2 Chronicles 7: Fire from heaven, the feast, and Yahweh's answer by night
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
When Solomon finishes praying, fire comes down from heaven and burns up the offerings, and Yahweh's glory fills the house so that the priests cannot go in. All Israel bows down and gives thanks, Solomon offers 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep, and the king and the people dedicate the house, keep a feast of seven days, and are sent home on the twenty-third day of the seventh month. Then Yahweh appears to Solomon by night, says he has heard his prayer and chosen this place, and sets out what will happen if the people humble themselves and what will happen if they turn away to other gods.
Who is speaking?
God speaks in 11 of the 22 verses. In verse 12 the narrator says that Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, and from the words "I have heard your prayer" to the end of verse 22 Yahweh speaks to Solomon. Inside his speech, in verses 18, 21 and 22, he quotes what he promised David and what people passing by will say and answer; those lines are part of his speech. In verse 3 the children of Israel give thanks ("For he is good...") and in verse 6 the line of praise that David used is quoted; neither is in gold. Verses 1 to 11 are the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and Yahweh’s glory filled the house.
In plain English: When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven (or: the sky) and burned up the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and Yahweh's glory filled the house.
The Hebrew word: "Glory" is kabod, which the dictionary gives as "properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness". The word is in 11 verses of 2 Chronicles, and the WEB says "glory" in 4 of them: and verses 1, 2 and 3 here. The verse says Yahweh's glory filled the house and does not describe what it looked like. In a cloud fills the house, and in the priests cannot stand to minister because of the cloud, for Yahweh's glory filled the house.
Good to know: The fire coming down from heaven is told here. and tell of the cloud filling Yahweh's house, and no verse of 1 Kings 8 mentions fire. Fire that consumes the offering is also in and in , where Yahweh answers David "by fire on the altar of burnt offering".
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2The priests could not enter into Yahweh’s house, because Yahweh’s glory filled Yahweh’s house.
In plain English: The priests could not go into Yahweh's house, because Yahweh's glory filled Yahweh's house.
The Hebrew word: "House" is bayit, which the dictionary gives as "a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)". The same word is used for Yahweh's house and for the king's own house ().
How it is translated: The word is in 172 verses of 2 Chronicles. The WEB says "house" in 158 of them and "temple" in 4. The Hebrew has the one word each time, so "the house of God" and "the temple" are two English ways of saying it.
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3All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and Yahweh’s glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!”
In plain English: All the children of Israel saw the fire come down and Yahweh's glory on the house. They bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying, "For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!"
Good to know: The line "For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever" is the praise of , and it comes again in and in . The words "loving kindness endures forever" are in 4 verses of 2 Chronicles. and have them too.
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4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before Yahweh.
In plain English: Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before Yahweh.
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5King 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.
In plain English: King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God's house.
Good to know: The text says it plainly: Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep, and with this the king and all the people dedicated the house. gives the same two numbers and calls it the sacrifice of peace offerings. This verse does not say how long it took. says that the middle of the court was made holy because the bronze altar could not hold the offerings.
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6The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh, when David praised by their ministry, saying “For his loving kindness endures forever.” The priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.
In plain English: The priests stood at their posts (literally: according to their duties). The Levites stood with Yahweh's instruments of music, which King David had made to give thanks to Yahweh, when David praised by their ministry (literally: by their hand), saying, "For his loving kindness endures forever." The priests blew trumpets in front of them, and all Israel stood.
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7Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court that was before Yahweh’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.
In plain English: Solomon also made holy the middle of the court in front of Yahweh's house. There he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering, the meal offering (or: grain offering) and the fat.
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8So 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.
In plain English: 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 (or: from Lebo Hamath) to the brook (or: wadi) of Egypt.
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9On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly; for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
In plain English: On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and the feast for seven days.
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10On 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 Yahweh had shown to David, to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
In plain English: On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that Yahweh had done for David, for Solomon, and for Israel his people.
