2 Chronicles 2:6

2 Chronicles 2:6 in other versions

• King James Version (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?
• New International Version (NIV)But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?
• English Standard Version (ESV)But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?
• New King James Version (NKJV)But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?

Context of 2 Chronicles 2:6

4Observe, I am about to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, dedicated to Him, to burn fragrant incense [of sweet spices] before Him, to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the festivals of the Lord our God, as ordained forever in Israel. 5The house I am going to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods. But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and [even] the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except [as a place] to burn incense before Him? 7Now send me a man who is skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, and who knows how to make engravings, to work with the skilled men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And indeed my servants will work with your servants

2 Chronicles 2:6 word by word

וּמִ֤י יַעֲצָר־כֹּ֙חַ֙ לִבְנֽוֹת־ל֣וֹ בַ֔יִת כִּ֧י הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וּשְׁמֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּ וּמִ֤י אֲנִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶבְנֶה־לּ֣וֹ בַ֔יִת כִּ֖י אִם־לְהַקְטִ֥יר לְפָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But who is ableכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• But who is ableעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
• to buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• him an houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• seeing the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• cannot containכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
• save only[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
• to burn sacrificeקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 2:6

• 2 Chronicles 6:18“But will God actually dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!
• 1 Kings 8:27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!
• Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where, then, is a house that you could build for Me? And where will My resting place be?
• Acts 7:48However, the Most High [the One infinitely exalted above humanity] does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet [Isaiah] says,
• 2 Chronicles 1:10Give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in [performing my duties] before this people, for [otherwise] who can rule and administer justice to this great people of Yours?”
• Exodus 3:11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
• 2 Samuel 7:18Then King David went in and sat [in prayer] before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house (family), that You have brought me this far?
• 1 Chronicles 29:14“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.
• 2 Corinthians 2:16to the latter one an aroma from death to death [a fatal, offensive odor], but to the other an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is adequate and sufficiently qualified for these things?
• Ephesians 3:8To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],
• Deuteronomy 12:5But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to establish His Name there for His dwelling [place], and there you shall come [to worship Him].

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 2:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Seeing 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, [מימריה ברוח beruach meqmereih ]. Who am I, then, that I should build him a house?" - Targum. Save only to burn sacrifice - It is not under the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Save 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.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6The house...will be great: The temple's greatness and God's greatness are different. Even the highest heavens cannot contain God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. Solomon sent to Huram--The correspondence was probably conducted on both sides in writing (2Ch 2:11; also see on 1Ki 5:8). As thou didst deal with David my father--This would seem decisive of the question whether the Huram then reigning in Tyre was David's friend (see on 1Ki 5:1-6). 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 2:6

• God Continued...
• Heaven
• Hiram
• Humility
• Liberality
• Temple
• Tyre

In the dictionaries

• Cut
• Graving
• Solomon
• Omnipresence
• Silver
• Temple

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings