New King James Version
2 Chronicles 6:18
18“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!
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 Living Translation (NLT)“But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!
Context of 2 Chronicles 6:18
16Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17And now, O Lord God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David. “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! 19Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You: 20that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes 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 children of Israel and will be their God.
- 1 Kings 8:27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
- Psalms 68:18You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the Lord God might dwell there.
- Psalms 113:5Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high,
- Isaiah 57:15For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Isaiah 66:1Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
- Acts 7:48“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
- Acts 17:24“God, who made 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 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?
- Psalms 139:7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
- Jeremiah 23:24Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not 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 whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
- 2 Chronicles 32:15Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ”
- Job 4:19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth?
- Job 9:14“How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him?
- Job 25:4How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries