The house that I am building will be greatThis phrase refers to Solomon's Temple, a monumental project initiated by King Solomon, son of David. The temple was to be a permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant and a central place of worship for the Israelites. The greatness of the temple is emphasized by its elaborate design and the use of the finest materials, such as cedar from Lebanon and gold. This reflects the importance of the temple in Israelite society as a symbol of God's presence among His people. The temple's grandeur also signifies the fulfillment of God's promise to David that his son would build a house for God's name (
2 Samuel 7:12-13).
for our God is greater than all gods
This statement underscores the monotheistic belief of the Israelites, affirming the supremacy of Yahweh over all other deities. In the ancient Near Eastern context, where polytheism was prevalent, this declaration sets the God of Israel apart as the one true God. The phrase echoes the sentiment found in other scriptures, such asPsalm 95:3, which proclaims the Lord as a great God and King above all gods. It also reflects the theological perspective that the temple, while magnificent, is ultimately a testament to the greatness of God rather than an end in itself. This belief is further reinforced by the prophetic writings that point to the coming of Jesus Christ, who is seen as the ultimate revelation of God's greatness and the fulfillment of the temple's purpose (John 2:19-21).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
SolomonThe son of King David and Bathsheba, Solomon is the king of Israel who is tasked with building the temple for the Lord. His reign is marked by wisdom, wealth, and extensive building projects, including the construction of the temple in Jerusalem.
2.
Temple in JerusalemThe temple is a significant place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people. Solomon's temple is the first permanent structure built for this purpose, replacing the portable tabernacle used during the Israelites' wanderings.
3.
God of IsraelThe one true God, Yahweh, whom Solomon acknowledges as greater than all other gods. This declaration emphasizes the monotheistic belief central to Israelite faith.
4.
Other godsRefers to the deities worshiped by surrounding nations. Solomon's statement underscores the supremacy of Yahweh over these false gods.
5.
Hiram, King of TyreA contemporary of Solomon who provides materials and skilled labor for the construction of the temple. His cooperation highlights the international relationships during Solomon's reign.
Teaching Points
The Greatness of GodRecognize and worship God for His unparalleled greatness. Our understanding of God should lead us to awe and reverence, acknowledging that He is above all.
Purpose of WorshipThe temple was built to honor God, not to contain Him. Our places of worship should reflect our desire to glorify God, not limit Him to a physical space.
God's Supremacy Over IdolsIn a world filled with competing ideologies and false gods, affirm the supremacy of the God of Israel. This calls for discernment and commitment to worshiping Him alone.
Collaboration for God's WorkSolomon's partnership with Hiram shows the value of working together for God's purposes. We should seek unity and cooperation in our efforts to serve God.
Legacy of FaithSolomon's temple was a testament to his faith and dedication. Consider what legacy of faith you are building in your life and community.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 2:5?
2.How does 2 Chronicles 2:5 emphasize the greatness of God in worship?
3.Why is building a temple for God significant in 2 Chronicles 2:5?
4.How can we apply Solomon's reverence for God in our worship today?
5.What does 2 Chronicles 2:5 teach about God's worthiness of a grand temple?
6.How does this verse connect to other scriptures about God's majesty and glory?
7.What does 2 Chronicles 2:5 reveal about the nature of God’s greatness?
8.How does 2 Chronicles 2:5 emphasize the uniqueness of the temple Solomon built?
9.Why is the temple described as "great" in 2 Chronicles 2:5?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Chronicles 2?
11.Why does God prohibit David from building the temple in 2 Samuel 7 yet allow Solomon to do so, raising questions of consistency in divine commands?
12.Why was David forbidden from building the temple?
13.In Psalm 28:2, which references the “most holy sanctuary,” how do we reconcile questions about the historicity or exact timeline of the temple’s existence?
14.2 Chronicles 5:13-14 - How can the 'cloud' filling the House of God be explained naturally or confirmed historically, rather than attributed to a purely supernatural event?What Does 2 Chronicles 2:5 Mean
The house that I am buildingSolomon speaks with practical resolve, yet his words are soaked in reverence. He is not merely constructing a royal monument; he is responding to the plans God gave his father David (1 Chronicles 28:11-12).
• The “house” points back to the tabernacle pattern (Exodus 25:8-9) and forward to the lasting place where God meets His people (Revelation 21:3).
• It reminds us that God desires to dwell among us.John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us,” echoing this very theme.
• Though God cannot be contained by any structure (1 Kings 8:27), He graciously allows a tangible meeting place so Israel—and we—might draw near.
will be great,Greatness here involves size, beauty, and splendor, but even more, holiness. Solomon’s ambition reflectsExodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like You, O LORD—majestic in holiness?”
• The resources gathered—cedars from Lebanon, gold from Ophir, countless artisans (2 Chronicles 2:7-9)—signal that nothing less than excellence is fitting.
•Psalm 96:6 ties grandeur to worship: “Splendor and majesty are before Him.” A great God deserves great praise, so the work must match the One it honors.
