And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
Parallel translations
- WEB “The house which I am building will be great; for our God is greater than all gods.
- BSB The house that I am building will be great, for our God is greater than 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 also is to be feared above all gods.
- Exod 15:11Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
- Ps 135:5For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
- 1 Chr 29:1Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
- Jer 10:6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
- 1 Tim 6:15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
- Ps 86:8–9Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
- 2 Chr 2:9Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
- Ps 145:3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
- 1 Kgs 9:8And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
- Ezek 7:20As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.