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

4I want to build the temple for the name of the Lord my God. I want to dedicate it to him, burn sweet-smelling incense in his presence, and have rows of bread there continually. I want to ⌞sacrifice⌟ burnt offerings every morning and evening, on weekly days of rest—holy days, New Moon Festivals, and during the annual festivals appointed by the Lord our God. (⌞These festivals⌟ are always to be celebrated by Israel.) 5The temple I am building will be great because our God is greater than all other gods. But who is able to build him a temple when heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold him? Who am I to build him a temple except as a place to sacrifice in his presence? 7“Send me a man who has the skill to work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron as well as purple, dark red, and violet cloth. He should know how to make engravings with the skilled men whom my father David provided for me in Judah and Jerusalem. 8Send me cedar, cypress, and sandalwood from Lebanon. I know that your servants are skilled Lebanese lumberjacks. My workers will work with your workers.

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“Does God really live on earth with people? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you, then how can this temple that I have built?
• 1 Kings 8:27“Does God really live on earth? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you, then how can this temple that I have built?
• Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne. The earth is my footstool. Where can you build a house or resting place for me?
• Acts 7:48“However, the Most High doesn’t live in a house built by humans, as the prophet says:
• 2 Chronicles 1:10Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”
• Exodus 3:11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
• 2 Samuel 7:18King David went into the tent and sat in front of the Lord. “Who am I, Almighty Lord,” he asked, “and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far?
• 1 Chronicles 29:14But who am I and who are my people that you enable us to give so generously? Everything comes from you. We give you only what has come from your hands.
• 2 Corinthians 2:16To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance. Who is qualified to tell about Christ?
• Ephesians 3:8I am the least of all God’s people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish.
• Deuteronomy 12:5The Lord your God will choose a place out of all your tribes to live and put his name. Go there and 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