Day 145: OT 2 Paralipomenon C1-6: Solomon Builds the Temple and Prays for Sinners!

Once the Temple was finished…

Then Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had vowed… to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the city of David which is Sion… the Levites took up the ark, and brought it in…

So the ark has been there unto this day. And there was nothing else in the ark but the two tables which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord gave the law to the children of Israel, at their coming out of Egypt.

So when they all sounded together, both with trumpets, and voice, and cymbals, and organs, and with divers kind of musical instruments, and lifted up their voice on high the sound was heard afar off, so that they began to praise the Lord, and to say, Give glory to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever, the house of God was filled with a cloud. Nor could the priests stand and minister by reason of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

Solomon’s Prayer in Second Paralipomenon is nearly verbatim as that found earlier in Third Kings. However, there is more detail on ‘whosoever shall pray in this place:

If any man sin against his neighbor (oaths before the altar)…

If thy people Israel be overcome by their enemies (appeal for forgiveness)…

If the heavens be shut up (prayers for rain)…

If a famine arise in the land (prayers when afflicted)…

If the stranger (worship of strangers)…

If thy people go out to war against their enemies (worship in time of war)…

And if they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not; prayer for mercy to sinners)…

Day 117: OT Third Kings C8-11: Solomon’s Prayer from the Old World but still New Today!

Solomon’s prayer: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or on earth beneath: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that have walked before thee with all their heart… whatsoever they shall pray for in this place, and hear them in the place of thy dwelling in heaven; and when thou hearest, show them mercy… and forgive the sin of thy people Israel… and show them the good way wherein they should walk… when a man shall know the wound of his own heart, and shall spread forth his hands in this house, then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling, and forgive, and do so to every one according to his ways, as thou shalt see his heart…”

Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell upon earth? For if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built?

“Moreover also the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name’s sake… for when he shall come, and shall pray in this place, then hear thou in heaven… and do all those things, for which the stranger shall call upon thee: that all the people of the earth may learn to fear thy name, as do thy people Israel…”

“But if they sin against thee (for there is no man who sinneth not) and thou being angry deliver them up to their enemies, so that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies far or near; then of they do penance in their hear in the place of captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in their captivity saying: ‘We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have committed wickedness, and return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul, in the land of their enemies… then hear thou in heaven… and do judgment for them. And forgive thy people, who have sinned against thee, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them captives, that they may have compassion on them.”

Solomon blesses all Israel: “The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, and not leave us, nor cast us off, but may he incline our hearts to himself, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his ceremonies, and all his judgments which he commanded our fathers…. that all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him. Let our hearts also be perfect with the Lord our God, that we may walk in his statues, and keep his commandments, as at this day.”

…so the king, and the children of Israel dedicated the temple of the Lord.

Also with the addition of this final prayer:

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

Solomon has built the Temple as designed by God and his father David and prayed so that all sinners who come to worship will be heard by the Lord God of Israel.

Day 145: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Solomon Builds the Temple and Prays for Sinners!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Paralipomenon, Chapters 1-6

Bible Notes:

This book opens with the story of Solomon: his building of the Temple in Jerusalem, the beginning of sacrifices therein, his great riches, and finally his death. The latter section of the book records the history of the Southern Kingdom, Juda, up to the Babylonia Captivity. The last two verses contain the opening words of a decree by Cyrus, King of Persia, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 1: Solomon’s offering at Gabaon; Solomon asks God for wisdom; Wisdom and knowledge given to Solomon; Solomon’s wealth.

And he (Solomon) went with the multitude to the high place of Gabaon, where was the tabernacle of the covenant of the Lord, which Moses the servant of God made, in the wilderness.

And behold that night God appeared to him (Solomon) saying: Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

Solomon to God: Mow therefore, O Lord God, let thy word be fulfilled, which thou hast promised to David my father: for thou hast made me king over thy great people, which is as innumerable as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may come in and go out before thy people: for who can worthily judge this thy people, which is so great?

God to Solomon: Because this choice hath pleased thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, and wealth, and glory, nor the lives of them that hate thee, nor may days of life: but hast asked wisdom and knowledge, to be able to judge my people, over which I have made thee king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to thee: and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and glory, so that none of the kings before thee, nor after thee, shall be like thee.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 2: Number of Temple builders; Solomon asks Hiram for workers and timber; Hiram agrees to help with the Temple; Number of workers.

