2 Chronicles 2:6 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?
2 Chronicles 2:6 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?
2 Chronicles 2:6 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?
2 Chronicles 2:6 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?
2 Chronicles 2:6 nlt
But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?
2 Chronicles 2 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 8:27 | "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven...cannot contain You." | Solomon's parallel prayer emphasizing God's transcendence. |
| Isa 66:1-2 | "Heaven is My throne...What kind of house would you build for Me?" | God declares His independence from man-made structures. |
| Acts 7:48-50 | "However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands..." | Stephen's sermon reiterating God's transcendence. |
| Acts 17:24 | "The God who made the world...does not dwell in temples made with hands." | Paul's sermon asserting God's omnipresence over localized worship. |
| Jer 23:23-24 | "Am I a God at hand...and not a God afar off? Do I not fill heaven and earth?" | God's omnipresence and inability to be limited. |
| Psa 139:7-10 | "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?" | God's omnipresence and uncontainable nature. |
| 2 Sam 7:5-7 | "Would you build Me a house to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house..." | God's rejection of a house before it was His timing. |
| 1 Chr 17:4-6 | (Parallel to 2 Sam 7) | God does not require a dwelling. |
| Deut 12:11 | "But at the place which the LORD your God will choose...there you shall bring all..." | God's presence connected to "His Name" rather than confinement. |
| Exod 25:8 | "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." | Distinction: God dwells among His people, not in the structure itself. |
| Exod 29:43-46 | "I will meet with the children of Israel, and...I will dwell among the children of Israel." | The tabernacle/temple as a meeting place, not a container. |
| Mal 3:1 | "Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple..." | Prophecy of Christ's visitation, spiritual presence. |
| John 4:21-24 | "The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father..." | True worship is in spirit and truth, not confined to physical places. |
| Rev 21:22 | "I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." | Ultimate fulfillment where God's presence replaces any physical structure. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets...a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." | Believers as the New Testament spiritual temple. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" | Individual believers and the church collectively are God's dwelling. |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | "For we are the temple of the living God..." | Christian believers as the current spiritual temple. |
| Lev 1:1-2 | "from the tent of meeting, 'Speak to the people of Israel...if anyone of you brings an offering...'" | The temple as the site for prescribed offerings and divine interaction. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | "For since the law has but a shadow...it can never...make perfect those who draw near." | The limitations of the Old Testament sacrificial system. |
| Rom 12:1 | "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God..." | New Testament concept of spiritual sacrifice. |
| Psa 115:3 | "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." | God's absolute sovereignty and unbound nature. |
| Isa 57:15 | "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity...and also with him who has a contrite and humble spirit..." | God dwells both in transcendent glory and with the humble heart. |
2 Chronicles 2 verses
2 Chronicles 2 6 Meaning
2 Chronicles 2:6, spoken by King Solomon, expresses a profound theological truth about the uncontainable nature of God. It acknowledges that even the entirety of the heavens cannot fully encompass the divine presence. Therefore, the temple he is building is not a dwelling to confine God, but rather a dedicated, sacred space where humans can humble themselves before His immense glory, offer worship, and present sacrifices as commanded. It is a place of communion and reverence, reflecting humanity's humble yet vital role in acknowledging and worshipping a transcendent deity.
2 Chronicles 2 6 Context
2 Chronicles chapter 2 recounts King Solomon's preparations for building the Temple in Jerusalem. Having previously stated his intention to build a house for the Name of the Lord (2 Chr 2:1), Solomon initiates correspondence with Hiram, King of Tyre, requesting resources, skilled craftsmen (specifically an artisan for gold, silver, bronze, iron, purple, crimson, and blue materials), and cedar logs from Lebanon. Verse 6, though directed to Hiram, is a theological preamble, articulating Solomon's profound understanding of the God he intends to honor with this structure. Historically, building a magnificent temple was common for rulers in the ancient Near East to honor their deities, but Solomon clarifies that the Israelite Temple serves a unique purpose for a unique God who transcends all created bounds, setting a crucial theological foundation for the grand architectural project.
