2 Chronicles 7:13 (YLT)

Passage

If I restrain the heavens and there is no rain, and if I lay charge on the locust to consume the land, and if I send pestilence among My people--

Nearby Context

2 Chronicles 7:11 And Solomon finisheth the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king; and all that hath come on the heart of Solomon to do in the house of Jehovah, and in his own house, he hath caused to prosper.

2 Chronicles 7:12 And Jehovah appeareth unto Solomon by night, and saith to him, `I have heard thy prayer, and have fixed on this place to Me for a house of sacrifice.

2 Chronicles 7:13 If I restrain the heavens and there is no rain, and if I lay charge on the locust to consume the land, and if I send pestilence among My people--

2 Chronicles 7:14 and My people on whom My name is called be humbled, and pray, and seek My face, and turn back from their evil ways, then I--I hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:15 `Now, Mine eyes are open, and Mine ears attentive, to the prayer of this place;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "restrain", "heavens", "charge", "locust", "consume", "land", and "send". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "restrain" and "heavens", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "And Jehovah appeareth unto Solomon by night..." into verse 14's "and My people on whom My name...", so "restrain" and "heavens" belong inside that flow. In 2 Chronicles context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "restrain" and "heavens" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.