King James Version

2 Chronicles 2:6

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?

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is 2 Chronicles 2:5.

וּמִ֤יumiand whoמִיconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.יַעֲצָרyaatsarclose upעָצָרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “close up”, an unfinished actionH6113to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble[idiom] be able, close up, detain, fast, keep (self close, still), prevail, recover, refrain, [idiom] reign, restrain, retain, shut (up), slack, stay, stop, withhold (self).כֹּ֨חַ֙kochaforceכֹּחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “force”, the ordinary formH3581vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizardability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.לִבְנֽוֹתlivnotto buildבָּנָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to build”, the to-form of the verbH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.ל֣וֹlvotoל֣וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toבַ֔יִתvayitfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “family”, the ordinary formH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…כִּ֧יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…הַשָּׁמַ֛יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).וּשְׁמֵ֥יushemeand heavenשָׁמַיִםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and heaven”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּyekhalkeluhvabideכּוּלverb, pilpel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “abide”, an unfinished actionH3557properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses)(be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).וּמִ֤יumiand whoמִיconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.אֲנִי֙animineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…אֶבְנֶהevnehbuildבָּנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “build”, an unfinished actionH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.לּ֣וֹlvotoלּ֣וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toבַ֔יִתvayitfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “family”, the ordinary formH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…כִּ֖יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לְהַקְטִ֥ירlehaqtirto burnקָטַרpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to burn”, the to-form of the verbH6999to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice).לְפָנָֽיוlefanayvto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(2-5) But who is able to build Him a house, seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? who am I then, that I should build Him a house, save only to offer before Him?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?

Young’s Literal Translation

and who doth retain strength to build to Him a house, for the heavens, even the heavens of the heavens, do not contain Him? and who [am] I that I do build to Him a house, except to make perfume before Him?

World English Bible

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him? Who am I then, that I should build him a house, except just to burn incense before him?

Darby Translation

But who is able to build him a house, seeing the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? And who am I that I should build him a house, except to burn sacrifice before him?

Douay-Rheims

Who then can be able to build him a worthy house? if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain him: who am I that I should be able to build him a house? but to this end only, that incense may be burnt before him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(2-5) But who is able to build Him a house, seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? who am I then, that I should build Him a house, save only to offer before Him?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And who will be able to build him a house? for the heaven and heaven of heavens do not bear his glory: and who am I, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ τίς ἰσχύσει οἰκοδομῆσαι αὐτῷ οἶκον; ὅτι ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐ φέρουσι τὴς δόξαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ τίς ἐγὼ οἰκοδομῶν αὐτῷ οἶκον; ὅτι ἀλλʼ ἢ τοῦ θυμιᾷν κατέναντι αὐτοῦ.