And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
the Lord
2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
1 Kings 9:2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
I have heard
2 Kings 20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
Psalm 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
Psalm 66:19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
have chosen
2 Chronicles 7:16 For 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.
Deuteronomy 12:5,11 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: …
Psalm 78:68,69 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved…
an house of sacrifice
2 Kings 2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
Deuteronomy 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
and said to him:
God's direct communication with Solomon highlights the king's role as a mediator between God and Israel. This divine dialogue is reminiscent of God's conversations with other key figures like Moses and David, establishing continuity in God's covenantal relationship with His people.
“I have heard your prayer
This assurance from God confirms that Solomon's dedication of the temple and his preceding prayer (2 Chronicles 6) were accepted. It reflects the biblical theme that God listens to the prayers of the righteous (Psalm 34:15, James 5:16) and responds to sincere petitions.
and have chosen this place for Myself
God's choice of the temple in Jerusalem as His dwelling place signifies His presence among His people. This selection fulfills the promise made to David regarding a permanent house for God's name (2 Samuel 7:13). It also foreshadows the New Testament concept of believers as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
as a house of sacrifice.
The temple's primary function as a place of sacrifice underscores the importance of atonement and worship in Israel's relationship with God. Sacrifices were central to the covenant, symbolizing repentance and reconciliation. This prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:10), fulfilling the sacrificial system and establishing a new covenant.
Solomon had just finished dedicating the temple when, “the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time” (1 Kings 9:2). Just as God had met Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:13) and Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:2–6), He now meets the king personally. This confirms that the Lord is not a distant deity but One who initiates relationship.
• God often speaks in the quiet hours—think of Samuel hearing his name before dawn (1 Samuel 3:3-10) or Joseph receiving direction in a dream (Matthew 1:20).
• Night visits underscore divine sovereignty; God chooses the moment when human activity ceases and His word cannot be mistaken for mere coincidence (Psalm 16:7).
The Almighty addresses Solomon directly, echoing His covenantal pattern: “The word of the LORD came” (Jeremiah 1:4). Personal speech conveys accountability and assurance—“My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27).
Solomon’s lengthy petition in 2 Chronicles 6 centered on God’s hearing from heaven. The Lord now answers, affirming, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are inclined to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). Prayer is not ritual; it moves the heart of God (James 5:16).
• God’s choice sets the Jerusalem temple apart, fulfilling Deuteronomy 12:5: “You are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose…to put His Name there.”
• Earlier, He told David, “I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there” (2 Chronicles 6:6), stressing divine prerogative rather than human ambition (Acts 17:24-25).
The temple would host daily offerings (Numbers 28:3-4), annual atonement (Leviticus 16:30) and festive worship (Psalm 118:27). Sacrifice teaches that sin requires substitutionary death (Hebrews 9:22) while foreshadowing Christ, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
2 Chronicles 7:12 shows God personally confirming Solomon’s prayer, selecting the temple as His earthly dwelling, and designating it for sacrificial worship. The verse highlights divine initiative, attentive hearing, covenantal choice, and the centrality of atonement—assuring believers today that the God who met Solomon still hears, chooses, and provides a way for fellowship through sacrifice, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
(12) By night.--This is implied in Kings, which has, "as He had appeared unto him in Gibeon."I have heard thy prayer.--From this point begins the chronicler's addition to the prayer as extant in the older text. Judging by the style, the added section must have formed an integral part of the original text, from which both the editor of Kings and the chronicler drew their narratives.
An house of sacrifice (beth z?bah).--A phrase occurring nowhere else in the Old Testament.
Verse 12. - See 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Kings 9:2; Deuteronomy 12:2, 3, 5-7, 11, 14; and, by turning to the last of these sets of references, the emphasis laid here upon the house as the house of sacrifice will be amply accounted for without supposing a rather premature aside as regards synagogues. Meantime, what a feature, manifestly, the sacrifices were!