Tree of Life Version
2 Chronicles 2:6
6“So now, send me a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with the skilled men who are with me, whom my father David provided.
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
4“The House that I am about to build will be great, because our God is greater than all the gods. 5But who is able to build Him a House, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I that I should build Him a House—except to burn incense before Him? “So now, send me a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with the skilled men who are with me, whom my father David provided. 7Send me also cedar, evergreen and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber in Lebanon. Indeed my servants will work with yours 8to prepare an abundance of timber for me, because the House that I am about to build will be large and magnificent.
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
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 indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold—heaven even the highest heaven—cannot contain You. How much less this House that I have built!
- 1 Kings 8:27So will God really dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You! How much less this House that I have built!
- Isaiah 66:1Thus says Adonai: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is the House you would build for Me? Where is the place of My rest?
- Acts 7:48However, Elyon does not dwell in man-made houses. As the prophet says,
- 2 Chronicles 1:10Now give me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people. For who can govern this great people of Yours?”
- Exodus 3:11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring Bnei-Yisrael out of Egypt?”
- 2 Samuel 7:18Then King David went in and sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, my Lord Adonai, and what is my 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 so willingly as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You.
- 2 Corinthians 2:16to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. Who is competent for these things?
- Ephesians 3:8This favor was given to me, the very least of His kedoshim, to proclaim to the Gentiles the endless riches of the Messiah
- Deuteronomy 12:5Rather you are to seek only the place Adonai your God chooses from all your tribes to put His Name to dwell—there you will come.
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
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