2 Chronicles 2:6

Contextual Overview

¹Solomon decided to build a temple for the name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself, ¹ Now Shlomo purposed to build a house for the name of the LORD, and a house for his kingdom. ¹ And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the Lord , and an house for his kingdom. ¹ Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord , and a royal palace for himself. ¹ Solomon decided to build a temple as a place to worship the Lord and also a palace for himself. ¹ Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord , as well as a royal palace for himself. ¹Now Solomon decided to build a house (temple) for the Name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. ¹ Now Solomon decided to build a house for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. ¹ Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom. ¹ Then Salomon determined to builde an house for the Name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdome.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

But who: 2 Chronicles 6:18, 1 Kings 8:27, Isaiah 66:1, Acts 7:48, Acts 7:49

is able: Heb. hath returned, or obtained strength

who am I then: 2 Chronicles 1:10, Exodus 3:11, 2 Samuel 7:18, 1 Chronicles 29:14, 2 Corinthians 2:16, Ephesians 3:8

save only: Deuteronomy 12:5, Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 12:11, Deuteronomy 12:14, Deuteronomy 12:26

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 17:5 - dwelt Ezra 6:3 - the place Ezra 7:15 - whose habitation Psalms 68:29 - Because Psalms 76:1 - his Psalms 132:5 - an habitation Jeremiah 17:12 - General Jeremiah 23:24 - Do Daniel 4:30 - that Acts 17:24 - dwelleth Revelation 21:22 - I saw

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But who is able to build him an house,.... Suitable to the greatness of his majesty, especially as he dwells not in temples made with hands:

seeing the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain him? see 1 Kings 8:27,

who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? since God was an immense and infinite Being, be would have Hiram to understand that he had no thought of building an house, in which he could be circumscribed and contained, only a place in which he might be worshipped, and sacrifices offered to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Save only to burn sacrifice before him - Solomon seems to mean that to build the temple can only be justified on the human - not on the divine - side. “God dwelleth not in temples made with hands;” He cannot be confined to them; He does in no sort need them. The sole reason for building a temple lies in the needs of man: his worship must he local; the sacrifices commanded in the Law had of necessity to be offered somewhere.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 2:6. Seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens — "For the lower heavens, the middle heavens, and the upper heavens cannot contain him, seeing he sustains all things by the arm of his power. Heaven is the throne of his glory, the earth his footstool; the deep, and the whole world, are sustained by the spirit of his WORD, [ברוח מימריה beruach meymereih.] Who am I, then, that I should build him a house?" - Targum.

Save only to burn sacrifice — It is not under the hope that the house shall be able to contain him, but merely for the purpose of burning incense to him, and offering him sacrifice, that I have erected it.