2 Chronicles – Chapter 7

Old Testament22 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles begins: "And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of…" The chapter centers on Solomon and David. Across its 22 verses, two threads run through the text: worship and praise and prayer. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house.

2Neither could the priests enter into the temple of the Lord, because the majesty of the Lord had filled the temple of the Lord.

3Moreover all the children of Israel saw the fire coming down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house: and falling down with their faces to the ground, upon the stone pavement, they adored and praised the Lord: because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.

4And the king and all the people sacrificed victims before the Lord.

5And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and one hundred and twenty thousand rams: and the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

6And the priests stood in their offices: and the Levites with the instruments of music of the Lord, which king David made to praise the Lord: because his mercy endureth for ever, singing the hymns of David by their ministry: and the priests sounded with trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

7Solomon also sanctified the middle of the court before the temple of the Lord: for he offered there the holocausts, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brazen altar, which he had made, could not hold the holocausts and the sacrifices and the fat:

8And Solomon kept the solemnity at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Emath to the torrent of Egypt.

9And he made on the eighth day a solemn assembly, because he had kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and had celebrated the solemnity seven days.

10So on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent away the people to their dwellings, joyful and glad for the good that the Lord had done to David, and to Solomon, and to all Israel his people.

11And Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that he had designed in his heart to do, in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, and he prospered.

12And the Lord appeared to him by night, and said: I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.

13If I shut up heaven, and there fall no rain, or if I give orders, and command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people:

14And my people, upon whom my name is called, being converted, shall make supplication to me, and seek out my face, and do penance for their most wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.

15My eyes also shall be open, and my ears attentive to the prayer of him that shall pray in this place.

16For I have chosen, and have sanctified this place, that my name may be there for ever, and my eyes and my heart may remain there perpetually.

17And as for thee, if thou walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and keep my justices and my judgments:

18I will raise up the throne of thy kingdom, as I promised to David thy father, saying: There shall not fail thee a man of thy stock to be ruler in Israel.

19But if you turn away, and forsake my justices, and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve strange gods, and adore them,

20I will pluck you up by the root out of my land which I have given you: and this house which I have sanctified to my name, I will cast away from before my face, and will make it a byword, and an example among all nations.

21And this house shall be for a proverb to all that pass by, and they shall be astonished and say: Why hath the Lord done thus to this land, and to this house?

22And they shall answer: Because they forsook the Lord the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on strange gods, and adored them, and worshipped them: therefore all these evils are come upon them.

Important Verses in 2 Chronicles 7

And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house.

2 Chronicles 7:1

And Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that he had designed in his heart to do, in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, and he prospered.

2 Chronicles 7:11

But if you turn away, and forsake my justices, and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve strange gods, and adore them,

2 Chronicles 7:19

And they shall answer: Because they forsook the Lord the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on strange gods, and adored them, and worshipped them: therefore all these evils are come upon them.

2 Chronicles 7:22

Historical Context

2 Chronicles belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the restored community, urged to keep worship pure and hearts humble. Chapter 7 of 36 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 22 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Solomon and David, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. It opens with the line: "And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the…" It concludes: "And they shall answer: Because they forsook the Lord the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of…" In terms of historical background, Second Chronicles spans from Solomon's Temple to the decree of Cyrus allowing the exiles to return home. The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: After the return from exile, around 400-350 BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Ezra ('the Chronicler')

When It Was Written

After the return from exile, around 400-350 BC

Catholic Commentary

In this 22-verse narrative, the sacred author records events that advance the story of Temple worship and Judah's kings. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the…" The passage repeatedly touches on worship and praise.

Catholic exegesis reads 2 Chronicles 7 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. the Temple liturgy prefigures the Church's worship (CIC 1093). St. John Chrysostom and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 2215).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • God invites His people to approach Him confidently in prayer, trusting that He hears and answers.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.

People in This Chapter

Solomon6 mentionsDavid5 mentions

Reflection for Today

Sacred Scripture presents 2 Chronicles Chapter 7 as a unique stage in salvation history, not merely as background to other books.

St. Irenaeus and other Fathers of the Church meditated on texts like this one, seeing in them instruction for the spiritual life. the Temple liturgy prefigures the Church's worship (CIC 1093). The passage calls believers to grasp that True worship requires a pure heart.

Let 2 Chronicles Chapter 7 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 2 Chronicles Chapter 7 about?

2 Chronicles 7 contains 22 verses. It opens with "And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the…" and closes with "And they shall answer: Because they forsook the Lord the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of…". The book as a whole is historical narrative.

What is a key verse in 2 Chronicles 7?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 2 Chronicles Chapter 7?

This chapter mentions Solomon, David.

Who wrote 2 Chronicles and when?

Traditionally attributed to Ezra ('the Chronicler'). After the return from exile, around 400-350 BC.

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