2 Tawarikh 20:7-9

20:7 Our God, you drove out ¹  the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession ²  to the descendants of your friend ³  Abraham. 20:8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple ⁴  to honor you, ⁵  saying, 20:9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack, ⁶  judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple. ⁷  We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will ⁸  hear and deliver us.’

[20:7]  ¹ tn Heb “did you not drive out?” This is another rhetorical question which expects a positive response; see the note on the word “heaven” in the previous verse.

[20:7]  ² tn Heb “permanently.”

[20:7]  ³ tn Or perhaps “your covenantal partner.” See Isa 41:8.

[20:8]  ⁴ tn Or “sanctuary.”

[20:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “for your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “to honor you”).

[20:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “sword.”

[20:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “for your name is in this house.” The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. In this case the temple is referred to as a “house” where the Lord himself can reside.

[20:9]  ⁸ tn Or “so that you may.”