Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest;(for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

2 CHRONICLES 6:30KJV
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2 Chronicles 6:30 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 6:30 mean?

2 Chronicles 6:30 asks God to hear prayers from heaven, to forgive people, and to give each person what is right based on their actions, because only God truly knows what is in every human heart. The verse highlights that God alone can see people’s true motives and inner thoughts, not just their outward behavior.

King Solomon is speaking during the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, praying publicly to God on behalf of the people of Israel. Solomon is asking God to respond with justice and mercy whenever anyone prays, because God alone knows the real intentions behind every person’s actions. This verse emphasizes God’s unique ability to judge fairly, since only God knows the true state of every human heart.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 6:30

  • "hear" (שָׁמַע, shamaʿ): This word means to listen or pay attention. Solomon is asking God to be attentive to prayers, not just to hear sounds but to respond with understanding.
  • "heart" (לֵבָב, levav): This word refers to the inner self, including thoughts, motives, and desires. The verse stresses that God knows the deepest parts of a person, not just their outward actions.
  • "forgive" (סָלַח, salach): This word means to pardon or remove guilt. Solomon is asking God to show mercy, recognizing that people will need forgiveness.
  • "render" (נָתַן, natan): This means to give or grant. Solomon asks God to give each person what is right, based on their ways and heart, showing God’s justice.

Why 2 Chronicles 6:30 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that outward actions alone are enough; it shows that God judges based on what is truly in a person’s heart, not just what they do.
  • It connects to the wider passage by showing Solomon’s understanding that the temple is not just a ritual place, but a place where people seek honest relationship with God, who knows them fully.
  • The verse highlights the balance between God’s justice ("render unto every man according unto all his ways") and mercy ("forgive"), which is a key theme in Solomon’s prayer.

Where else these words appear

“place” Hebrew H4349 · used in 17 verses

  • Exodus 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
  • Psalms 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

“forgive” Hebrew H5545 · used in 45 verses

  • Exodus 34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
  • Numbers 15:26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.