. Alternate translation: "I will make descendants of yours rule over your kingdom" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
A descendant of yours will never fail to be ruler in Israel
This can be stated positively. Alternate translation: "One of your descendants will always be ruler in Israel" or "Descendants of yours will always rule in Israel"
2 Chronicles 7:19
But if you turn away
Here "turn away" from God is a metaphor meaning to stop worshiping him. Alternate translation: "But if you stop worshiping me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
you turn away
Possible meanings are that the word "you" refers 1) to all the people of Israel, or 2) to Solomon and his descendants.
my statutes and my commandments
Here the words "commandments" and "statutes" mean basically the same thing and emphasize all that Yahweh has commanded. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
2 Chronicles 7:20
I will uproot them from out of my ground that I have given them
The word "them" refers to the people of Israel. God speaks of making his people leave his land as if they were plants that he would pull up by their roots out of the soil. Alternate translation: "I will make them leave the land I have given them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
This house
This refers to the temple.
that I have set apart for my name
Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh's name represents himself. Alternate translation: "that I have set apart for myself" or 2) Yahweh's name represents his reputation. Alternate translation: "that I have set apart for my reputation" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
I will cast away from before me
God speaks of rejecting his temple as if he were to throw it far away from himself. Alternate translation: "I will reject it" or "I will ignore it" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
I will make it a proverb and a joke among all the peoples
"I will cause all the peoples to make proverbs and jokes about it" or "because of what I do to it, all the nations will mock and ridicule it"
2 Chronicles 7:21
will be shocked
"will be amazed"
will hiss
This is how they would show that they are shocked by what happened to the temple (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-symaction)
2 Chronicles 7:22
they forsook Yahweh
"they were unfaithful to Yahweh" or "they did not obey Yahweh"
who had brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt
This phrase tells why they should have worshiped God. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-distinguish)
they laid hold of other gods
Here "laid hold of" represents choosing to be loyal to them. Alternate translation: "they chose to be loyal to other gods" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
bowed down to them and worshiped them
These two phrases mean the same thing. The phrase "bowed down to them" describes the posture that people used in worship. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)