Read 2 Chronicles 6 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
6:1-13 {p} Solomon blessed YHVH, for He fulfilled His word to Israel, and to David
6:14a {p} And he said
6:14b-23 {s} Solomon’s prayer of dedication: May Your ears be attentive to the prayers we make to You
6:24-25 {p} When Israel is defeated by enemies: hear from heaven, forgive their sin, return them to their land
6:26-27 {s} When there is no rain: hear from heaven, forgive their sin, teach them to walk in Your way
6:28-31 {s} When there is famine, or whatever trouble, hear from heaven, forgive, recompense rightly, that they may fear You
6:32-40 {s} For strangers also: let Your eyes be open and ears be attentive to prayers made in this place
6:41-42 {p} Arise to Your resting place: let Your priests, saints, anointed be clothed with salvation, rejoicing, mercies
The Strong Themes:
6:14b-25 {s+p} Solomon’s prayer: Hear us, when we repent, forgive us our sin, return us to our land
6:26-42 {sx3+p} Hear us, forgive us, teach us Your ways, clothe us with salvation, rejoicing, mercy
The Chiastic structure:
Five times in this chapter Solomon repeats the phrase, “Hear from Your dwelling place, and forgive” (in 2 Chr 6:21, 6:25, 6:27, 6:30, and 6:39). Repetition is a teaching tool of Scripture.
To hear is Strong’s H8085, שמע shama, “to hear, to listen and attend, to hear and answer, to obey or give heed.” The Hebrew Root Word parable is of breath passing through the front teeth (shin) expelling water (mem) as vapor from the body. When we listen, we breathe intently as we focus on what is being said so that we can comprehend it (ayin). In the Hebraic worldview shama is an active and not a passive verb. If we hear what is said but do not act on or respond to what is said, then we have not heard at all.
To forgive is Strong’s H5545, סלח salach, “to forgive.” The parable is of taking ahold of (sin) the yoke (lamed) which limits (chet, in the sense of a fence which defines the limit of a space) so as to raise it up or off. According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, salach lifts one out of a debt.
We often think about our obligation in hearing God and His words, especially in light of the famous Hear, O Israel (Deu 6:4). But shama means listening intently so as to respond for God, just as it does for us. His response, upon our repentance, is to forgive: to lift us out of the debt of sin.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
1 Kings 8, YHVH’s dwelling place – Christine Miller
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