1 Chronicles 29 14

1 Chronicles 29:14 kjv

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

1 Chronicles 29:14 nkjv

But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.

1 Chronicles 29:14 niv

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

1 Chronicles 29:14 esv

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

1 Chronicles 29:14 nlt

But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!

1 Chronicles 29 verses

1 Chronicles 29 14 Meaning

David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:14 expresses profound humility and acknowledges God’s absolute sovereignty and ownership over all things. It highlights that the ability to offer generous gifts for the temple, and the very willingness to do so, originate from God Himself. The verse asserts that human "giving" to God is not a contribution from our own resources, but rather a grateful return of what He has already provided. It fundamentally transforms giving from an act of human generosity to a recognition of divine proprietorship and provision.

1 Chronicles 29 14 Context

1 Chronicles 29:14 is part of David's prayer of thanksgiving following the people's incredibly generous contributions for the construction of the Temple. In chapters 28 and early 29, David has gathered the leaders of Israel, entrusted Solomon with the temple-building project, and encouraged the people to contribute willingly. The response was an overwhelming outpouring of wealth (gold, silver, bronze, iron, precious stones, marble) from the leaders and the common people alike, all given with joyful willingness (v. 9). This verse directly follows David's joyous declaration of God's greatness and acknowledges the miraculous nature of such willing and abundant giving. Historically, it is set near the end of David's reign, marking a transition from David's preparation to Solomon's construction, and highlighting the covenantal blessings upon Israel. Theologically, it stands in stark contrast to pagan worldviews where deities might be appeased by offerings derived solely from human effort or natural resources; instead, David unequivocally asserts that God is the source of all resources, and the very desire to give them back.

1 Chronicles 29 14 Word analysis

• "But who am I," (וּמִי אֲנִי - u-mi ani): Literally, "And who I." This phrase conveys profound humility and a sense of personal unworthiness or insignificance before God's majesty. It echoes earlier instances of biblical figures expressing self-abasement in God's presence, highlighting the vast gap between finite humanity and infinite Deity.
• "and what is my people," (וּמִי עַמִּי - u-mi ammi): "And who my people." David extends this sentiment of humility to the entire nation of Israel. It implies that neither David nor his people possess any inherent greatness, status, or wealth that could truly impress or add anything to God. Their standing, privilege, and even ability to contribute are seen as entirely gifts from God.
• "that we should be able" (כִּי־נַעְצֹר - ki-na'tsor): From the root ’atsar, meaning "to retain," "to hold in," or "to have power/ability." This signifies that the capacity to make such an immense, willing offering is not an inherent human strength or resource, but an imparted ability, an act of divine enablement. It suggests that without God's gracious intervention, they would lack both the means and the disposition.
• "thus to offer willingly?" (לְהִתְנַדֵּב כָּזֹאת - lehitnadev kazot): Hitnadev is the Hithpael form of nadav, meaning "to make a freewill offering," "to give generously," or "to volunteer." It emphasizes the spontaneity, heartfelt desire, and freedom from compulsion in their giving. Kazot ("like this") refers to the vast quantity and quality of the gifts previously mentioned, highlighting the astonishing generosity. The combination implies that the ability and the desire for such exceptional willing generosity are divinely empowered.
• "For all things come from You," (כִּי מִמְּךָ הַכֹּל - ki mimmeḵa hakol): Literally, "For from You (is) the all." This is the foundational theological statement. Hakol means "everything" or "the entirety." It asserts God as the sole and ultimate source of every good thing, material possessions included. There is nothing that originates independently of Him.
• "and of Your own" (וּמִיָּדְךָ - u-miyadekha): Literally, "and from Your hand." This is a common Hebrew idiom indicating ownership, control, or origin. It vividly portrays resources as having passed through God's hand to humanity. What humans "possess" is not truly "theirs" in an ultimate sense, but is rather what God has entrusted to their stewardship.
• "have we given You." (נָתַנּוּ לָךְ - natanu lakh): "We have given to You." This acknowledges the physical act of transferring the offerings. However, juxtaposed with "of Your own," it clarifies that this "giving" is fundamentally an act of returning, an acknowledgment of God’s ultimate proprietorship rather than a contribution of independent human wealth. It redefines human generosity as proper stewardship within a relationship of dependence on God.

Words-group by Words-group analysis:

• "But who am I, and what is my people,": This rhetorical question establishes radical humility. It dismantles any notion of human self-sufficiency or inherent worthiness to be associated with such a divine enterprise as building God's temple. It foregrounds God’s greatness by contrasting it with human smallness.
• "that we should be able thus to offer willingly?": This phrase underscores that both the capacity to gather such immense wealth and the willing disposition to give it freely are divine gifts. It is not a credit to human ingenuity, power, or goodness, but to God's enabling grace that allows His people to participate in His work and joyfully do so.
• "For all things come from You, and of Your own have we given You.": This declaration is the theological bedrock of the entire prayer and of biblical stewardship. It directly states God's ultimate ownership (all things come from You) and frames human giving as a faithful return of His resources (of Your own have we given You). This transforms the act of giving into an act of worship and a recognition of truth, moving beyond a transactional view of religious donation.

1 Chronicles 29 14 Bonus section

The profound declaration in this verse establishes the foundational principle of biblical stewardship: we are not owners but managers of God's resources. This concept extends beyond finances to time, talents, abilities, and even life itself. David’s prayer is not merely a polite religious acknowledgment but a deep theological statement that refutes any pagan notion that human efforts or gifts are what sustain or appease God. It counters the idea that humanity can create independent value or that wealth is a mark of independent human achievement. Instead, true prosperity and generosity are blessings enabled and supplied by God. The prayer also provides an invaluable template for thanksgiving and offering in any generation, shifting the focus from the human act of giving to the divine source of all things.

1 Chronicles 29 14 Commentary

1 Chronicles 29:14 encapsulates a profound theological truth about God's absolute sovereignty and humanity's proper response. David's humility in acknowledging his and his people's utter dependence on God is striking, particularly given the immense wealth gathered and his position as king. He does not credit himself or Israel's prosperity or diligence for the successful fundraising; rather, he attributes the very ability and desire to give back to God alone. This verse fundamentally reshapes the understanding of material possessions and generosity. It asserts that there is no independent human wealth; all resources originate from God's hand. Therefore, when humanity "gives" to God, it is not enriching Him (for He lacks nothing), nor is it a meritorious contribution from our own acquired wealth. Instead, it is an act of grateful stewardship, a recognition of His divine proprietorship, and a joy-filled returning of what was always His to begin with. This perspective fosters humility, true worship, and frees one from pride in giving or anxiety about lacking. It reminds believers that faithful giving is a privilege and an expression of one's core understanding of God's character and their place within His creation.

• Example for practical usage: A believer who just received a promotion and salary increase might dedicate a portion of it to ministry, echoing David's sentiment, "This increase, even my very ability to earn it, came from You, Lord; and it is from Your own bounty that I return this to You."
• Example for practical usage: A church deciding on a large building project might acknowledge that the community's giving potential, and their willing hearts, are not inherent but granted by God.