2 Chronicles 20 8

2 Chronicles 20:8 kjv

And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

2 Chronicles 20:8 nkjv

And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,

2 Chronicles 20:8 niv

They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying,

2 Chronicles 20:8 esv

And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying,

2 Chronicles 20:8 nlt

Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name.

2 Chronicles 20 verses

2 Chronicles 20 8 Meaning

This verse is an integral part of King Jehoshaphat's desperate prayer to God during a national crisis in Judah. He recounts how God's people, the Israelites, were granted the Promised Land to inhabit and subsequently, in accordance with divine will, constructed a holy sanctuary—the Temple in Jerusalem—expressly dedicated "for God's Name." This statement serves as a powerful reminder of God's foundational promises, His faithfulness in providing a land and a central place of worship, and the enduring covenant relationship established with His people, upon which Jehoshaphat bases his urgent plea for help.

2 Chronicles 20 8 Context

This verse is found within Jehoshaphat's earnest prayer recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:5-12. The Kingdom of Judah, under King Jehoshaphat, faced an overwhelming military alliance of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites. In response to this existential threat, Jehoshaphat proclaimed a national fast and gathered the people to seek the LORD in the Temple court. His prayer serves as a profound theological argument and a desperate plea.

He begins by affirming God's sovereignty over all kingdoms (v. 6), then recalls God's historic covenant with Israel—how He drove out the previous inhabitants to give the land to Abraham's descendants (v. 7). Verse 8 specifically reminds God that Israel has not only "dwelt therein" (fulfilled the land promise) but also "built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy name." This directly references Solomon's dedication of the Temple (2 Chr 6 / 1 Ki 8), where a similar promise was made: that if distress came, appealing to God in that Temple, a place consecrated to His Name, would elicit divine intervention. Jehoshaphat uses this established history and covenant to remind God of His previous commitments and provide the theological basis for his present petition for deliverance. The verse grounds the immediate crisis in God's eternal purposes and promises for His people and the designated center of their worship.

2 Chronicles 20 8 Word analysis

• And they have dwelt: Hebrew: וַיֵּֽשְׁב֖וּ (Vayyēšḇū). This form uses a "waw consecutive" which links it sequentially, emphasizing the continuity of divine provision. "Dwelled" signifies settled habitation and possession, underscoring the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land. It implies permanence and legitimate tenure, granted by God.
• therein: Hebrew: בָ֣הּ (bāh). Refers to the Promised Land. This preposition ("in it") reiterates that God delivered the specific territory He promised.
• and have built: Hebrew: וַיִּבְנוּ־בָ֥הּ (vayyiḇnū-vāh). Again, the waw consecutive indicates a subsequent, deliberate action. It refers to the construction of the Temple by Solomon, an act mandated by God and desired by David, demonstrating Israel's response of worship and dedication to God in the land.
• Thee: Refers directly to God, establishing the Temple as a structure specifically for Him and His purposes, not for human glory.
• a sanctuary: Hebrew: מִקְדָּ֖שׁ (miqdāš). Derived from the root קדש (qadash), meaning "holy" or "set apart." It denotes a sacred place dedicated exclusively for divine worship and where God's presence is uniquely manifested. It distinguishes the Israelite worship center from all pagan temples, being holy in purpose and dedication.
• therein: Reiterates the location within the Promised Land, specifically in Jerusalem, within Judah.
• for Thy name: Hebrew: לְשִׁמְךָ֥ (ləšimḵāh). This is profoundly significant. God's "name" (שֵם, shēm) in biblical thought represents His revealed character, attributes, authority, and presence. Building "for Your Name" means the sanctuary is dedicated to His manifest presence, where He chooses to make Himself known, invoked, and honored. It signifies that the Temple's purpose is to glorify God, make His identity and power accessible to His people, and serve as the place where He registers Himself, as articulated in Deuteronomic theology (Deut 12:5, 11).
• saying: Hebrew: לֵאמֹֽר (lē’mōr). This often introduces a direct quote or the purpose/reason for the preceding action. Here, it precedes the subsequent plea of King Solomon (2 Chr 20:9), making the sanctuary a designated place for prayer and seeking God in times of distress.

Words-group analysis

• "And they have dwelt therein": This phrase succinctly states the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant regarding the land. God brought Israel into the promised inheritance, confirming His covenant faithfulness as the historical basis for their appeal. It sets the stage for the next foundational act of faith.
• "and have built Thee a sanctuary therein": This marks the establishment of centralized, covenant worship. The act of building a miqdāš (sanctuary) signifies obedience to God's instructions for a consecrated space, transitioning from a nomadic Tabernacle to a settled Temple within their established land. This act confirms their commitment to worship the one true God according to His will.
• "for Thy name, saying": This is the theological heart of the verse. It defines the ultimate purpose of the Temple: not merely a building, but a dwelling for God's revealed character and authority. It’s where God promised to listen, respond, and identify with His people. The "saying" points to the covenant commitment associated with the Temple—that prayer offered there "in God's Name" would be heard, as elaborated in Solomon's Temple dedication prayer.

2 Chronicles 20 8 Bonus section

• The concept of building "for Your Name" reflects the distinctiveness of Yahwism. Unlike pagan religions where gods were believed to physically inhabit cult images or temples, the God of Israel transcendentally "caused His Name to dwell" or "put His Name" in the Temple. This maintained His omnipresence while signifying a special, accessible presence in that specific location, a nuanced theological point highlighting God's otherness and uniqueness.
• Jehoshaphat's prayer is a masterclass in covenant remembering. By tracing Israel's history with God, from the promise of land to the establishment of the Temple "for Your name," he builds an unshakeable case for divine intervention, appealing to God's faithfulness and previous commitments rather than solely to their own distress. This aligns with a pattern seen in other prayers during national crises, such as Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9.
• This verse lays the groundwork for understanding the purpose of communal worship spaces in biblical tradition – they are not merely buildings but points of divine appointment, places consecrated for the unique manifestation of God's character and interaction with His people, where His Name is to be honored.
• In the New Testament, this "dwelling for His Name" finds its ultimate fulfillment not in a physical building, but in the person of Jesus Christ, where God's glory "tabernacled among us" (John 1:14), and then in the community of believers as the living temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:20-22).

2 Chronicles 20 8 Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:8 provides the theological bedrock for Jehoshaphat's plea for deliverance. He is essentially appealing to God based on His own past actions and promises. First, God fulfilled His promise to provide a permanent dwelling for Israel in the land. Second, in response, Israel, guided by divine design, erected a Temple specifically consecrated to "God's Name." This emphasis on God's "Name" signifies not merely a designation, but His essence, character, and covenantal presence. The Temple was thus the established center for God to reveal Himself, for His people to worship Him, and crucially, for them to seek Him in times of distress, based on Solomon's dedicatory prayer (recounted in 2 Chr 6).

Jehoshaphat is recalling that God Himself designated this specific sanctuary as the place where His name would dwell, where He would receive prayers, and where His presence would be tangibly accessed. Therefore, the crisis confronting Judah is not just an attack on the nation, but a challenge to the honor and reputation of God's Name residing in that very Temple. It forms a powerful theological leverage: "Lord, You gave us this land; we built this house for Your Name according to Your will; now uphold the commitment associated with Your Name in this place." It underpins the expectation of divine intervention, demonstrating a robust understanding of covenant theology.