2 Chronicles 6:26

6:26 “The time will come when ¹  the skies ²  are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people ³  sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, ⁴  and turn away from their sin because you punish ⁵  them,

2 Chronicles 6:33

6:33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. ⁶  Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, ⁷  obey ⁸  you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. ⁹ 

2 Chronicles 6:38

6:38 When they return to you with all their heart and being ¹⁰  in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor, ¹¹ 

---

¹ tn Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 26-27a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.

² tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

³ tn Heb “they.”

⁴ tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”

⁵ tn The Hebrew text reads “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (tÿ’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“afflict”).

⁶ tn Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.”

⁷ tn Heb “name.” See the note on “reputation” in v. 32.

⁸ tn Heb “fear.”

⁹ tn Heb “that your name is called over this house which I built.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.

¹⁰ tn Or “soul.”

¹¹ tn Heb “your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “your honor”).