2 Chronicles 6:25 kjv
Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
2 Chronicles 6:25 nkjv
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.
2 Chronicles 6:25 niv
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
2 Chronicles 6:25 esv
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.
2 Chronicles 6:25 nlt
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.
2 Chronicles 6 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 8:33-34 | "When your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against you... if they turn back to you and confess your name and pray... hear from heaven and forgive..." | Direct parallel of Solomon's prayer. |
| Lev 26:40-42 | "But if they confess their iniquity... then I will remember my covenant with Jacob..." | Conditions for repentance and remembering the covenant. |
| Dt 4:29-31 | "But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart..." | Promise of finding God upon sincere seeking/repentance. |
| Dt 30:1-5 | "And when all these things come upon you... if you return to the Lord your God... the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed..." | Restoration after repentance, particularly concerning the land. |
| Neh 1:8-9 | "Remember the word that you commanded... ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to Me... I will gather them... to the place...'" | Prayer of Nehemiah echoing Mosaic covenant terms of scattering and return. |
| Jer 29:12-14 | "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me... I will restore your fortunes and gather you..." | Prophecy of return from exile after seeking God. |
| Ps 65:2 | "O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come." | God as the Hearer of prayer. |
| Ps 86:5 | "For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon You." | God's character of forgiveness. |
| Ps 103:3 | "He forgives all your iniquity; He heals all your diseases." | God's work of forgiveness. |
| Is 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake his way... let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." | Call to repentance and promise of abundant pardon. |
| Mic 7:18-19 | "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression...? He delights in steadfast love." | God's unique character as a forgiving God. |
| Jn 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." | New Testament confirmation of divine forgiveness upon confession. |
| Eph 1:7 | "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace..." | Forgiveness in the New Covenant through Christ. |
| Acts 2:38 | "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins..." | Repentance leading to forgiveness in early Church. |
| Rom 11:26-27 | "And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, 'The Deliverer will come from Zion... and He will banish ungodliness from Jacob; this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.'" | Ultimate salvation and removal of sins for Israel. |
| Ezek 36:24-28 | "For I will take you from the nations... and bring you into your own land... and you shall be My people, and I will be your God." | Future spiritual and physical restoration of Israel. |
| Joel 2:12-14 | "Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love..." | Call to sincere repentance, promising divine mercy. |
| Lam 3:32 | "For though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love." | God's compassion follows His discipline. |
| Jer 32:37-38 | "Behold, I will gather them from all the countries... and I will bring them back to this place... and they shall be My people, and I will be their God." | God's promise to gather His scattered people and restore them to the land. |
| Isa 43:5-6 | "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east... I will say to the north, 'Give up,' and to the south, 'Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar...'" | Divine promise of global regathering. |
| Lk 21:24 | "and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." | Implied future return of Jewish people to control Jerusalem and the land, after their dispersion. |
2 Chronicles 6 verses
2 Chronicles 6 25 Meaning
2 Chronicles 6:25 is part of Solomon's dedicatory prayer for the Temple. It is a petition for divine intervention when God's people, Israel, are defeated by their enemies due to their sins. Solomon prays that if the people return to God in repentance, confessing His name and praying in the Temple, God would then hear their plea from His dwelling in heaven, forgive their transgression, and restore them to the Promised Land. This verse highlights God's justice in allowing defeat as a consequence of sin, His mercy in forgiving repentance, and His faithfulness in restoring His covenant people to their heritage.
2 Chronicles 6 25 Context
2 Chronicles 6 presents Solomon's extensive prayer at the dedication of the newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem. Following a declaration of God's faithfulness and a blessing upon the assembly (2 Chr 6:1-11) and a lengthy invocation of God (2 Chr 6:12-16), Solomon systematically addresses various future scenarios where the people of Israel might seek God's intervention from within, or facing towards, the Temple. These scenarios include times of war, defeat by enemies (as in 6:24-25), drought, famine, pestilence, blight, mildew, locusts, and the experience of exile. Each scenario typically involves the people humbling themselves, repenting, and turning to God in prayer. Verse 25, specifically, outlines the hopeful outcome following a military defeat that occurs as a consequence of their sin, where the people repent, and God is asked to hear, forgive, and restore them to their land, a direct parallel to the curses and blessings outlined in the Mosaic Covenant, particularly in Deuteronomy 28-30. Historically, this prayer sets a precedent for how Israel should relate to God in times of distress and national calamity, viewing such events often as consequences of disobedience, but also highlighting God's ever-present willingness to forgive and restore upon genuine repentance. The Temple functions as the symbolic center for such national supplication and reconciliation.
