Berean Standard Bible
2 Chronicles 2:6
6But 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?
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
4Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever. 5The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But 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? 7Send me, therefore, a craftsman skilled in engraving to work with gold and silver, with bronze and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with my craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. 8Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill to cut timber there. And indeed, my servants will work with yours
Read all of 2 Chronicles 22 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
- But whoמִיmîy · who?H4310
- is ableעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
- is ableכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
- to buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- a houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- sinceכִּיkîy · forH3588
- the heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- contain Himכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
- am Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- exceptכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
- except[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
- to burn sacrificesקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999
- before Himפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 2:6
- 2 Chronicles 6:18But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- 1 Kings 8:27But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- 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?
- Acts 7:48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
- 2 Chronicles 1:10Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- Exodus 3:11But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
- 2 Samuel 7:18Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
- 1 Chronicles 29:14But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.
- 2 Corinthians 2:16To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Deuteronomy 12:5Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
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
In the dictionaries
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries