II Chronicles 6:24
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When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading before You in this temple,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The words with which Solomon celebrates this wondrous evidence of the divine favour, entirely coincide with the narrative in Kg1 8:12-21, except that in Ch2 6:5. the actual words of Solomon's speech are more completely given than in Kg1 8:16, where the words, "and I have not chosen a man to be prince over my people Israel, and I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there," are omitted. For the commentary on this address, see on Kg1 8:12-21.
Open source ↗The glory of the Lord, in the vehicle of a thick cloud, having filled the house which Solomon built, by which God manifested his presence there, he immediately improves the opportunity, and addresses God, as a God now, in a peculiar manner, nigh at hand. I. He makes a solemn declaration of his intention in building this house, to the satisfaction of the people and the honour of God, both of whom he blessed (Ch2 6:1-11). II. He makes a solemn prayer to God that he would please graciously to accept and answer all the prayers that should be made in, or towards, that house (v. 12-42). This whole chapter we had before, with very little variation (1 Kings 8:12-53), to which it may not be amiss here to look back.
Open source ↗6:24-25 Petition 2: Solomon asked God to grant relief in response to repentance when sin causes misfortune. Prayer provides an opportunity for redemption, and God’s people experience his pardon through restoration.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?
You have made us retreat from the foe, and those who hate us have plundered us.
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies.