Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Parallel Translations
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Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
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Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
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Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to 2 Chronicles 6:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Kings 5:3 “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God because of the wars which were around him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
- 1 Chronicles 17:1 When David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Yahweh’s covenant is in a tent.”
- 2 Samuel 7:2-3 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you.”
- 1 Kings 8:17 “Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 22:7 David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God.
- 1 Chronicles 28:2-4 Then David the king stood up on his feet, and said, “Hear me, my brothers, and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, and for the footstool of our God; and I had prepared for the building. But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood.’ However Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. in the heart of David] Cp. 1Ch_17:1-2; 1Ch_22:7.
7. in the heart of David] Cp. 1Ch_17:1-2; 1Ch_22:7.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The worth of a wish the estimate of Christ.
Vers. 7, 8.
The worth of a wish the estimate of Christ.
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did well in that it was in his heart" to build a house for the Lord. The purpose of his heart, though it "lost the name of action," was acceptable to the God he served. Almost everything, in the estimate of him who "trieth the reins and the heart," depends on the motives by which we are inspired. Hence we may speak of
I THE WORTHLESSNESS OF SOLOMON"S EXECUTION apart from the excellency of his motive. That building now complete (at the time of the text) was very grand, very costly, very beautiful; it was very elaborate in its workmanship; it was very complete in all its parts; it lacked nothing that treasure and time, that skill and strength, could furnish. But, supposing that Solomon had done everything with the one desire to signalize his reign over Israel, his execution would have counted for much among men, but it would have weighed nothing at all with God. It would not have advanced him by one step in the favour of the Most High. We need not, however, think that Solomon was devoid of a sincere desire to magnify Jehovah"s Name. He said that he had "built the house for the Name of the Lord God of Israel" (ver. 10); and this prayer of dedication, adopted if not composed by him, is indicative of a reverent as well as a patriotic spirit. (see 1Co_13:1-3)
II THE WORTH OF A TRUE AND PURE DESIRE. God was pleased with David that he wished to build him a house; he "did well in that it was in his heart.
1. It is our motive that makes our action to be our own. Another may command our speech or our action, our tongue or our hand; but we are masters of our own thoughts; our desires and purposes are our own. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (see Mar_7:21, 22; Mat_26:12, Mat_26:41)
2. There is an ascending scale in our motives, reaching from the very lowto the very high. Men may have enough of the Satanic in them to be actuated in their conduct by absolute vindictiveness or even a positive delight in the misery and ruin of their neighbours; at the other end of the scale they may have enough of the Divine in them to be inspired by pure magnanimity, by a wish to befriend those who have done them injury. (Mat_5:45) Very high up in this scale stands the motive of desiring the glory of God, longing for the coming of the kingdom of Christ, an earnest wish to do something for his exaltation. And though the voice may be too feeble to speak any words that men may care to listen to, though the hand may be too weak to strike any blow that will shake the walls of iniquity, yet the very wish to do something for Christ, the prayer, "Make use of me, my God," weighs much in the balances of Heaven. It may be a pure desire to give of our substance to the needy, or to go forth to comfort some stricken heart, or to take a class in a ragged or a Sunday school, or to enter the ranks of the Christian ministry, or to do work in the foreign field. In Christian homes, in every land, there are hearts that sincerely and even ardently desire to serve their Saviour and to be a blessing to their brethren; but there intervenes some forbidding word of God, some frustrating providence of his. The purse is emptied, or health fails, or home duties suddenly assume a new form or take much larger proportions; and God says, "This is not for thee." But the desire is accepted; the purpose of the soul is taken for the deed; it is chronicled in the hooks of Heaven, "Thou didst well in that it was in thine heart.
III ITS EFFECTIVE VALUE. When the pure desire of the true heart is not granted, it does not follow that it is without effect. Certainly it was not so in David"s case. This desire of his heart, expressed to God but not granted by him, had very much to do with the ultimate result. It led to the Divine permission and direction extended to Solomon; it led to Solomon"s personal aspiration and resolution; it led to the preparation and storage of many valuable materials. It would hardly be an exaggeration to say that the temple was the work of David as much as of his son; for he who originates the idea and inspires the people with his thought is as effective an agent as he who executes it. And many, since then, in the kingdom of Christ have succeeded where they seemed to fail; many a lonely and, apparently, unblessed worker for his Master, both at home and abroad; both in the haunts and slums of some great city here, or in the depths of India, or in the heart of Africa, or in the midst of the idolatry and iniquity of China, or amid some island population; many such have gone home with no reward in their hand, unable to point to the gathered fruits of their toil and patience; and yet their unaccomplished efforts have been a precious and powerful inspiration, moved by which others have followed in their track, like Solomon in David"s, and have built the edifice, have wrought the work, in the Name and in the strength of God. The finished work is, in some real sense and perhaps even in a large degree, the fruit of the good thought "in the heart" of him whom no one regards as its author. We do more than we know when we think and feel in the spirit of our Lord. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
King Solomon continues speaking to the people at the temple.
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it was in the heart of David my father ... it was in your heart ... for it to be in your heart
Here David's heart is spoken of as if it were a container, and what he desired is spoken of as if it were an item in the container. AT: "David my father desired ... you desired ... to desire to do that" (See: Metaphor)
for the name of Yahweh ... for my name
Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh's name represents himself. AT: "for Yahweh ... for me" or 2) Yahweh's name represents his reputation. AT: "for Yahweh's reputation ... for my reputation" (See: Metonymy)
In that it was in your heart
"Because it was in your heart" or "Because you wanted"
one who will come from your loins
"one who will be your own offspring" or "one whom you yourself will father"
translationWords
heart
loins
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.