• The project becomes a living testimony to future generations (Psalm 78:4), teaching them God is worth our very best.
for our God is greaterThis clause gives the motive. Solomon’s zeal flows from revelation, not vanity.
•Deuteronomy 10:17 calls Him “the LORD your God, the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God.” Solomon echoes that truth.
• His personal “our God” highlights covenant intimacy—the Lord is not a distant deity but One bound to His people by promise (Genesis 17:7).
• The sense of “greater” points to absolute supremacy.Isaiah 40:25-26 invites us to lift our eyes and see the incomparable Creator who calls each star by name.
than all gods.Solomon lives in a world teeming with idols—Baal, Ashtoreth, Molech. By declaring the LORD greater, he sets biblical monotheism over every rival claim.
•Psalm 135:5-6 affirms, “For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods. The LORD does whatever pleases Him.”
• Elijah later confronts this clash on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:21-39), proving the futility of Baal.
• The New Testament continues the theme: “We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but One” (1 Corinthians 8:4).
• By exalting God above every idol, Solomon anticipatesPhilippians 2:10-11, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord.
summarySolomon’s words join purpose with praise: building a magnificent temple because the covenant-keeping LORD is supremely magnificent. The verse calls us to offer God our best, to recognize His unrivaled greatness, and to reject every lesser god that vies for our hearts.
(5)
And the house which I build is great.--
1Chronicles 29:1.
Great is our God above all gods.--Exodus 18
11;Deuteronomy 10:17;Psalm 77:13;Psalm 95:3. According to modern notions of magnitude, the Temple of Solomon was a small building. (See on1Kings 6:2-3.) Shelley's . . .
Verses 5, 6. - The contents of these verses beg some special observation, in the first place, as having been judged by the writer of Chronicles matter desirable to be retained and put in his work. To find a place for
this subject amid his careful selection, and rejection in many cases, of the matter at his command, is certainly a decision in harmony with his general design in this work. Then, again, they may be remarked on as spoken to another king, who, whether it were to be expected or no, was, it is plain, a sympathizing hearer of the piety and religious resolution of Solomon (ver. 12). This is one of the touches of history that does not diminish our regret that we do not know more of Hiram. He was no "proselyte," but he had the sympathy of a convert to the religion of the Jew. Perhaps the simplest and most natural explanation may just be the truest, that Hiram for some long time had seen "the rising" kingdom, and alike in David and Solomon in turn, "the coming" men. He had been more calmly and deliberately impressed than the Queen of Sheba afterwards, but not less effectually and operatively impressed. And once more the passage is noteworthy for the utterances of Solomon in themselves. As parenthetically testifying to a powerful man, who could be a powerful helper of Solomon's enterprise, his outburst of explanation, and of ardent religious purpose, and of humble godly awe, is natural. But that he should call the temple he purposed to build "so great," as we cannot put it down either to intentional exaggeration or to sober historic fact, must the rather be honestly set down to such considerations as these, viz. that in point of fact, neither David nor Solomon were "travelled men," as Joseph and Moses, for instance. Their measures of greatness were largely dependent upon the existing material and furnishing of their own little country. And further, Solomon speaks of the temple as great very probably from the point of view of its simple religious uses (note end of ver. 6) as the place of sacrifice in especial rather than as a place, for instance, of vast congregations and vast processions. Then, too, as compared with the tabernacle, it would loom "great," whether for size or for its enduring material. Meantime, though Solomon does indeed use the words (ver. 5)," The house.., is great," yet, throwing on the words the light of the remaining clause of the verse, and of David's words in
1 Chronicles 29:1, it is not very certain that the main thing present to his mind was
not the size, but rather the
character of the house, and the solemn character of the
enterprise itself (
1 Kings 8:27;
2 Chronicles 6:18).
Who am I... save only to burn sacrifice before him? The drift of Solomon's thought is plain - that nothing would justify mortal man, if he purported to build really a palace of residence for him whom the heaven of heavens could not contain, but that he is justified all the more in "not giving sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, until he had found out a place" (
Psalm 132:4, 5) where man might acceptably, in God's
appointed way, draw near to him. If "earth draw near to heaven," it may be confidently depended on that heaven will not be slow to bend down its glory, majesty, grace, to earth.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
The houseוְהַבַּ֛יִת(wə·hab·ba·yiṯ)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004:A housethatאֲשֶׁר־(’ă·šer-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatIאֲנִ֥י(’ă·nî)Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589:Iam buildingבוֹנֶ֖ה(ḇō·w·neh)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1129:To buildwill be great,גָּד֑וֹל(gā·ḏō·wl)Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419:Great, older, insolentforכִּֽי־(kî-)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionour Godאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ(’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeis greaterגָד֥וֹל(ḡā·ḏō·wl)Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419:Great, older, insolentthan allמִכָּל־(mik·kāl)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everygods.הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃(hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative
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OT History: 2 Chronicles 2:5 The house which I build is great (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr) 
