And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice.
- BSB the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- NKJV Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- NASB Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- NLT Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God appears to Solomon a second time and confirms He has heard his dedicatory prayer and chosen the temple as His house of sacrifice. It assures Solomon that worship there is divinely accepted.
Overview
Echoing the earlier appearance at Gibeon, the LORD responds directly to Solomon's prayer of dedication from chapter 6. Calling the temple a 'house of sacrifice' underscores that atonement and worship are central to Israel's relationship with God. These sacrifices ultimately point forward to Christ, the once-for-all sacrifice that fulfills what the temple anticipated.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Gen 17:1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
- 2 Chr 7:16For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
- 2 Chr 1:7In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
- 1 Kgs 9:2That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
- Luke 1:13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
- 2 Kgs 20:5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
- Acts 10:31And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
- Deut 12:11Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
- 1 Jn 5:14–15And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
- Ps 10:17LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
- Ps 78:68–69But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
- 2 Kgs 2:6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
- Deut 12:5–6But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
- Ps 132:13–14For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
- Ps 66:19But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 7:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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