2 Chronicles 6:36

6:36-39 Petition 7: Solomon’s prophetic concern that Israel might be completely exiled is evident in the final petition of his prayer. There were many exiles in the history of Israel, but complete destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple were the greatest challenges to faith. Solomon’s petitions looked to the Temple as a resource for faith; in a foreign land, the people might remember the chosen place and pray. The mention of land, city, and Temple (6:38) suggests total destruction, not partial exile. The Temple might no longer be present, but the people could still direct their prayers to God in heaven, who would hear and forgive.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 36. For there is no man which sinneth not] See this case largely considered in Clarke's note on "1Ki 8:46".

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(36) Their enemies.—An enemy.

And they carry them away.—See margin. LXX., αἰχμαλωτεύσουσιναὐτοὺς οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες αὐτοὺς.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36. there is no man which sinneth not] Cp. Ecc_7:20.

deliver them over before their enemies] R.V. deliver them to the enemy (as 1 Kings).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 36-39. The matter of these verses is given fuller in the parallel. (1Ki_8:46-53) The prayer is remarkable all the more as the last of the whole series, and one so sadly ominous! The last clause of ver. 36, carrying the expression far off, as the alternative of near, throws its lurid glare of unwelcome suggestion on all the rest. No man which sinneth not. The words need the summoning of no biblical parallels, for these are so numerous. But out of the rest emphasis may be placed at least on those furnished by Solomon himself Pro_20:9; Ecc_7:21; both of which are particularly sententious. Bethink themselves. The words well express, in English idiom, the literal Hebrew, as in margin, "bring back to their heart". (Deu_30:1-11) Have sinned, ... done amiss, dealt wickedly (so Psa_106:6; Dan_9:5) The Authorized Version in the parallel ( (1Ki_8:47) is somewhat happier in its rendering of the three verbs employed here. It seems doubtful whether these have it in them to form a climax; more probably they speak of three different directions in wrong going. The parallel is well worthy of being referred to, in its vers. 50, 51.

Vers. 36-39.

Departure and return.

It seems a melancholy thing that, at this hour of sacred joy and triumph, Solomon should have been under the necessity of contemplating national unfaithfulness, Divine displeasure, a return of the people of God to ignominious captivity and all its consequent distress. But he felt that it was necessary, and the issue abundantly justified his forecast.

I DEPARTURE FROM GOD. In the case of Israel, departure from the Lord their God meant either

(1) the formal substitution of another deity for Jehovah, or

(2) widespread disobedience to his Law, moral or ceremonial, or both. With ourselves it signifies one or more of three things.

1. A growing disregard, ending in an absolute indifference, or even denial,of God"s claims.

2. A serious and, in the end, a shameful violation of his moral Law; doingthat which is grievous in his sight and injurious to ourselves and our neighbours.

3. Gradual but growing declension after acquaintance with God; the heartallowing itself to become loosened from sacred ties and attaching itself to other objects separating itself from him and quitting his service.

II ITS PENALTY.

1. Divine displeasure. "Thou be angry with them." A moss serious and most deplorable thing it is to abide beneath the displeasure of our heavenly Father. The anger of love, the righteous anger of holy love, is ill to bear, indeed; it is a heavy weight upon the heart; it is a darkening of the life of man.

2. The triumph of our enemy. "And deliver them over before their enemies," etc. A sad thing it is for the human soul to be at the mercy of its enemy. Sin is a cruel enemy, and exacts a full penalty.

(1) How it robs us of our true treasure of our joy in God, of our gladness in his service, of our likeness to him, of the friendship of Jesus Christ, of the hope of eternal life!

(2) How it smites us with inward compunction, with a sense of our guiltiness and folly, with humiliation at our low estate 1

(3) How it degrades us bringing us down into captivity, so that we are no longer masters of ourselves, but are at the mercy of any tyrannous habit we may have contracted! We are in the land of the enemy; his bonds are upon our soul.

III OUR REPENTANCE AND RETURN.

1. Distress leads to thoughtfulness. "They bethink themselves." We "cometo ourselves", (Luk_15:17) as those who were created to consider and act reasonably; we weigh our condition and our prospects.

2. Thoughtfulness leads to self-rebuke. We reprove ourselves for our folly. We compare or contrast the present with the past, the land whither we have been "carried away captive" with the home of freedom and of sacred joy. We reproach ourselves with our guilt. We are pained and ashamed that we have left him, who is worthy of the riches of our strength, for all that is unworthy; him, to whom we owe everything, for that or for those to whom we owe nothing. We repent of our decision and our deed.

3. Repentance leads to return. We return unto God "with all our heart andwith all our soul." We come with confession; we say freely and sincerely, "We have sinned" (ver. 38). We come with consecration; we offer ourselves, our hearts and lives, unto God, that henceforth we may walk in his ways with a perfect heart. We come in faith; we have hope in his mercy, for we know what will be

IV HIS RECEPTION OF US. He will "forgive his people that have sinned against him" (ver. 39). He will cordially welcome; he will immediately and magnanimously restore C.. (see Luk_15:20-24)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

King Solomon continues praying.

Suppose they sin ... suppose that you are angry ... suppose they realize ... suppose that they repent ... Suppose that they say ... Suppose that they return ... suppose that they pray

When Solomon was speaking, these hypothetical situations had not happened, but Solomon knew that they might happen in the future. Use the form in your language for talking about events that have not happened but might happen in the future. (See: Hypothetical Situations)

hand them over to the enemy

Here "hand them over to the enemy" represents allowing the enemy to capture them. (See: Metaphor)

so that the enemy carries them away

Here "carries them away" represents forcing them to leave their own country. AT: "so that the enemy forces them to leave" (See: Metaphor)

where they have been exiled

This can be stated in active form. AT: "where their enemies have taken them as exiles" (See: Active or Passive)

seek favor from you

"beg you to be merciful to them"

We have acted perversely and sinned. We have behaved wickedly

These two sentences mean the same thing. Together they emphasize how bad the people's actions were. (See: Parallelism)

acted perversely and sinned

The words mean basically the same thing and emphasize how badly the people sinned. (See: Doublet)

they return to you

Here "return to you" represents submitting to Yahweh again. AT: "they submit to you again" (See: Metaphor)

with all their heart and with all their soul

The idioms "with all their heart" means "completely" and "with all their soul" means "with all their being." These two phrases have similar meanings. AT: "completely" (See: Idiom and Doublet)

where they took them as captives

"where their enemies took them as captives"

that they pray toward their land

This refers to Israel. Praying toward Israel would show that they were praying to Yahweh, the God of Israel. AT: "that they pray facing their land" (See: Symbolic Action)

toward the city that you chose

This refers to Jerusalem.

the house that I have built

Solomon speaks of commanding the people to build the temple and telling them how to do it as if he himself had built it. AT: "the house that your people have built under my leadership" or "the house that I and your people have built" (See: Synecdoche)

for your name

Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh's name represents himself. AT: "for you" or 2) Yahweh's name represents his reputation. AT: "for your reputation" (See: Metonymy)

to their prayer and to their requests

The words "prayer" and "requests" mean basically the same thing and emphasize that the people are sincere as they make their requests. AT: "their requests" (See: Doublet)

translationWords

sin

anger

captive

exile

repent

favor

perverse

evil

soul

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.