The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.
Parallel translations
- WEB “The house which I am building will be great; for our God is greater than all gods.
- KJV And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
- NKJV And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.
- NASB The house which I am about to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods.
- NLT “This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon says the house must be great because Israel's God is greater than all gods. The temple's grandeur reflects God's supreme greatness.
Overview
Solomon grounds the magnificence of the temple not in royal vanity but in the surpassing greatness of the LORD over all so-called gods. This confession of God's supremacy shapes the whole project. It calls worshipers in every age to honor God as incomparably great, supremely revealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Chr 16:25For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Exod 15:11Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Ps 135:5For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
- 1 Chr 29:1Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
- Jer 10:6There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.
- 1 Tim 6:15which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.
- Ps 86:8–9O Lord, there is none like You among the gods, nor any works like Yours.
- 2 Chr 2:9to prepare for me timber in abundance, because the temple I am building will be great and wonderful.
- Ps 145:3Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.
- 1 Kgs 9:8And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’
- Ezek 7:20His beautiful ornaments they transformed into pride and used them to fashion their vile images and detestable idols. Therefore I will make these into something unclean for them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 2:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.