Sin inevitably leads to consequences, but God’s mercy awaits the repentant heart.
Solomon continues his prayer by acknowledging the inevitability of human error, saying, “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin), and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to a land far off or near” (v.36). This declaration reflects Solomon’s understanding that sin is part of the human condition. No one in Israel, or in any era of history, is immune from failing to uphold God’s commands (Romans 3:23). Solomon, who lived from around 970 B.C. to 930 B.C., humbly concedes that everyone is susceptible to missteps and is dependent upon God’s mercy.
The verse also indicates the consequences of disobedience, highlighting that the LORD might allow Israel’s enemies to gain an advantage and carry the people away to a foreign land as a direct result of their sin. Historically, this would occur more than once—it happened later under the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, when many Israelites were forced from their homeland. Geographically, this pointed to regions such as Assyria (northeast of the kingdom of Israel) and Babylon (further east of Assyria), far from Jerusalem in the land of Judah. Jerusalem itself, located in the southern portion of Israel, served as the nation’s spiritual center, now housing the Temple Solomon built for the LORD.
By impressing on the people that sin inevitably leads to tragic consequences—such as captivity far from their beloved homeland—Solomon calls them, and by extension all of God’s people, to remain faithful in their covenant and dependence on the LORD. This foreshadows the New Testament emphasis that we are all in need of a Savior (1 John 1:9), pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.
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2 Chronicles 6:36 meaning
Solomon continues his prayer by acknowledging the inevitability of human error, saying, “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin), and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to a land far off or near” (v.36). This declaration reflects Solomon’s understanding that sin is part of the human condition. No one in Israel, or in any era of history, is immune from failing to uphold God’s commands (Romans 3:23). Solomon, who lived from around 970 B.C. to 930 B.C., humbly concedes that everyone is susceptible to missteps and is dependent upon God’s mercy.
The verse also indicates the consequences of disobedience, highlighting that the LORD might allow Israel’s enemies to gain an advantage and carry the people away to a foreign land as a direct result of their sin. Historically, this would occur more than once—it happened later under the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, when many Israelites were forced from their homeland. Geographically, this pointed to regions such as Assyria (northeast of the kingdom of Israel) and Babylon (further east of Assyria), far from Jerusalem in the land of Judah. Jerusalem itself, located in the southern portion of Israel, served as the nation’s spiritual center, now housing the Temple Solomon built for the LORD.
By impressing on the people that sin inevitably leads to tragic consequences—such as captivity far from their beloved homeland—Solomon calls them, and by extension all of God’s people, to remain faithful in their covenant and dependence on the LORD. This foreshadows the New Testament emphasis that we are all in need of a Savior (1 John 1:9), pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.