Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Chronicles 6:26

When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quit their sins because you have scourged them, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them; train them to live right and well; Send rain on the land you gave as inheritance to your people.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Chastisement;   Drought;   Rain;   The Topic Concordance - Choosing/chosen;   God;   Heart;   Jerusalem;   Knowledge;   Name;   Prayer;   Rendering;   Sin;   Turning;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prayer, Public;   Repentance;   Temple, the First;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Repentance;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Chronicles, Theology of;   Confess, Confession;   Forgiveness;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Confession;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Confession;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Synagogue;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Zo'pha-I;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Heaven;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the skies are shut and there is no rainbecause they have sinned against you,and they pray toward this placeand praise your name,and they turn from their sinsbecause you are afflicting them,
Hebrew Names Version
When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them:
King James Version
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;
English Standard Version
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,
New Century Version
"When they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray, facing this place and praising you; they will stop sinning when you make them suffer.
New English Translation
"The time will come when the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, and turn away from their sin because you punish them,
Amplified Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict and humble them;
New American Standard Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them,
World English Bible
When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them:
Geneva Bible (1587)
When heauen shall be shut vp, and there shalbe no rayne, because they haue sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them,
Legacy Standard Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them;
Berean Standard Bible
When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them,
Contemporary English Version
Suppose your people sin against you, and you punish them by holding back the rain. If they stop sinning and turn toward this temple to pray in your name,
Complete Jewish Bible
"When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low;
Darby Translation
When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, because thou hast afflicted them;
Easy-to-Read Version
"Sometimes they will sin against you, and you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray toward this place and praise your name. You will make them suffer, and they will be sorry for their sins.
George Lamsa Translation
And when the heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray before thee in this place, and confess thy great name and turn from their sins when thou dost afflict them;
Good News Translation
"When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you,
Lexham English Bible
"When the heavens are stopped up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you and they pray to this place and confess your name and turn back from their sin when you humble them,
Literal Translation
When the heavens shall be shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they shall pray toward this place, and confess Your name, turning back from their sin because You have afflicted them,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan the heauen is shut vp, so that it rayne not (for so moch as they haue synned agaynst the) and yf they make their prayer in this place, and knowlege thy name, and turne from their synnes (whan thou hast brought them lowe)
American Standard Version
When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:
Bible in Basic English
When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you: if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When heauen is shut vp, and there be no rayne, because they haue sinned against thee: yet if they pray in this place, and confesse thy name, and repent from their sinne for the which thou chastenest them:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, when they sin against Thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess Thy name, turning from their sin, when Thou dost afflict them;
King James Version (1611)
When the heauen is shut vp, and there is no raine, because they haue sinned against thee: yet if they pray towards this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
When heaven is restrained, and there is no rain, because they shall have sinned against thee, and when they shall pray towards this place, and praise thy name, and shall turn from their sins, because thou shalt afflict them;
English Revised Version
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If whanne heuene is closid, reyn come not doun for the synne of thi puple, and thei bisechen thee in this place, and knowlechen to thi name, and ben turned fro her synnes, whanne thou hast turmentid hem,
Update Bible Version
When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them:
Webster's Bible Translation
When the heaven is shut, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; [yet] if they pray towards this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;
New King James Version
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
New Living Translation
"If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,
New Life Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and give no rain because the people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and tell of Your name, and turn from their sin when You bring trouble to them,
New Revised Standard
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they shall pray towards this place, and shall confess thy Name, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them,
Douay-Rheims Bible
If the heavens be shut up, and there fall no rain by reason of the sin of the people, and they shall pray to thee in this place, and confess to thy name, and be converted from their sins, where thou dost afflict them,
Revised Standard Version
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and acknowledge thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,
Young's Literal Translation
`In the heavens being restrained, and there is no rain, because they sin against Thee, and they have prayed towards this place, and confessed Thy name -- from their sin they turn back because Thou dost afflict them --
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them;

Contextual Overview

12Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took his position at the Altar of God and stretched out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze dais seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high and placed it inside the court; that's where he now stood. Then he knelt in full view of the whole congregation, stretched his hands to heaven, and prayed: God , O God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below, who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and unfailingly loves them while they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your promise. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today! Keep it up, God , O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the one condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have." 17 O God , God of Israel, let this all happen— confirm and establish it! 18Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built. Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God , my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place. And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place. Listen from your home in heaven and when you hear, forgive. 22 When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple, 23 Listen from heaven and act; judge your servants, making the offender pay for the offense And set the offended free, dismissing all charges. 24When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they've sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple, Listen from your home in heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, return them to the land you gave to them and their ancestors. 26When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quit their sins because you have scourged them, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them; train them to live right and well; Send rain on the land you gave as inheritance to your people. 28When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort—any prayer that's prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, their hearts penetrated by disaster, hands and arms thrown out for help to this Temple, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive and reward us: reward each life and circumstance, For you know each life from the inside, (you're the only one with such inside knowledge!), So they'll live before you in lifelong reverence and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors. 32 And don't forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation—people are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonderworking power—and who come to pray to this Temple. 33 Listen from your home in heaven and honor the prayers of the foreigner, So that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like, And live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do, So they'll know that you personally make this Temple that I've built what it is.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the heaven: Leviticus 26:19, Deuteronomy 11:17, Deuteronomy 28:23, 1 Kings 17:1 - 1 Kings 18:46, Luke 4:25

there is no rain: Isaiah 50:1, Isaiah 50:2, Isaiah 5:6, Ezekiel 14:13, Amos 4:4-9, Revelation 11:6

if they pray: Jeremiah 14:1-9, Joel 1:13-20, Joel 2:15-17

turn: Proverbs 28:13, Ezekiel 18:27-32

thou dost: 2 Chronicles 33:12, 2 Chronicles 33:13, Hosea 5:15, Hosea 6:1

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 8:35 - if they pray 1 Kings 8:36 - the good way 2 Chronicles 7:13 - If I shut up heaven Zechariah 14:17 - even

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Kings (marginal references).

Compare Kings (marginal references).


 
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