2 Chronicles 6:21 kjv
Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
2 Chronicles 6:21 nkjv
And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.
2 Chronicles 6:21 niv
Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
2 Chronicles 6:21 esv
And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
2 Chronicles 6:21 nlt
May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.
2 Chronicles 6 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 8:30 | "And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant...even from heaven thy dwelling place..." | Parallel prayer for hearing and forgiving. |
| Psa 65:2 | "O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come." | God's character as a hearer of prayer. |
| Psa 66:19 | "But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer." | Confirmation of God answering prayer. |
| Isa 66:1 | "Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool..." | God's transcendent dwelling place. |
| Act 7:49 | "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build Me?..." | God's transcendence, not limited by temples. |
| Mat 6:9 | "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." | Prayer directed to God in Heaven. |
| Dan 6:10 | "...his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled...and prayed..." | Prayer direction towards Jerusalem. |
| Exo 34:6-7 | "The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering...forgiving iniquity..." | God's attribute of forgiveness. |
| Neh 9:17 | "...but Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful..." | God's readiness to pardon. |
| Psa 130:4 | "But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared." | God's character includes forgiveness. |
| Isa 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake his way...and He will abundantly pardon." | Divine invitation to repentance and pardon. |
| 1 Jn 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins..." | Condition for forgiveness in NT. |
| 1 Jn 5:14-15 | "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us..." | Assurance of being heard based on His will. |
| Joel 2:17 | "...and say, Spare Thy people, O LORD..." | Supplication for mercy. |
| Jon 3:9 | "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger...?" | Example of God hearing repentance and forgiving. |
| Lam 3:55-56 | "I called upon Thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon...Thou hast heard my voice..." | Calling to God from distress, expecting to be heard. |
| Zec 8:3 | "...and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain." | God's continued presence/interest in Jerusalem. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy..." | New Covenant direct access to God's mercy. |
| Num 14:19-20 | "Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people...And the LORD said, I have pardoned..." | Moses' intercession and God's response. |
| Jer 3:22 | "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." | Invitation to return and be healed/forgiven. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up...He spake of the temple of His body." | Jesus as the new, ultimate "place" of worship. |
| Mt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." | God's presence wherever believers gather. |
2 Chronicles 6 verses
2 Chronicles 6 21 Meaning
2 Chronicles 6:21 is a crucial part of King Solomon's dedicatory prayer for the Temple. It is a humble plea to the transcendent God of Israel to respond graciously to the prayers of His servant Solomon and the people of Israel. The verse highlights that even though prayers are directed "towards this place" (the Temple), God's true "dwelling place" is "heaven," from where He is earnestly implored to "hear" and "forgive" the sins of His people. This petition underscores the conditional nature of God's blessings upon a repentant and praying people.
2 Chronicles 6 21 Context
This verse is situated within Solomon's prayer of dedication for the newly completed Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chr 6:12-42). After publicly acknowledging God's faithfulness and majesty (2 Chr 6:4-11), Solomon stretches forth his hands before the altar of the Lord, making a lengthy intercessory prayer for the people of Israel. Verses 14-42 delineate specific scenarios where Israel might find themselves in distress (defeat, drought, famine, pestilence, sin, etc.) and turn to the Temple in prayer and repentance. 2 Chronicles 6:21 is a central and summary request that God would consistently respond to these pleas from His heavenly abode by hearing and granting forgiveness. The historical context is the zenith of Israelite power and piety under Solomon, celebrating a fixed place of worship for the first time since the Tabernacle, symbolizing God's covenant presence among His people.
2 Chronicles 6 21 Word analysis
- Hearken (Hebrew: shāmaʿ, שָׁמַע): Implies not just listening, but paying close attention with the intent to obey or respond. It's a plea for divine attentiveness and action.
- therefore: Links this request back to the preceding declaration that God dwells in heaven and is not confined by any earthly building (2 Chr 6:18-20). Despite the Temple's grandeur, God's true residence is celestial, emphasizing His transcendence.
- unto the supplications (Hebrew: teḥinnot, תְּחִנּוֹת): Specifically refers to earnest entreaties, prayers for grace or favor, often born out of distress or humility. It signifies a plea for mercy, not a demand.
- of thy servant: Refers to Solomon himself, highlighting his position as a steward and intercessor for his people. It's a humble acknowledgment of his servant leadership under God.
- and of thy people Israel: Encompasses the entire covenant community, emphasizing that the prayer is for the collective well-being and spiritual state of the nation, reflecting their unique relationship with God.
- which they shall make toward this place: "This place" (hammāqôm hazzeh) refers directly to the newly consecrated Temple. It signifies a focal point or direction for prayer, symbolizing God's unique presence among them, not that God is geographically limited by the building.
- hear thou from thy dwelling place: Reiterates the plea for God to act, explicitly identifying Heaven as His true mekōn shivtəḵa (מְכוֹן שִׁבְתְּךָ), meaning "place of sitting" or "settled abode." This powerfully contrasts God's transcendence with the Temple's earthly immanence.
- even from heaven (Hebrew: shamayim, שָׁמַיִם): Reinforces the concept of God's limitless sovereignty. Despite the physical temple on earth, God's throne and authority remain in the heavens.
- and when thou hearest, forgive (Hebrew: tishməʿa vesa laḥta, תִּשְׁמַע וְסָלַחְתָּ): This is the core petition. Hearing implies taking action, and forgiveness (salaḥ) refers to divine pardon and remission of sins. It underscores that many of the anticipated crises are consequences of sin, requiring God's mercy.
- words-group "toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven": This phrase eloquently captures the theological paradox of the Temple. It serves as a terrestrial meeting point or a conduit for prayer, yet God is not contained within its walls but truly dwells in the infinite heavens. It is a powerful affirmation of God's transcendence while acknowledging His chosen immanent presence through covenant and the Temple.
2 Chronicles 6 21 Bonus section
The theological point emphasized by Solomon regarding God's true dwelling in heaven, despite the existence of the Temple, prefigures a key theme developed further in the New Testament: God cannot be contained by man-made structures (Act 7:48-49, 17:24). While the Temple served a crucial role in the Old Covenant as a locus for divine-human interaction and atonement, it was always a temporary and symbolic representation. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is revealed as the "true temple" (Jn 2:19-21), the very embodiment of God's dwelling among humanity (Jn 1:14). Through Christ, believers now have direct access to God's presence and throne of grace, where prayers are heard, and forgiveness is offered, fulfilling the ultimate aspiration of Solomon's plea (Heb 4:16).
2 Chronicles 6 21 Commentary
2 Chronicles 6:21 encapsulates the very essence of Old Covenant spirituality and a profound theological understanding of God. Solomon's prayer, far from being a naive belief that God resides in a physical building, humbly acknowledges God's omnipresence and transcendence, explicitly stating that Heaven is His true dwelling. Yet, it proposes the Temple as a Divinely sanctioned point of contact – a symbol, a beacon – towards which Israel should turn in prayer, especially in times of distress or repentance stemming from sin. The repeated emphasis on God "hearing" and "forgiving" underscores the biblical principle that genuine repentance coupled with earnest prayer invites divine mercy. This verse reminds the worshiper that the effectiveness of prayer does not lie in the architecture or the grandeur of a structure, but in the character of the God who is addressed – One who is merciful, just, and ready to forgive when His people humble themselves and turn to Him. It establishes a divine-human covenantal dynamic: humanity's call from earth, God's answer from heaven.