2 Chronicles 2:6
in 2 Chronicles 2But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before Him?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?
KJV
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 2
Commentary
6 notes on this verseSeeing the heaven and heaven of heavens - “For the lower heavens, the middle heavens, and the upper heavens cannot contain him, seeing he sustains all things by the arm of his power. Heaven is the throne of his glory, the earth his footstool; the deep, and the whole world, are sustained by the spirit of his Word, [ברוח מימריה beruach meqmereih]. Who am I, then, that I should build him a house?” - Targum.
This site's exposition
As thou didst deal with David my father
on 2 Chronicles 2:3-6
Solomon's letter to Huram opens on precedent, as thou didst deal with David my father, then states what the house is for: incense, shewbread, the morning and evening burnt offerings, sabbaths, new moons and the solemn feasts, an ordinance for ever to Israel. Then comes v6, the confession that the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him, so the house is only a place to burn sacrifice before him and not a residence in the pagan sense. Kings keeps that theology for Solomon's dedication prayer at the temple's completion (1 Ki 8:27); Chronicles moves it forward into the building request itself, so the king writing for cedar already says plainly what the cedar cannot hold.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Contain - When I speak of building an house for our great God, let none think I mean to comprehend God within it, for he is infinite. To sacrifice - To worship him there where he is graciously present.
But who is able to build him an house,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In opening the business, Solomon grounded his request for Tyrian aid on two reasons: 1. The temple he proposed to build must be a solid and permanent building because the worship was to be continued in perpetuity; and therefore the building materials must be of the most durable quality.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Save only to burn sacrifice before him - Solomon seems to mean that to build the temple can only be justified on the human - not on the divine - side. “God dwelleth not in temples made with hands;” He cannot be confined to them; He does in no sort need them. The sole reason for building a temple lies in the needs of man: his worship must he local; the sacrifices commanded in the Law had of necessity to be offered somewhere.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמִ֤י | umi | and who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יַעֲצָר־ | yaatzor- | will he retain | H6113 → | 47 times |
| כֹּ֙חַ֙ | koach | strength | H3581 → | 126 times |
| לִבְנֽוֹת־ | livnot- | to build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| ל֣וֹ | lo | for him | ||
| בַ֔יִת | vayit | a house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| כִּ֧י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וּשְׁמֵ֥י | ushemei | and [the] heavens of | H8064 → | 421 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּ | yekhalkeluhu | they will contain him | H3557 → | 38 times |
| וּמִ֤י | umi | and who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| אֲנִי֙ | ʾani | [am] I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֶבְנֶה־ | ʾevneh- | I will build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| לּ֣וֹ | lo | for him | ||
| בַ֔יִת | vayit | a house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| כִּ֖י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לְהַקְטִ֥יר | lehaktir | to make smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| לְפָנָֽיו׃ | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
וּמִ֤יand who?
umiH4310 →423 times
יַעֲצָר־will he retain
yaatzor-H6113 →47 times
כֹּ֙חַ֙strength
koachH3581 →126 times
לִבְנֽוֹת־to build
livnot-H1129 →376 times
ל֣וֹfor him
lo
בַ֔יִתa house
vayitH1004 →2046 times
כִּ֧יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וּשְׁמֵ֥יand [the] heavens of
ushemeiH8064 →421 times
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּthey will contain him
yekhalkeluhuH3557 →38 times
וּמִ֤יand who?
umiH4310 →423 times
אֲנִי֙[am] I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֶבְנֶה־I will build
ʾevneh-H1129 →376 times
לּ֣וֹfor him
lo
בַ֔יִתa house
vayitH1004 →2046 times
כִּ֖יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לְהַקְטִ֥ירto make smoke
lehaktirH6999 →116 times
לְפָנָֽיו׃<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 66:1This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
it leads to
- Acts 17:24
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:48–50
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
- Matthew 5:34–35
But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
- 1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- Psalms 132:7
Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool.
- Acts 17:24
Through
1 Kings 8:27But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:48–49
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
- Isaiah 66:1
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.