What does 2 Chronicles 6:21 mean?
"Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive." - 2 Chronicles 6:21
The verse 2 Chronicles 6:21 from the King James Version of the Bible reads as follows:
"Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive."
This verse is part of King Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple he had built for the Lord. In this section of his prayer, Solomon is acknowledging the human tendency to sin and asking God to listen to the prayers of the people and forgive them.
The broader context of this verse is important to understand in order to fully grasp its significance. In the preceding verses, Solomon had been praising and glorifying God for His faithfulness and for fulfilling the promise He made to David, Solomon's father, to build a temple for the Lord. The temple was a symbol of God's presence among His people and a place for worship and sacrifice.
In verse 18, Solomon acknowledges that even the heavens, including the highest heaven where God dwells, cannot contain Him, much less the temple he has built. However, he asks God to pay attention to the prayers made in the temple and to forgive the sins of the people when they repent.
One of the key themes in this verse is the forgiveness of sin. Solomon understands that the people will inevitably stray from God's commandments and will need His forgiveness. By asking God to hear the prayers made towards the temple and to forgive, Solomon is recognizing the importance of repentance and the mercy of God.
Another theme present in this verse is the idea of God's omnipresence. Solomon acknowledges that God is not confined to the temple but can hear prayers from His dwelling place in heaven. This reinforces the idea that God is not limited by physical boundaries and can hear and respond to the prayers of His people wherever they may be.
The symbolism in this verse lies in the temple itself. The temple was a central place of worship for the Israelites and represented God's presence among them. It was where they offered sacrifices, sought forgiveness, and communed with God. This verse highlights the importance of the temple as a place where the people could turn to God in prayer and seek His forgiveness.
Overall, 2 Chronicles 6:21 is a powerful reminder of the human need for forgiveness and the ever-present mercy of God. It emphasizes the importance of repentance and the willingness of God to hear the prayers of His people and extend His forgiveness. It also serves as a reminder that God's presence and grace are not limited to a physical location, but are available to all who seek Him with a sincere heart.
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2 Chronicles 6:21 - "Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive."
"Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive." - 2 Chronicles 6:21
1 Chronicles 6:21 - "Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son."
2 Chronicles 21:6 - "And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 20:21
2 Chronicles 21:9
1 Chronicles 21:6 - "But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab."
"Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son." - 1 Chronicles 6:21
2 Chronicles 6:13
2 Chronicles 4:21 - "And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;"
2 Chronicles 21:18 - "¶ And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease."
2 Chronicles 6:2 - "But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever."
1 Chronicles 6:2 - "And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel."
2 Kings 15:21 - "¶ And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?"
2 Chronicles 24:21 - "And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 23:21 - "And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword."
2 Chronicles 21:8 - "¶ In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king."
2 Chronicles 21:2 - "And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel."
2 Chronicles 6:6 - "But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel."
2 Chronicles 11:6 - "He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,"
2 Chronicles 21:16 - "¶ Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:"
2 Chronicles 13:21 - "¶ But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters."
2 Kings 21:25 - "Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
2 Chronicles 6:35 - "Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause."
2 Chronicles 33:21 - "¶ Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 3:6 - "And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim."
2 Chronicles 12:6 - "Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous."
2 Chronicles 21:5 - "¶ Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem."
2 Chronicles 21:14 - "Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:"
1 Chronicles 2:6 - "And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all."