2 Chronicles 2 6 Word analysis
- But who is able to build him a house: Solomon's rhetorical question underscores the audacity and the seemingly impossible task of constructing a dwelling for an infinite God. It expresses humility and a deep sense of unworthiness, despite being divinely commissioned for the task.
- seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him?: This phrase (שמים ושמי השמים - shamayim u-shemey ha-shamayim) is a Hebrew idiom of emphasis known as a merism, meaning the totality of the heavens, or indeed, the entire cosmos in its widest possible extent. It powerfully communicates God's transcendence, omnipresence, and infinitude, affirming that God is greater than all creation and cannot be limited or encompassed by any physical space, no matter how vast or grand. "Contain him" (כלכלו - khalkelow) highlights the concept of confinement, which is impossible for the Almighty. This statement stands in stark contrast to pagan deities believed to be limited to their cultic statues or local temples, thus carrying an indirect polemic against contemporary pagan beliefs.
- who am I then: (מִ֨י אָ֔נִי - mi aniy) A profound expression of Solomon's self-abasement and awe before the magnitude of God's being. It echoes sentiments of other biblical figures overwhelmed by God's majesty (e.g., Job 42:6, Isa 6:5).
- that I should build him a house: Reinforces the humility, acknowledging the vast gap between human finite capacity and divine infinitude.
- save only for a place to burn sacrifice before him?: (כִּ֣י אִם־לְהַקְטִ֖יר לְפָנָֽיו - ki im-lehaqtir lefanav) This defines the temple's true purpose. It's not God's dwelling place in a confined sense, but a designated sacred space (מָקוֹם - makom) where God’s presence would manifest, enabling people to offer worship, prayer, and "burn sacrifice" (להקטיר - lehaqtir, often refers to burning incense or offerings). "Before him" (לְפָנָיו - lefanav) means in His presence, indicating that the temple facilitates human access to God, not God's confinement within the building. It underscores that the temple is built for human worship of God, not God's literal residence.
2 Chronicles 2 6 Bonus section
The strong declaration in this verse directly confronts and subverts the prevailing polytheistic beliefs of the ancient Near East, which often confined deities to physical idols and temples. By asserting God's infinite transcendence, Solomon sets Yahweh apart as a uniquely omnipresent and uncontainable Deity, elevating Israel's monotheistic theology above regional polytheism. This passage also foreshadows later biblical truths, particularly New Testament revelations, where the physical temple's importance diminishes in favor of God dwelling among believers in spirit and truth (John 4:21-24) and the body of Christ (the Church) becoming the living temple of God (Eph 2:20-22).
2 Chronicles 2 6 Commentary
2 Chronicles 2:6 is a theological cornerstone, providing a right understanding of God before the monumental task of temple construction. Solomon's rhetoric is a display of divine wisdom, acknowledging that no physical edifice, however grand, could ever literally house the boundless Creator of the universe. This profound theological humility distinguishes the Israelite understanding of God from that of neighboring pagan religions, where deities were often contained within specific cult images or localized shrines. The temple's true function, therefore, is clarified: it serves not as God's domicile but as humanity's dedicated "place" for meeting with Him, presenting worship, offering prescribed sacrifices, and experiencing His presence (often symbolized by the ark or cloud of glory). This perspective warns against any notion of containing God or limiting His power to a building. Instead, it invites humanity to worship an infinite God in a space uniquely sanctified for encounter, recognizing His ultimate supremacy and omnipresence. It underscores that while God graciously chooses to manifest His presence in particular places for His people, His being transcends all creation, inspiring true reverence. This concept remains relevant for Christian worship: churches are places of assembly and reverence, not where God is contained, but where His people gather to worship and experience His uncontainable presence through His Spirit.