The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 2:6 Explained

2 Chronicles 2:6

KJV: But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

YLT: and who doth retain strength to build to Him a house, for the heavens, even the heavens of the heavens, do not contain Him? and who am I that I do build to Him a house, except to make perfume before Him?

Darby: 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?

ASV: But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But who is able  to build  him an house,  seeing the heaven  and heaven  of heavens  cannot contain  him? who [am] I then, that I should build  him an house,  save only  to burn sacrifice  before  him? 

What does 2 Chronicles 2:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 2

1  Solomon's laborers for the building of the temple
3  His ambassage to Huram for workmen and provisions
11  Huram sends him a kind answer

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 2:6 mean?

But who is able - to build Him a temple since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him then who [am] I that I should build Him except except to burn sacrifice before Him
וּמִ֤י יַעֲצָר־ כֹּ֙חַ֙ לִבְנֽוֹת־ ל֣וֹ בַ֔יִת כִּ֧י הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וּשְׁמֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּ וּמִ֤י אֲנִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶבְנֶה־ לּ֣וֹ כִּ֖י אִם־ לְהַקְטִ֥יר לְפָנָֽיו

וּמִ֤י  But  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
יַעֲצָר־  is  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
כֹּ֙חַ֙  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
לִבְנֽוֹת־  to  build 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
בַ֔יִת  a  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
כִּ֧י  since 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וּשְׁמֵ֥י  and  the  heaven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם  of  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
לֹ֣א  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְכַלְכְּלֻ֑הוּ  contain  Him 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: כּוּל  
Sense: to seize, contain, measure.
וּמִ֤י  then  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
אֲנִי֙  [am]  I 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֶבְנֶה־  I  should  build 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
כִּ֖י  except 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִם־  except 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
לְהַקְטִ֥יר  to  burn  sacrifice 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
לְפָנָֽיו  before  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.