^8:35“The time will come when⁵⁶ the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people⁵⁷ sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,⁵⁸ and turn away from their sin because you punish⁵⁹ them, ^8:36then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly⁶⁰ you will then teach them the right way to live⁶¹ and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.⁶²

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Footnotes

56 Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 35–36a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
57 Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
58 Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
59 The Hebrew text has “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (té’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“to afflict”).
60 The translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense.
61 Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”
62 Or “for an inheritance.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When the skies are shut and there is no rain,

because they have sinned against you,

and they pray toward this place

and praise your name,

and they turn from their sins

because you are afflicting them,

may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your servants

and your people Israel,

so that you may teach them to

walk on the good way.

May you send rain on your land

that you gave your people for an inheritance.

NLTNew Living Translation

“If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

When you shut up the heavens so there is no rain because they have sinned against you, then they pray to this place and they confess your name and they return from their sin because you punished them, then you shall hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, for you will teach them the good way in which they should go, and you will give rain upon your land which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

KJV 1900King James Version

When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

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