2 Chronicles 6 25 Word analysis
- then hear from heaven:
- hear (שְׁמַע - sh'ma): Hebrew verb meaning "to hear," but often implies "to listen attentively" and "to obey." Here, it's a plea for God to actively respond and grant their petition.
- from heaven (מִשָּׁמַיִם - mi-shāmāyim): Identifies God's dwelling place. Emphasizes that the prayer is directed to the transcendent, almighty God, not to local deities or idols. This directly contrasts the belief systems of surrounding nations where gods were often localized or associated with earthly shrines. The divine response is not from within the Temple itself (though the Temple is the earthly focus point), but from God's transcendent realm.
- and forgive the sin:
- forgive (וְסָלַחְתָּ - v'saláchta): Hebrew verb (סָלַח - salach) specifically refers to divine pardon, an act of grace that removes guilt and consequences of sin. This is a divine prerogative, highlighting God's mercy. It implies cancelling a debt or removing an offense, not just overlooking it.
- sin (חַטָּאָה - chattāʾāh): Refers to missing the mark, moral error, or transgression against God's law. The military defeat is attributed directly to their "sin," linking calamity to disobedience, a key tenet of the Deuteronomic covenant theology. This establishes the moral order of the universe, where actions have consequences.
- of Your people Israel:
- Your people Israel: Emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and Israel. They are "His people" by choice and covenant, implying a special bond and responsibility on both sides. This relationship is foundational to their appeal for forgiveness and restoration.
- and bring them again to the land:
- bring...again (וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָם - va'hashevōtām): Hiphil conjugation of שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to cause to return," "restore," or "bring back." This highlights God's active role in reversing their fortunes.
- the land (אֶל-הָאָרֶץ - el-ha'āretz): The Promised Land, fundamental to the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. Their removal from it (through defeat/exile) is a major consequence of sin, and their return is the ultimate sign of divine restoration and forgiveness.
- which You have given to them and to their fathers:
- Reinforces the land as a divinely given possession, not something earned or maintained by their own strength. It harks back to God's irrevocable promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (their "fathers"), underscoring the enduring nature of God's covenant despite Israel's failures.
2 Chronicles 6 25 Bonus section
The repeated structure throughout 2 Chronicles 6 where Solomon prays for God to "hear from heaven and forgive" in various scenarios (defeat, drought, plague, etc.) establishes a core theological pattern: the Lord's accessibility and readiness to intervene in human affairs, contingent upon sincere repentance. This also lays the groundwork for understanding the recurring cycles of sin, judgment, repentance, and restoration seen throughout Israel's history in the subsequent books of the Bible. The Temple, though built by human hands, serves as the consecrated point of contact for these petitions, embodying God's presence among His people and signifying where their hopes for restoration should be directed.
2 Chronicles 6 25 Commentary
2 Chronicles 6:25 encapsulates a vital theological principle foundational to Israel's history: divine judgment on sin, the efficacy of repentance, and God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. Solomon's prayer models a posture of humble dependence on God. When disaster, specifically military defeat, strikes due to national sin, the prescribed response is not despair or turning to false gods, but a turning back to Yahweh—confessing, praying towards His Temple. God's response is promised: He will hear from His heavenly dwelling, actively forgive their sins, and thereby reverse the calamitous consequences by restoring them to the very land He graciously bequeathed. This verse serves as a beacon of hope and a call to continuous spiritual accountability, reminding Israel that their prosperity and security in the land were intrinsically tied to their obedience and faithful repentance before God, not their military might or political alliances.