2 Chronicles 7 - Easy To Read Version

¹ When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from the sky and burned up the burnt offering {\cf2\super [116]} and the sacrifices. {\cf2\super [117]} The Glory of the Lord {\cf2\super [118]} filled the temple. {\cf2\super [119]}

² The priests could not enter the Lord’s temple because the Glory of the Lord filled it.

³ All the people of Israel saw the fire come down from heaven. The people of Israel also saw the Glory of the Lord on the temple. They bowed their faces down low to the ground on the pavement. They worshiped and thanked the Lord. They sang the song, The Lord is good. His kindness continues forever. {\cf2\super [120]}

⁴ Then King Solomon and all the people of Israel offered sacrifices {\cf2\super [121]} in front of the Lord.

⁵ King Solomon offered 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep. The king and all the people made the temple {\cf2\super [122]} of God holy. It was to be used only for worshiping God.

⁶ The priests stood ready to do their work. The Levites also stood with the instruments of the Lord’s music. These instruments were made by King David to give thanks to the Lord. The priests and Levites were singing, Praise the Lord because his love continues forever. {\cf2\super [123]} The priests blew their trumpets as they stood across from the Levites. And all the people of Israel were standing.

⁷ Solomon made the middle part of the yard holy. That yard is in front of the Lord’s temple. {\cf2\super [124]} That is the place where Solomon offered burnt offerings {\cf2\super [125]} and the fat of the fellowship offerings. Solomon used the middle of the yard because the bronze altar {\cf2\super [126]} he made could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat. There were many of those offerings.

⁸ Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the feast for seven days. There was a very large group of people with Solomon. Those people came from the entrance of the town of Hamath and all the way to the Brook of Egypt.

⁹ On the eighth day they had a holy meeting because they had celebrated for seven days. They made the altar {\cf2\super [127]} holy and it was to be used only for worshiping the Lord. And they celebrated the feast for seven days.

¹⁰ On the 23rd day of the seventh month Solomon sent the people back to their homes. The people were very happy and their hearts were full of joy, because the Lord was so good to David, to Solomon, and to his people Israel.

¹¹ Solomon finished the Lord’s temple {\cf2\super [128]} and the king’s house. Solomon had success in finishing all the things he planned in the Lord’s temple and in his own house.

¹² Then the Lord came to Solomon at night. The Lord said to him, “Solomon, I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for myself to be a house for sacrifices. {\cf2\super [129]}

¹³ When I close the sky so there is no rain, or I command the locusts to destroy the land, or I send sicknesses to my people,

¹⁴ and if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. And I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.

¹⁵ Now, my eyes are open, and my ears will pay attention to the prayers prayed in this place.

¹⁶ I have chosen this temple, and I have made it holy so that my name will be here forever. Yes, my eyes and heart will always be here in this temple.

¹⁷ “Now you, Solomon, if you live in front of me the same way your father David lived, and if you obey all I have commanded, and if you obey my laws and rules,

¹⁸ then I will make you a strong king and your kingdom will be great. That is the agreement I made with David your father. I told him, ‘David, you will always have a man in your family that will be a king in Israel.’

¹⁹ “But if you do not obey my laws and commands that I gave you, and if you worship other gods and serve them,

²⁰ then I will take the people of Israel out from my land that I gave them. And I will leave this temple {\cf2\super [130]} that I have made holy for my name. I will make this temple something that all the nations will speak evil about.

²¹ Every person who passes by this temple that was so highly honored will be surprised. They will say, ‘Why has the Lord done this terrible thing to the land and to this temple?’

²² Then people will answer, ‘Because the people of Israel refused to obey the Lord, the God their ancestors {\cf2\super [131]} obeyed. He is the God that led them out of the country of Egypt. But the people of Israel accepted other gods. They worshiped and served idol gods. That is the reason the Lord made all these terrible things happen to the people of Israel.”