And Solomon determined to build a house to the name of the Lord, and a palace for himself…

He sent also to Hiram king of Tyre… and on the new moons, and the solemnities of the Lord our God for ever… For the house I desire to build, is great: for our God is great above all gods,,, send me therefore a skillful man… send me also cedars, and fir trees, and pine trees from Libanus… for the house I desire to build is to be exceedingly great, and glorious.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent a let to Solomon… a wise and knowing son, endued with understanding and prudence, to build a house for the Lord, and a palace for himself. I therefore have sent thee my father Hiram, a wise and most skillful man… and we will cut down as many trees out of Libanus, as thou shall want, and will convey them in floats by sea…

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 3: Work on the Temple begun; Size and magnificence of the Temple; The holy of holies; The two cherubims; The veil; The two pillars.

And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, in mount Moria…now these are the foundations, which Solomon laid… and he overlaid it with pure gold… he paved also the floor of the temple with most precious marble, of great beauty…. And he graved cherubims on the walls…

He made the house of the holy of holies… he made also nails of gold… two cherubims of image work, and he overlaid them with gold…

He made also a veil of violet, purple, scarlet, and silk: and wrought in it cherubims…

He made also before the doors of the temple two pillars… on the right hand, he called Jachin: and on the left hand Booz.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 4: The altar of brass; The molten sea; The ten lavers; The candlesticks, tables, and bowls; The court of priests and the great hall; The instruments of brass; The instruments of gold.

He made an altar of brass…

Also a molten sea… and under it there were the likeness of oxen… and the oxen were cast: and the sea itself was set upon the twelve oxen… he also made ten lavers… to wash in them all such things as they were offered for the holocausts: but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

All the vessels did Hiram his father make for Solomon in the house of the Lord of the finest brass.

And Solomon made all the vessels for the house of God, and the golden altar, and the tables… of most pure gold… all were made of the finest gold… of pure gold… without were of gold.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 5: Treasures of the Temple; The ark s placed in the Temple; The glory of God fills the Temple.

Then Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had vowed… to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the city of David which is Sion… the Levites took up the ark, and brought it in…

So the ark has been there unto this day. And there was nothing else in the ark but the two tables which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord gave the law to the children of Israel, at their coming out of Egypt.

So when they all sounded together, both with trumpets, and voice, and cymbals, and organs, and with divers kind of musical instruments, and lifted up their voice on high the sound was heard afar off, so that they began to praise the Lord, and to say, Give glory to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever, the house of God was filled with a cloud. Nor could the priests stand and minister by reason of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 6: Solomon’s blessing; Solomon’s prayer; Oaths before the altar; Appeal for forgiveness; Prayers for rain; Prayers when afflicted; Worship of strangers; Worship in time of war; Prayer for mercy to sinners; Conclusion of Solomon’s prayer.

Nearly verbatim from Third Kings with more detail on ‘whosoever shall pray in this place:

If any man sin against his neighbor (oaths before the altar)…

If thy people Israel be overcome by their enemies (appeal for forgiveness)…

If the heavens be shut up (prayers for rain)…

If a famine arise in the land (prayers when afflicted)…

If the stranger (worship of strangers)…

If thy people go out to war against their enemies (worship in time of war)…

And if they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not; prayer for mercy to sinners)…

Day 117: OT Third Kings C8-11: Solomon’s Prayer from the Old World but still New Today!

Solomon’s prayer: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or on earth beneath: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that have walked before thee with all their heart… whatsoever they shall pray for in this place, and hear them in the place of thy dwelling in heaven; and when thou hearest, show them mercy… and forgive the sin of thy people Israel… and show them the good way wherein they should walk… when a man shall know the wound of his own heart, and shall spread forth his hands in this house, then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling, and forgive, and do so to every one according to his ways, as thou shalt see his heart…”

Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell upon earth? For if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built?

“Moreover also the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name’s sake… for when he shall come, and shall pray in this place, then hear thou in heaven… and do all those things, for which the stranger shall call upon thee: that all the people of the earth may learn to fear thy name, as do thy people Israel…”

“But if they sin against thee (for there is no man who sinneth not) and thou being angry deliver them up to their enemies, so that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies far or near; then of they do penance in their hear in the place of captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in their captivity saying: ‘We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have committed wickedness, and return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul, in the land of their enemies… then hear thou in heaven… and do judgment for them. And forgive thy people, who have sinned against thee, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them captives, that they may have compassion on them.”

Solomon blesses all Israel: “The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, and not leave us, nor cast us off, but may he incline our hearts to himself, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his ceremonies, and all his judgments which he commanded our fathers…. that all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him. Let our hearts also be perfect with the Lord our God, that we may walk in his statues, and keep his commandments, as at this day.”

…so the king, and the children of Israel dedicated the temple of the Lord.

Also with the addition of this final prayer:

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

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