^6:26“The time will come when³⁸ the skies³⁹ are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people⁴⁰ sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,⁴¹ and turn away from their sin because you punish⁴² them, ^6:27then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly⁴³ you will then teach them the right way to live⁴⁴ and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.⁴⁵

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Footnotes

38 Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 26–27a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
39 Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
40 Heb “they.”
41 Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
42 The Hebrew text reads “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “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 (“afflict”).
43 The present translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense (“Certainly”). Other translation have “indeed” (), “when” (), “so” (), or leave the word untranslated ().
44 Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”
45 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 the good way

they should walk in.

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 the heavens are stopped up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you and they pray to this place and confess your name and turn back from their sin when you humble them, then may you yourself hear from the heavens and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and give rain upon your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance.

KJV 1900King James Version

When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them; 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.

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