2 chronicles 6 and 7

Read 2 Chronicles 6 and 7 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

2 Chr 6:1-13 {p} Solomon blessed the Lord, for He fulfilled His word to Israel, and to David
2 Chr 6:14a {p} And he said
2 Chr 6:14b-23 {s} Solomon’s prayer of dedication: May Your ears be attentive to the prayers we make to You
2 Chr 6:24-25 {p} When Israel is defeated by enemies: hear from heaven, forgive their sin, return them to their land
2 Chr 6:26-27 {s} When there is no rain: hear from heaven, forgive their sin, teach them to walk in Your way
2 Chr 6:28-31 {s} When there is famine, or whatever trouble, hear from heaven, forgive, recompense rightly, that they may fear You
2 Chr 6:32-40 {s} For strangers also: let Your eyes be open + ears be attentive to prayers made in this place
2 Chr 6:41-42 {p} Arise to Your resting place: let Your priests + saints + anointed be clothed with salvation + rejoicing + mercies
2 Chr 7:1-4 {s} Fire from heaven consumed the sacrifice + His glory filled the temple
2 Chr 7:5-6 {s} King Solomon’s sacrifices + the house dedicated + the priests served + Levites ministered in music
2 Chr 7:7-11 {p} They dedicated the house + kept the feast 7 days/ Solomon sent the people home full of gladness
2 Chr 7:12-22 {p} The LORD appeared to Solomon: acceptance of His house + warning to continue in His ways

The strong themes:

2 Chr 6:1-13 {p} Solomon blessed the Lord, for He fulfilled His word to Israel, and to David
2 Chr 6:14a {p} And he said
2 Chr 6:14b-25 {s+p} Solomon’s prayer: Hear us, when we repent, forgive us our sin, return us to our land
2 Chr 6:26-42 {sx3+p} Hear us, forgive us, teach us Your ways, clothe us with salvation + rejoicing + mercy
2 Chr 7:1-11 {s+s+p} His glory filled the temple/ the house dedicated/ Israel feasted + rejoiced 7 days
2 Chr 7:12-22 {p} The LORD appeared to Solomon: acceptance of His house + warning to continue in His ways

The chiastic structure from 2 Chr 2:17-7:11:

1a) 2 Chr 2:17-5:1 {sx13+p} Design + construction of the house of the Lord/ its furnishings +dedicated things;

1b) 2 Chr 5:2, Solomon assembled the elders + heads of tribes of Israel to bring the ark of the covenant up;

1c) 2 Chr 5:3a, They assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the 7th month;

1d) 2 Chr 5:3b-14 {p+p} The ark containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments was brought into the Lord’s house;

central axis) 2 Chr 6:1-42 {p+p+s+p+sx3+p} Solomon’s prayer of blessing + dedication;

2d) 2 Chr 7:1-7 {s+s} Fire came down from heaven, accepted the sacrifices + the glory of the Lord filled His house;

1a) 2 Chr 7:1a, Fire came down from heaven, consumed the burnt offering + the sacrifices;
1b) 2 Chr 7:3a, When all Israel saw the fire + the glory, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement;
1c) 2 Chr 7:3b, Israel worshiped + praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever;”
1d) 2 Chr 7:4 {s} Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord;
central axis) 2 Chr 7:5a, King Solomon offered 22,000 bulls + 120,000 sheep;
2d) 2 Chr 7:5b, So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God;
2c) 2 Chr 7:6a, Priests served + Levites praised the Lord in music, saying, “For His mercy endures forever;”
2b) 2 Chr 7:6b {s} While all Israel stood;
2a) 2 Chr 7:7, Solomon consecrated the court in front of the house of the Lord to offer offerings, for the bronze altar could not receive it all;

2c) 2 Chr 7:8-9, Solomon + all Israel kept the feast 7 days/ sacred assembly on the 8th day;

2b) 2 Chr 7:10, On the 23rd day of the 7th month he sent the people away glad of heart for the Lord’s goodness;

2a) 2 Chr 7:11 {p} Solomon finished the house of the Lord + the king’s house/ accomplished all he desired to make.

There are some out of place verses in the chiastic structure of the 2d pair, which helped me to see that it was in fact to be a matching element to the 1d pair, when I was working out the structure:

The glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. 2 Chr 7:1b-2

This matches with:

That the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. 2 Chr 5:13b-14

And:

The priests sounded trumpets opposite them, 2 Chr 7:6 partial

Matches with:

And with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— 2 Chr 5:13 partial

Both in the context of the Levites ministering in music, saying, ““For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.”

So then, how does the D pair, pair? When the ark of the Lord, in which were the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, is brought into the house of the Lord, His fire descends from heaven and His glory descends from heaven, to signal that the sacrifices and offerings have been accepted. And what does it mean that the sacrifices have been accepted? That man and God are in right relationship with each other, and there is nothing between them, separating them. God is dwelling with man, in other words – and this on the Feast of Tabernacles! I am so looking forward to the Feast this year! ♥