Open English Translation 2 CHR Chapter 7

7 When Shelomoh (Solomon) finished praying, fire came down from the skies and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and Yahweh’s brilliant light filled the temple.[ref] 2 The priests weren’t able to go into Yahweh’s temple because of Yahweh’s brilliant light, 3 and when all the Israelis saw the fire come down and saw the bright light above the temple, they fell to their knees with their faces bowed down low to the stone pavement, and worshipped and thanked Yahweh saying, “He is certainly good—his loyal commitment really will continue forever.”[ref]

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to Yahweh—5 King Shelomoh sacrificed twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep, and so the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple. 6 The priests were standing in their positions, as well as the Levites with the instruments that King David had made to give thanks to Yahweh. When they assisted David in praising Yahweh, they would sing, “Yes, his loyal commitment continues forever,” and the priests would blow their trumpets in front of them as all the Israelis stood there.

7 Then Shelomoh consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of Yahweh’s temple building so he could offer burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that he’d made wasn’t able to handle the large number of burnt offerings and grain offerings, and the fats.

8 Then Shelomoh and all Yisrael feasted for the next seven days—the huge gathering spread from Levo-Hamat in the far north, all the way to the Egyptian riverbed in the far south. 9 On the eighth day, they had a solemn service, because they’d observed seven days of celebration for the altar with seven days of feasting. 10 Finally after some three weeks, Shelomoh sent the people home—they were cheery and encouraged because of the goodness that Yahweh had displayed to David and Shelomoh, and for his Israeli people.

11 So Shelomoh finished Yahweh’s temple and the king’s palace—he’d succeeded in implementing everything that he’d envisaged. 12 One night, Yahweh appeared to Shelomoh in a dream and told him, “I’ve heard your prayer, and I’ve chosen this temple to be the place where my people will offer sacrifices to me. 13 If I restrain the skies so there’s no rain, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send disease among my people, 14 then if my people who are known by my name humble themselves and pray, and request my help and turn back from their evil ways, then I myself will hear them from the heavens, and I’ll forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears will be attentive to prayers offered towards this place, 16 as I’ve chosen and consecrated this temple to be associated with my name forever—I’ll be permanently present there. 17 Also, if you’ll obey me like your father David did, and do everything that I’ve instructed you, and keep my rules and regulations, 18 then I’ll ensure that your descendants rule your kingdom, just as I promised your father David when I said, ‘You won’t fail to have one of your descendants ruling over Yisrael.’ 19 However, if you all turn away, and abandon my rules and instructions that I gave you all, and decide to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I’ll remove these people from my land that I gave them. Also this temple that I consecrated for myself, I’ll throw it away where I can’t see it, and I’ll make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the other nations.

21 Then this temple which everyone admires as they pass by, will be devasted and people will ask, ‘Why did Yahweh do such terrible things to that temple and to that land?’

22 ‘It happened because they abandoned Yahweh, the god of their ancestors,’ others will reply. ‘He brought them out from slavery in Egypt, but then they obtained other gods and worshipped them and served them—that’s why he sent them all this misery.’ ”