2 Chronicles 6 6

2 Chronicles 6:6 kjv

But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

2 Chronicles 6:6 nkjv

Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.'

2 Chronicles 6:6 niv

But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'

2 Chronicles 6:6 esv

but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.'

2 Chronicles 6:6 nlt

But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.'"

2 Chronicles 6 verses

2 Chronicles 6 6 Meaning

2 Chronicles 6:6 declares God's sovereign and deliberate choice of both a specific city, Jerusalem (Mount Zion), and a specific man, David, as foundational elements of His divine plan for Israel. God rejected all other cities among the tribes of Israel and chose Jerusalem for His name to reside, indicating His special presence and authorization. Simultaneously, He chose David, rejecting all others, to be the designated ruler over His chosen people, Israel, establishing a divine kingship. This verse is part of Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple, highlighting the fulfillment of God's earlier promises concerning the Temple's location and the Davidic dynasty.

2 Chronicles 6 6 Context

2 Chronicles chapter 6 records Solomon's extended prayer of dedication for the newly completed Temple in Jerusalem. This prayer follows the assembly and blessing of the people after the Ark of the Covenant had been brought into the Most Holy Place. Verse 6 specifically looks back at God's historical action and choices, establishing the divine precedent for the Temple's existence and David's kingship.

Historically, before the Temple, the Ark resided in the tabernacle, a movable tent, for centuries. God had no fixed earthly dwelling place for His "name." The idea of building a permanent house for God was initiated by David (2 Sam 7), but God deferred the construction to Solomon, promising to establish David's dynastic line. The selection of Jerusalem as the place for the Temple was deeply significant, transitioning Israel from a tribal confederation with localized shrines or a mobile tabernacle to a centralized worship system in a divinely appointed city. This divine selection countered contemporary pagan beliefs where gods were often associated with local shrines or cities by human initiative, asserting YHWH's sovereign choice over all human preferences and designs.

2 Chronicles 6 6 Word analysis

• But (וְעַתָּה, ve'attah): "And now" or "but now." It signifies a transition or a consequential statement following prior discussion. Here, it introduces God's active, decisive choice after implicit consideration of other possibilities.
• I have chosen (בָּחַרְתִּי, bacharti): This Hebrew verb (bachar) powerfully denotes divine election, a deliberate act of selection and preference. It highlights God's absolute sovereignty and purposeful decision-making, emphasizing that His choice is not arbitrary but founded on His will.
• no city (מִכָּל־עִיר, mekkol-'ir): "From all cities." This negative phrasing highlights the exclusivity of God's choice, contrasting the uniqueness of Jerusalem with all other potential locations within Israel. It underscores that this selection was unique among all other tribal territories.
• out of all the tribes of Israel (מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, mikkol shivtei Yisrael): This phrase emphasizes the extensive scope of God's non-choice. It highlights that no other city, regardless of tribal allegiance or historical significance (like Shiloh, Gibeah, or Hebron), met God's specific criteria for His permanent "house."
• to build a house (לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת, livnot bayit): Refers to the physical structure, the Temple. It clarifies the specific purpose of the chosen city: to house a permanent dwelling, not for God's physical containment (as He is omnipresent) but as a designated locus of worship and His presence.
• that my name might be there (לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם, lihyot sh'mi sham): A crucial theological concept. God's "name" represents His character, presence, authority, and renown. It signifies that God establishes His official and covenantal presence, where He will be worshipped and His attributes recognized. This distinguishes Him from local pagan deities bound to specific physical representations; God is transcendent, but His "Name" can reside in a particular place as a manifestation of His dwelling and accessibility.
• neither chose I any man (וְלֹא בָחַרְתִּי אִישׁ, v'lo bacharti 'ish): This clause mirrors the structure concerning the city, reiterating God's sovereign hand in choosing human leadership. It emphasizes that this choice was equally unique and specific.
• to be a ruler (לִהְיוֹת נָגִיד, lihyot nagid): The term nagid refers to a prince or leader appointed by God. It signifies a divine authorization for rulership, implying a delegated authority from God Himself, unlike earthly kings whose power may stem from human might or succession. David's kingship was divinely ordained.
• over my people Israel (עַל עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, 'al 'ammi Yisrael): Affirms Israel's status as God's chosen people, reinforcing the covenant relationship. The king, David, is chosen specifically to lead God's people, serving God's purposes for them.
• Group: "I have chosen no city... neither chose I any man": This parallelism emphasizes the dual nature of God's divine election: a chosen place and a chosen person. These two choices, Jerusalem/Zion and David, are intrinsically linked and form the foundation of God's covenant plan for Israel concerning worship and governance, culminating in Christ as the true Temple and King.

2 Chronicles 6 6 Bonus section

The Hebrew word bachar (to choose), used twice in this verse, is a significant theological term in the Bible. It consistently highlights God's initiative in election, whether for individuals (Abraham, Moses), a nation (Israel), a priestly line (Levi), or a specific location. In 2 Chronicles 6:6, this repetition underscores the divine intentionality behind Jerusalem's prominence and the eternal nature of the Davidic covenant. This principle of divine election finds its ultimate expression in the New Testament with God's choosing of believers in Christ (Eph 1:4). The rejection of other cities or men implies a divine process of elimination, not that other options were inherently bad, but that only Jerusalem and David fulfilled God's unique purpose at that specific time for His dwelling place and king over His people.

2 Chronicles 6 6 Commentary

2 Chronicles 6:6 captures the profound sovereignty of God in establishing His covenant people and His plan for them. Solomon reiterates that God's selection of Jerusalem for His Name and David for the kingship were not arbitrary human decisions, but singular, divine choices. This contrasts with earlier times when the tabernacle was portable or various tribal centers might have aspired to host the central sanctuary. God specifically selected Zion, and David specifically among men. This "choice theology" underpins the stability of both the Temple's legitimacy and the Davidic dynasty's authority, ultimately pointing to Christ. The concept of God's "Name" being present signifies not His physical confinement to a building, but His revealed character, authorized presence, and a designated place for encountering Him and receiving His blessings. The double election—of a city and a man—laid the cornerstone for God's redemptive history within Israel, a foundation upon which future prophetic promises would be built and ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the true King of the greater, spiritual temple made of believers.