2 Chronicles 7:3
in 2 Chronicles 7When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto Jehovah, saying, For he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
KJV
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
⋯
This verse in 2 Chronicles 7
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWhen he manifests himself as a consuming fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their light. Nay, they had reason to say that in this God was good. " It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we are bound to be very thankful." 2. The king and all the people offered sacrifices in abundance,
This site's exposition
they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground
When the fire and the glory answer the king, the people bow. They answer in words already old, “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever”. David set that refrain going at 1 Chronicles 16:34 and appointed Heman, Jeduthun and others to sing it at 16:41.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
With their faces - Thus expressing their awful dread of the Divine Majesty, their chearful submission to the Divine authority, and the sense they had of their utter unworthiness to enter into his presence. Upon - The cloud first came down upon the house, and then entered into the house, and was seen both within it by the priests, and without it by the people.
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,....
By that token of God's acceptance they were encouraged to continue the solemnities of the feast for fourteen days, and Solomon was encouraged to pursue all his designs for the honour of God,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
all the children of Israel . . . bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement--This form of prostration (that of lying on one's knees with the forehead touching the earth), is the manner in which the Hebrews, and Orientals in general, express the most profound sentiments of reverence and humility.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכֹ֣ל׀ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| רֹאִים֙ | roim | [were] seeing | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בְּרֶ֣דֶת | beredet | when came down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| הָאֵ֔שׁ | haesh | the fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| וּכְב֥וֹד | ukhevod | and [the] glory of | H3519 → | 200 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַבָּ֑יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַיִּכְרְעוּ֩ | vaiyikhreu | and they bowed down | H3766 → | |
| אַפַּ֨יִם | ʾapayim | face | H639 → | 276 times |
| אַ֤רְצָה | ʾartzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָרִֽצְפָה֙ | haritzfah | the pavement | H7531 → | |
| וַיִּֽשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ | vaiyishtachavu | and they bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| וְהוֹד֤וֹת | vehodot | and to give thanks | H3034 → | 114 times |
| לַיהוָה֙ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ט֔וֹב | tov | [he is] good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֖ם | leolam | [is] for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
וְכֹ֣ל׀and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
רֹאִים֙[were] seeing
roimH7200 →1300 times
בְּרֶ֣דֶתwhen came down
beredetH3381 →381 times
הָאֵ֔שׁthe fire
haeshH784 →378 times
וּכְב֥וֹדand [the] glory of
ukhevodH3519 →200 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַל־[was] over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַבָּ֑יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
וַיִּכְרְעוּ֩and they bowed down
vaiyikhreuH3766 →
אַפַּ֨יִםface
ʾapayimH639 →276 times
אַ֤רְצָה[the] ground towards
ʾartzahH776 →2504 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָרִֽצְפָה֙the pavement
haritzfahH7531 →
וַיִּֽשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּand they bowed down
vaiyishtachavuH7812 →172 times
וְהוֹד֤וֹתand to give thanks
vehodotH3034 →114 times
לַיהוָה֙to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
ט֔וֹב[he is] good
tovH2896 →538 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְעוֹלָ֖ם[is] for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃covenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 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
Ezra 3:11And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 106:1
Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 16:34
Through
2 Chronicles 20:21Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks…
it leads to
- Psalms 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 107:1
Through
Luke 1:50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
it leads to
- Psalms 103:17–18
But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—
- Exodus 20:6
but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Genesis 17:7
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
- Psalms 118:4
Let those who fear the LORD say, “His loving devotion endures forever.”
- Exodus 34:6–7
Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
- Psalms 103:17–18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.