Amplified Bible
2 Chronicles 6:18
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!
2 Chronicles 6:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
- New International Version (NIV)“But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
- English Standard Version (ESV)"But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!
- New King James Version (NKJV)“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
Context of 2 Chronicles 6:18
16Now therefore, O Lord, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David, my father, that which You promised him, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, provided your sons are careful to walk in My law as you, [David,] have walked before Me.’ 17Now then, O Lord, the God of Israel, let Your word which You have spoken to Your servant David be confirmed (verified). “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! 19Yet have regard for the prayer of Your servant and for his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You, 20that Your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place in which You have said that You would put Your Name (Presence), to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 62 Chronicles 6:18 word by word
כִּ֚י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם יֵשֵׁ֧ב אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָדָ֖ם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הִ֠נֵּה שָׁמַ֜יִם וּשְׁמֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ אַ֕ף כִּֽי־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But will Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- in very deedאֻמְנָם'ûmnâm · trulyH552
- dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- with menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- on the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- behold, heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- cannot containכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
- thee; how much less this houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- which I have builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 6:18
- Exodus 29:45I will dwell among the sons of Israel and be their God.
- 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!
- Psalms 68:18You have ascended on high, You have led away captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell there.
- Psalms 113:5Who is like the Lord our God, Who is enthroned on high,
- Isaiah 57:15For the high and exalted One He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this, “I dwell on the high and holy place, But also with the contrite and humble in spirit In order to revive the spirit of the humble And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].
- 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,
- Acts 17:24The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
- 2 Chronicles 2:6But 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?
- Psalms 139:7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
- Jeremiah 23:24“Can anyone hide himself in secret places So that I cannot see him?” says the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 12:2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
- 2 Chronicles 32:15So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand!’ ”
- Job 4:19How much more [will He blame and charge] those who dwell in houses (bodies) of clay, Whose foundations are in the dust, Who are crushed like a moth.
- Job 9:14How can I answer Him [and plead my case], Choosing my words [to reason] with Him?
- Job 25:4How then can man be justified and righteous with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be pure and clean?
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 6:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18But will God in very deed dwell with men - "But who could have imagined, who could have thought it credible, that God should place his majesty among men dwelling upon earth? Behold, the highest heavens, the middle heavens, and the lowest heavens, cannot bear the glory of thy majesty, (for thou art the God who sustainest all the heavens, and the earth, and the deep, and all that is in them), nor can this house which I have built contain Thee." - Targum.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-39Verses 1-39 Compare Kings (marginal references). Compare Kings (marginal references).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18even the highest heavens, cannot contain You: All creation is like God's true temple, the palace of the divine king (see Isaiah 66:1–2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2118-21. how much less this house which I have built! Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant--No person who entertains just and exalted views of the spiritual nature of the Divine Being will suppose that he can raise a temple for the habitation of Deity, as a man builds a house for himself. Nearly as improper and inadmissible is the idea that a temple can contribute to enhance the glory of God, as a monument may be raised in honor of a great…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 6:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 6
- 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
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