1 Chronicles 17 6

1 Chronicles 17:6 kjv

Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?

1 Chronicles 17:6 nkjv

Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " '

1 Chronicles 17:6 niv

Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"?'

1 Chronicles 17:6 esv

In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'

1 Chronicles 17:6 nlt

Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel's leaders, the shepherds of my people. I have never asked them, "Why haven't you built me a beautiful cedar house?"'

1 Chronicles 17 verses

1 Chronicles 17 6 Meaning

In 1 Chronicles 17:6, the prophet Nathan conveys God's message to King David. God asserts that throughout the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the promised land, He never requested a permanent, lavish "house of cedar" from any of the leaders He appointed. Instead, His priority was to guide and provide for His people, represented by the command "to feed My people," highlighting His sustained presence with them and the spiritual sustenance they required from their leadership.

1 Chronicles 17 6 Context

1 Chronicles 17 takes place after King David has settled in Jerusalem and established his kingdom. Observing the ark of God residing in a tent while he lives in a "house of cedar" (17:1), David desires to build a grand temple for God. He consults with the prophet Nathan, who initially approves, but that very night, God speaks to Nathan with an important message for David. Verse 6 is part of God's oracle, where He emphatically states that throughout Israel's history, from the exodus and wilderness wanderings, He never commanded any of His appointed leaders (in 2 Samuel 7:7, the parallel passage, it specifies "tribes") to build Him a permanent temple. God's priority has always been His mobile presence with His people, and the faithful shepherding of their leaders. This rejection of David's architectural ambition sets the stage for God's counter-proposal: God will build David's "house"—a lasting dynasty—instead. The Chronicler’s audience, familiar with the temple, would grasp the irony and the significance of God's prior mobile presence, emphasizing the divine initiative in establishing both the Davidic dynasty and ultimately the Temple, as promised to Solomon.

1 Chronicles 17 6 Word analysis

• "In all the places where I have moved with all Israel,"
  • "moved" (הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי - hithallakhti): This Hebrew word denotes a walking, traveling, or being present. It vividly describes God's active, dynamic, and mobile presence with His people throughout their wilderness journey and subsequent settlement. This concept underscores God's personal involvement, not merely static dwelling. It implies God accompanying, guiding, and protecting Israel wherever they went, through the Tabernacle (mishkan - a dwelling place, often associated with walking and journeying).
• "have I spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel,"
  • "spoken a word": Implies a direct command or request from God. The absence of such a word highlights God's contentment with His current dwelling arrangement (the Tabernacle) and His priority being elsewhere.
  • "judges" (שֹׁפְטֵי - shoftey): In 1 Chronicles, this refers to the leaders who ruled Israel before the kingship, exercising both judicial and military authority. This term is distinct from the parallel passage in 2 Samuel 7:7, which uses "tribes" (שבטי - shivtei). The Chronicler’s choice of "judges" might emphasize God's direct appointed leaders throughout that period, reinforcing that none of the successive leadership received such a command. This period (Judges) was marked by instability, yet God’s care and leading persisted.
• "whom I commanded to feed My people,"
  • "commanded to feed" (לִרְעוֹת - lir'ot): This is from the root ra'ah (רָעָה), which primarily means "to shepherd," "to tend," "to pasture," or "to graze." It's an active, nurturing term that extends beyond merely providing food. It encompasses guiding, protecting, caring for, and providing for the holistic well-being of the flock. This highlights God's paramount concern for His people's spiritual and physical well-being, implying their leaders' primary duty was nurturing them, not building temples. God entrusted them with the people, not the construction of a material structure for Him.
• "saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’"
  • "house of cedar" (בֵּית אֲרָזִים - beit arazim): Cedar wood was expensive and highly prized for construction, symbolizing permanence, luxury, and prestige (Isa 9:10). David’s own palace was made of cedar (1 Chron 17:1). The question emphasizes the contrast between God’s humble, portable dwelling (the Tabernacle) and David’s magnificent palace, highlighting that God’s standard of dwelling is not determined by human material wealth or grandiosity. God is revealing His preference for relationship and mission over monumental structures.

1 Chronicles 17 6 Bonus section

• The Tabernacle as a Precedent: The Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary, was the designated place of God's dwelling among Israel for centuries before any thought of a permanent Temple. It served as a constant reminder of God's itinerate journey with His people, signifying His accessibility and adaptive presence, contrary to fixed, localized deities of surrounding nations.
• Focus on People over Structures: God's question serves as a rhetorical device to emphasize that His primary concern has always been the care and shepherding of His covenant people, not elaborate physical structures. This principle extends into the New Testament where believers collectively are described as "God's temple" (1 Cor 3:16) and "a spiritual house" (1 Pet 2:5), shifting the emphasis from stone and mortar to the living community of faith.
• Divine Initiative in Covenant: God's statement also reinforces His complete sovereignty and initiative in establishing covenants and divine institutions. David's desire was noble, but God retained the prerogative to dictate the terms of His worship and dwelling. This foreshadows God's initiative in the New Covenant, establishing His "house" through Christ, built not by human hands but by divine power (Heb 9:11).

1 Chronicles 17 6 Commentary

1 Chronicles 17:6 unveils a core truth about God's priorities and nature. While David's desire to build God a magnificent temple sprang from a good heart, God’s response redirects attention from architectural splendor to His steadfast presence and the welfare of His people. The verse explicitly states that God, who "moved with all Israel," never commanded His chosen leaders to construct a permanent house of cedar. His divine agenda throughout history was focused on "feeding," that is, shepherding and caring for His people, rather than establishing a fixed, opulent dwelling. This highlights God's transcendence—He is not contained by human structures—and His immanence—His willingness to be with and for His people in their journeys. It also gently rebukes any notion that God's approval or presence is contingent upon human achievements or impressive buildings. Rather, God Himself is the ultimate Builder of both nations and covenants, fulfilling His purposes on His own terms.