Good to know: This chapter and 1 Kings count the days in different words. Here the feast is seven days (), the people hold a solemn assembly on the eighth day, having kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days (), and they are sent away on the twenty-third day of the seventh month. This chapter does not add the days up to fourteen, and 1 Kings gives no date. says "seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days", and says he sent the people away "on the eighth day". The text of this chapter does not say on which day of the month the dedication began, and the text does not explain the two accounts.
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11Thus Solomon finished Yahweh’s house and the king’s house; and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in Yahweh’s house and in his own house.
In plain English: So Solomon finished Yahweh's house and the king's house. All that came into Solomon's heart to make in Yahweh's house and in his own house, he completed successfully (literally: he made it succeed).
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12Then Yahweh 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.God speaks
In plain English: Then 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.
Good to know: Verses 12 to 22 run alongside to , where Yahweh appears "the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon" (in this book, says "That night, God appeared to Solomon"). The words "house of sacrifice" are in this verse only, in the whole WEB, and verses 13 to 15 (no rain, locust, pestilence, and the call to humble themselves) have no match in 1 Kings 9. They do echo Solomon's own prayer in to , which speaks of the sky shut up, pestilence and locust.
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13“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,God speaks
In plain English: If (or: Here!) I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust (or: grasshopper) to eat up the land, or if I send pestilence among my people,
The Hebrew word: The first two "if"s are hen, which the dictionary gives as "lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if". The third, "if I send pestilence", is a different word for "if".
How it is translated: The word hen is in 311 verses. The WEB says "behold" in 291 of them and "if" in 17.
What changes: Read as "Here!", the lines say what Yahweh does: "Here! I shut up the sky...". Read as "if", they are the first cases in a condition that carries on into verse 14. The verse does not decide.
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14if 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.God speaks
In plain English: if my people, who are called by my name (literally: over whom my name has been called), humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
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15Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to prayer that is made in this place.God speaks
In plain English: Now my eyes will be open and my ears listening to the prayer made in this place.
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16For 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.God speaks
In plain English: For now I have chosen and made this house holy, so that my name will be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there all the days.
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17“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,God speaks
In plain English: As for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, doing all that I have commanded you, and keep my statutes and my ordinances,
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18then 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.’God speaks
In plain English: then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I made a covenant (literally: cut) with David your father, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man to rule in Israel.'
The Hebrew word: "Covenanted" is karat, which the dictionary gives as "to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant". Word for word Yahweh says "as I cut to David your father".
How it is translated: The word is in 14 verses of 2 Chronicles. The WEB says "covenant" or "covenanted" in 8 of them and "cut" in 5.
Good to know: The promise Yahweh quotes is the one Solomon quoted in his prayer in : "There shall not fail you a man...". has "a man on the throne of Israel" and says the throne is established "over Israel forever". This verse has "a man to rule in Israel" and no "forever".
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19But 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,God speaks
In plain English: But if you turn away (here "you" is more than one person; see the note) and leave my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them,
Good to know: In verses 17 and 18 Yahweh speaks to Solomon as one person ("you"). In this verse the Hebrew word for "you" is the one used for more than one person, "you all", and in verse 20 he speaks of "them" and of "my land which I have given them". says "you or your children". The text does not say more about who the "you" includes.
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20then 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.God speaks
In plain English: then I will pluck them up from my land that I have given them. This house, which I have made holy for my name, I will throw out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
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21This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?’God speaks
In plain English: As for this house, which is so high (or: which was most high), everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, 'Why has Yahweh done this to this land and to this house?'
The Hebrew word: "So high" is elyon, which the dictionary gives as "an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme". Word for word the Hebrew says "this house, which was most high" ("was" where the WEB has "is"). The word is the one that is also used as a name of God ("Most High"). The verse does not say whether it means the house's height or its standing.
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22They shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned Yahweh, 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.’”God speaks
In plain English: They will answer, 'Because they abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, bowed down to them and served them. That is why he has brought all this evil (or: calamity) on them.'"
Good to know: These are the words people will say, as Yahweh tells them to Solomon, so they sit inside his speech. has "Yahweh their God" where this verse has "Yahweh, the God of their fathers".
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