2 Chronicles 2:4

4 Behold, I build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God to dedicate it to him, to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual arrangement [of the shewbread], and for the morning and evening burnt-offerings [and] on the sabbaths and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is [an ordinance] for ever to Israel.

2 Chronicles 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 2:4

Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God
Am about to do it, and determined upon it, see ( 2 Chronicles 2:1 ) ,

to dedicate it to him;
to set it apart for sacred service to him:

and to burn before him sweet incense;
on the altar of incense:

and for the continual shewbread;
the loaves of shewbread, which were continually on the shewbread table; which, and the altar of incense, both were set in the holy place in the tabernacle, and so to be in the temple:

and for the burnt offerings morning and evening; the daily sacrifice:
on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the
Lord our God:
at which seasons, besides the daily sacrifice, additional burnt offerings were offered, and all on the brasen altar in the court: this is an ordinance

for ever unto Israel:
to offer the above sacrifices, even for a long time to come, until the Messiah comes; and therefore Solomon suggests, as Jarchi and Kimchi think, that a good strong house ought to be built.

2 Chronicles 2:4 In-Context

2 And Solomon numbered seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred to superintend them.

3 And Solomon sent to Huram king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him a house to dwell therein [so do for me].

4 Behold, I build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God to dedicate it to him, to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual arrangement [of the shewbread], and for the morning and evening burnt-offerings [and] on the sabbaths and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is [an ordinance] for ever to Israel.

5 And the house that I will build is great; for great is our God above all gods.

6 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?

Footnotes

• [a] Lit. 'sanctify.'
• [b] As Lev. 24.6.