15. You have kept your promise to my father David, your servant. With your words you made a promise. And with the work of your hands, you have made that promise come true today.
16. “Now, Lord, God of Israel, also keep this promise you made to my father David, your servant. You said, ‘David, you will always have someone from your family rule Israel. But this will happen only if they are careful to obey my teachings in everything they do. They must obey my teachings just as you have.’
17. Now, Lord, God of Israel, keep your promise. Let this promise to your servant David come true.
18. “But, God, can you really live here on the earth with people? Not even the highest of heavens can hold you. And this Temple I built cannot hold you.
19. But pay attention to my prayer and my cry for mercy. Lord my God, listen to my cry. Listen to the prayer I, your servant, pray to you.
20. I pray that you will watch over this Temple day and night. You said you would make this the place to worship you. I pray that you will hear my prayers when I pray facing this Temple.
21. Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel. Hear us when we pray facing this Temple. Hear from your home in heaven. And when you hear our prayers, forgive us.
22. “A person might do something wrong against someone else. The person who did the wrong will have to swear he is innocent. He will come to swear this before your altar in the Temple.
23. When he does this, listen from heaven and act. Judge your servants. Punish the one who did wrong. Make him suffer the same things he made others suffer. Prove that the person who has done right is innocent.
24. “An enemy might defeat your people Israel because they have sinned against you. Then the people of Israel will return to you and say you are God. They will pray and beg you for help in this Temple.
25. When this happens, listen from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people, the Israelites. Bring them back into the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26. “The sky might not let it rain because your people have sinned against you. Then they will pray, facing this Temple. They will say you are God. They will stop doing their sin because you are punishing them.
27. When that happens, then listen from heaven. Forgive the sins of your servants, the Israelites. Then teach them the right way to live. And send rain on your land. This is the land you gave your people as their own.
28. “There might be a time without food in the land. Or there might be terrible sicknesses, disease in the crops, mildew, locusts or grasshoppers. Or enemies might attack Israel’s cities. There might be a disaster in Israel.
29. Then one of your people, an Israelite, will pray or cry for help. Each person knows his own trouble and pain. He will spread his arms out, facing this Temple.
30. When that happens, then listen from heaven, your home. Forgive and treat each person as he should be treated. You know what is in his heart. (Only you know what is in a person’s heart.)