The big picture
2 Chronicles 7 opens in verse 1 with “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD , and the king’s house: and all that came…”, and closes in verse 22 with “And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which…” Repeated or prominent terms include house, LORD, Solomon, people, David. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Chronicles · King James Version · 222 Chronicles 7:1-8
1–8: When Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven…
2 Chronicles 7:1–8 opens with “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the…” and reaches “Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 7 develops its own movement around house, LORD, Solomon, people, David, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, Solomon.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the…” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD : for there he offered burnt…” Naming Solomon and Moreover keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 7:1-8
King James Version1Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
2And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD , because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house.
3And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD , saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD .
5And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
6And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD , which David the king had made to praise the LORD , because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
7Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD : for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
8Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.
2 Chronicles 7:9-16
9–16: In the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the…
2 Chronicles 7:9–16 opens with “And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar…” and reaches “For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 7 develops its own movement around house, LORD, Solomon, people, David, with particular weight carried by house, LORD, people.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD , and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in…” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence…” The line’s distinctive content terms include command, devour, heaven. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.
2 Chronicles 7:9-16
King James Version9And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
10And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
11Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD , and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the LORD , and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12And 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.
13If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
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 Chronicles 7:17-22
17–22: As for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked…
2 Chronicles 7:17–22 opens with “And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to…” and reaches “And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 7 develops its own movement around house, LORD, Solomon, people, David, with particular weight carried by house, land, David.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
2 Chronicles 7:17-22
King James Version17And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Chronicles 7:1 begins with “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD…”
Where the chapter turns
2 Chronicles 7:15 forms a natural hinge: “Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”
The final note
2 Chronicles 7:22 leaves the reader with “And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words house, LORD, Solomon, people, David, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What links this event with creation?
Waters overwhelm the inhabited world, reversing the separations that made life possible.
What details show continuity rather than total abandonment?
The named household and preserved kinds of living creatures survive within the ark.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.