2 Chronicles 6 42

2 Chronicles 6:42 kjv

O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

2 Chronicles 6:42 nkjv

"O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; Remember the mercies of Your servant David."

2 Chronicles 6:42 niv

LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant."

2 Chronicles 6:42 esv

O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant."

2 Chronicles 6:42 nlt

O LORD God, do not reject the king you have anointed.
Remember your unfailing love for your servant David."

2 Chronicles 6 verses

2 Chronicles 6 42 Meaning

This verse serves as a profound climactic plea within King Solomon's dedicatory prayer for the newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem. It expresses an urgent request to God: to perpetually bestow favor upon His divinely chosen king, and more broadly, upon the Davidic dynasty, by continuously honoring the steadfast covenant loyalty and numerous promises made to His faithful servant, King David. It is a powerful affirmation of God's covenant faithfulness and an appeal for its continued manifestation through the line of kings.

2 Chronicles 6 42 Context

This verse concludes King Solomon's elaborate dedicatory prayer for the Temple. Chapters 5 and 6 of 2 Chronicles recount the completion of the Temple, the ark's placement, and the spectacular divine affirmation of God's presence, marked by a cloud of glory. Solomon's prayer (2 Chr 6:1-42) acknowledges God's faithfulness in fulfilling the promise to David, yet it also contains conditional elements regarding Israel's future obedience and potential judgment. The prayer covers various scenarios where people might pray towards the Temple – in drought, famine, war, or plague – and seeks God's forgiveness and intervention. Solomon appeals to God's omnipresence (not confined to the Temple) but emphasizes the Temple as a designated place for God to hear prayer. The historical context is the golden age of the united monarchy, immediately after the construction of Israel's central sanctuary, solidifying the Davidic covenant and the concept of a divine dwelling among His people.

2 Chronicles 6 42 Word analysis

• O LORD God:
  • LORD (YHWH): The covenantal, personal name of God, revealing His intimate and active relationship with Israel.
  • God (Elohim): The general, powerful name for Deity, emphasizing God's omnipotence and majesty. Combined, "YHWH Elohim" signifies both God's personal faithfulness and His supreme authority, a common compound emphasizing a powerful yet covenant-keeping God.
• turn not away:
  • A negative imperative, a fervent plea for God's continued favorable regard and intervention. It signifies "do not reject," "do not withdraw favor," "do not refuse to listen or act." In biblical thought, for God to "turn away His face" implies judgment, displeasure, or absence; for Him not to, signifies blessing, presence, and responsiveness.
• the face of:
  • A metonymy, representing God's direct presence, approval, or favor. To turn away the "face" means to refuse to look, listen, or interact, implying rejection. Conversely, to "not turn away the face" means to continually behold with favor and receive with approval.
• thine anointed:
  • `לַמְשִׁיחֶךָ` (lam·ma·shî·ḥe·ḵā): "for/to your anointed one." The Hebrew term `mashiaḥ` (מָשִׁיחַ) refers to one consecrated by anointing oil, set apart for a specific office. Here, it primarily refers to the King of Israel (Solomon himself), chosen by God to rule. The act of anointing conferred divine legitimacy and power. This term carries profound theological weight, foreshadowing the ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
• remember:
  • Not that God forgets, as divine knowledge is perfect. Rather, "remember" in a biblical context implies active, purposeful engagement or intervention based on past promises, covenants, or character. It's a call for God to act upon His faithful character and commitments. It signifies recalling promises and demonstrating faithfulness through action.
• the mercies of:
  • `חַסְדֵי` (ḥas·dei): "the mercies" or "the steadfast love/covenant loyalty" (plural). The Hebrew word `ḥesed` (חֶסֶד) is rich in meaning, encompassing loyalty, kindness, faithfulness, and steadfast love within a covenant relationship. It is God's characteristic enduring love and fidelity, particularly demonstrated through His unbreakable promises. The plural form implies the multifaceted nature or numerous acts of this enduring love.
• David thy servant:
  • David: The divinely chosen king, with whom God established an everlasting covenant for his house and kingdom. Appealing to "David" is to appeal to God's own prior promises and unwavering commitment to this foundational covenant (2 Sam 7).
  • thy servant (`עֶבֶד`, ‘eved): Signifies a relationship of devoted obedience and humble service. David was a faithful servant who continually sought God's will. By invoking "thy servant David," Solomon highlights David's covenant faithfulness and God's corresponding promises made to him and his descendants. This phrase connects the present prayer directly to God's past, immutable promises.

• Words-Group analysis:
  • "turn not away the face of thine anointed": This phrase embodies the core petition: a request for enduring divine favor and approval for the reigning monarch and, by extension, the ongoing Davidic dynasty. It's an appeal for God to continuously receive and sustain His chosen ruler.
  • "remember the mercies of David thy servant": This group specifies the basis of Solomon's plea. It is rooted not in personal merit but in God's own covenant faithfulness (`ḥesed`) sworn to David. It emphasizes that the future hope of the monarchy and Temple relies on God's unwavering commitment to His prior promises, as epitomized by David's obedience and God's corresponding love.

2 Chronicles 6 42 Bonus section

This verse is exceptionally close in wording to Psalm 132:10, suggesting either that Solomon’s prayer incorporated a known liturgical phrase, or that Psalm 132 reflects Solomon's prayer or similar appeals of the time. This underscores the theological importance and currency of the plea for God's continued favor on the Davidic king for David's sake. The repetition highlights the Davidic covenant's central role in the national theology and the people's understanding of God's interaction with their monarchy. This direct link between a king's prayer and God's faithfulness sets a precedent for intercessory prayer, reminding leaders and people alike that true security rests in God's covenant loyalty rather than human strength.

2 Chronicles 6 42 Commentary

2 Chronicles 6:42 marks the powerful and poignant conclusion of Solomon's magnificent dedicatory prayer, a final appeal for divine favor. It grounds the future of the kingdom not in the splendor of the newly built Temple or the strength of the monarchy, but entirely in God's faithfulness to His promises. By invoking God's ḥesed towards David, Solomon articulates the foundational principle of Israelite hope: divine covenant loyalty. This request transcends Solomon himself, pointing to the ongoing relationship between God and His "anointed" king, signifying God's willingness to listen and respond. Ultimately, it prefigures the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the righteous King and obedient Servant, becoming the complete fulfillment of all God's "mercies" promised to David. This verse calls us to remember God's character and covenant, praying not based on our merits but on His unchanging promises.