Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 6:40
Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Solomon concludes his temple dedication prayer after petitioning for God’s hearing and forgiveness in the preceding verse. He addresses God directly as the covenant keeper who dwells in heaven while the ark rests below.
The words — עֵינֶיךָ פְתֻחוֹת ('e.nekha pe.tu.cho.t) translates literally as "your eyes open," paired with אָזְנֶיךָ קַשּׁוּב֑וֹת ('a.zenekha ka.shu.vot), meaning "your ears attentive." The verb יִהְיוּ (yih.yu) functions as a jussive "let them be," framing the request as a formal petition rather than a declaration of fact.
The thread — The identical formula for divine attention appears in 2 Chronicles 7:15 and Nehemiah 1:6, where the same phrasing requests God’s focus on temple or personal supplication. Psalm 116:2 parallels the ear imagery but records only that God inclined His ear, lacking the paired eyes-open language.
Why it lands — The text explicitly asks God to direct His perception toward prayers offered in the temple, establishing prayer as an appeal for divine attention rather than a ritual guarantee. The reader must approach supplication with the expectation that God hears, while recognizing the petition itself acknowledges that attention is not automatic.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 7:15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
- Psalms 116:2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
- Nehemiah 1:6 let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.
- Psalms 17:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer—it comes from lips free of deceit.
- Nehemiah 1:11 O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
- Psalms 7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands,
- Psalms 13:3 Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,
- Psalms 22:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
- Psalms 31:2 Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.