2 Chronicles 6:1 kjv
Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
2 Chronicles 6:1 nkjv
Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
2 Chronicles 6:1 niv
Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;
2 Chronicles 6:1 esv
Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
2 Chronicles 6:1 nlt
Then Solomon prayed, "O LORD, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.
2 Chronicles 6 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chron 5:13-14 | "...the glory of the LORD filled the house." | Immediate precursor, God's glory appears. |
| 1 Kgs 8:10-12 | "...the glory of the LORD had filled the house... Then said Solomon, The LORD said..." | Parallel account of this statement. |
| Exo 20:21 | "Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." | Sinai theophany, God in araphel. |
| Deut 4:11 | "the mountain burned with fire... with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness." | Sinai's manifestation of God's presence. |
| Deut 5:22 | "He spake... out of the midst of the darkness, the cloud, and the thick darkness." | God speaks from the cloud on Sinai. |
| Psa 18:9-11 | "He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds..." | God's hidden, powerful presence. |
| Psa 97:2 | "Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." | God's throne shrouded in mystery. |
| Lev 16:2 | "I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat." | God's presence in cloud in Tabernacle. |
| Exo 25:8 | "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." | God's command for a dwelling place. |
| Exo 33:20 | "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." | God's unapproachable holiness. |
| Isa 6:1-5 | "...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up... holy, holy, holy..." | Vision of God's glorious, holy presence. |
| Ezek 43:4-5 | "And the glory of the LORD came into the house... and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house." | Glory filling the new temple vision. |
| Heb 12:18-21 | "For ye are not come unto the mount... that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest..." | Contrasts terrifying Sinai with access to God. |
| 1 Tim 6:16 | "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto..." | God's dwelling in unapproachable light. |
| 1 Jn 1:5 | "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." | Theological paradox of God as light. |
| Acts 7:47-50 | "But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands..." | God's presence not confined to structures. |
| Isa 57:15 | "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit..." | God's dwelling with the humble. |
| Psa 139:11-12 | "...even the night shall be light about me... the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." | God's sovereignty over light and darkness. |
| Phil 2:6-8 | "Who, being in the form of God... made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant..." | God's self-humiliation to dwell with man. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them..." | Ultimate dwelling of God with humanity. |
| Matt 27:45 | "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." | Darkness during Christ's sacrifice, the New Temple. |
2 Chronicles 6 verses
2 Chronicles 6 1 Meaning
Solomon, in dedication of the Temple, declares that the LORD God had previously revealed His intention to establish His dwelling place within an environment characterized by "thick darkness." This signifies that God's majestic and holy presence, while imminent among His people, remained veiled in unapproachable mystery and awe, symbolizing His transcendent nature and safeguarding finite humanity from the consuming intensity of His pure glory.
2 Chronicles 6 1 Context
The verse occurs during Solomon's pivotal prayer of dedication for the newly completed Temple in Jerusalem. This prayer (2 Chronicles 6) follows the glorious manifestation of God's presence, where the glory of the LORD had filled the Temple so completely that priests could not minister (2 Chron 5:13-14). Solomon's statement in 6:1 sets the theological tone for his entire prayer, acknowledging the profound mystery and transcendent nature of God, who, despite filling a physical structure, is not contained by it. Historically, the building of the Temple marked a new era in Israel's relationship with God, transitioning from the portable Tabernacle to a permanent house of worship in Jerusalem, fulfilling prophecies concerning David's lineage and a chosen dwelling place for God's name.
2 Chronicles 6 1 Word analysis
Then: This temporal conjunction establishes a direct sequence from the filling of the Temple by God's glory (2 Chron 5:13-14). It signals Solomon's immediate response to this profound divine manifestation.
said Solomon: The speaker is the King of Israel, the builder of the Temple. His words carry the weight of royal authority and are an official declaration in a public assembly.
The LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (Yahweh), the personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel, distinct from other deities. It signifies His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises.
hath said: Emphasizes that this truth originates from divine revelation and past declaration, not Solomon's personal insight. It refers back to God's self-manifestations, particularly at Mount Sinai.
that he would dwell: This points to God's intentional act of establishing His presence. The Hebrew root is יָשַׁב (
yashav), meaning "to sit, to dwell." While God is omnipresent, He chooses a specific place to reveal His immediate presence and enter into covenant relationship with His people. This concept is nuanced, as God is never confined by human structures.in the thick darkness: Hebrew: בָּעֲרָפֶל (
ba-'araphel).'araphel(עֲרָפֶל): Refers to deep, impenetrable gloom, a cloud of darkness, or tempestuous darkness. It is distinct from ordinary darkness (choshek). In biblical contexts, especially when associated with theophany (manifestations of God),araphelsignifies God's majestic, unapproachable holiness, awe-inspiring power, and profound mystery.- Significance: This darkness is not the absence of God's light, but a protective veil of His overwhelming glory, rendering Him simultaneously present and unknowable to human perception. It protects humans from God's full brilliance and conveys His absolute transcendence.
- Polemics: This presentation of God's dwelling contrasts sharply with pagan conceptions of gods depicted in visible, human-like forms, or confined to specific physical objects or easily manipulated shrines. The LORD remains fundamentally unseen, beyond human control, and reveals Himself in overwhelming, veiled majesty. His presence is characterized by awesome power and holiness, not tangible imagery.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said": This introductory phrase underscores that Solomon's declaration is not a novel concept but a restatement of ancient, divine truth previously established in Israel's history (e.g., at Sinai). It highlights the continuity of God's revealed character from the Exodus generation to the Solomonic Temple era, lending profound authority to the Temple's purpose.
- "he would dwell in the thick darkness": This potent phrase captures the paradox of divine immanence and transcendence. It implies that while God makes Himself present and accessible to Israel in the Temple, His ultimate essence remains veiled and incomprehensible, demanding reverence and holy fear. It signifies that direct, unmediated encounter with His raw glory is impossible for humanity, underscoring the need for mediating structures like the Temple and later, a Mediator.
2 Chronicles 6 1 Bonus section
- The term
araphelin Hebrew scripture consistently accompanies momentous, often fearful, divine encounters (theophanies). It signals not the absence of light, but a form of divine self-concealment necessary for humanity's survival and proper reverence. - While God is infinite and cannot be contained by any structure, the Temple served as the designated place for His "Name" to dwell, representing His manifest presence and character among His chosen people. The thick darkness within the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctuary, likely symbolized this veiled yet real presence.
- This concept finds resonance throughout scripture, where God's nature is revealed as both intensely light ("God is light," 1 Jn 1:5) and yet concealed in majesty ("No man has seen God at any time," Jn 1:18), emphasizing His ultimate otherness and supreme holiness.
2 Chronicles 6 1 Commentary
2 Chronicles 6:1 initiates Solomon's dedicatory prayer for the Temple, proclaiming a foundational truth about God's presence. By stating that the LORD intended to "dwell in the thick darkness," Solomon affirms that the God of Israel, while drawing near to His people in a physical structure, does so from a realm of unapproachable majesty and mystery. This 'thick darkness' (araphel) is not a void but the intense, blinding brilliance of God's glory, veiled to protect mortal eyes and to emphasize His transcendence and perfect holiness. It harks back to God's manifestation on Mount Sinai, where He was hidden in a cloud of thick darkness while revealing His covenant and law. The Temple, therefore, became a space where this awesome, hidden, yet present God could be worshiped according to His prescribed way, establishing a focal point for the divine-human encounter without diminishing God's infinite otherness.