1 Chronicles 29:14

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The speaker addresses God after recording the people's voluntary contributions and his own pledge, framing the donation within a prayer of thanksgiving.

The words — The Hebrew terms מִי (mi) and אֲנִי (ani) ask "who?" and "I," establishing human insignificance, while נַעְצֹר (na‘tzor) and כֹּחַ (ko‘ach) literally mean "we will retain strength."

The thread — The concept that all provision originates with God appears in James 1:17, 2 Corinthians 3:5, and Romans 11:36, which similarly attribute human ability and every good gift to divine source.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that any capacity to give is derived from God, not self-generated, and requires the giver to return what already belongs to Him.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְכִ֨יve./Khiand/ that מִ֤יmiwho?אֲנִי֙'a.Ni[am] I וּמִ֣יu./Miand/ who?עַמִּ֔י'a.M/i[is] people/ my כִּֽי־ki-that נַעְצֹ֣רna'.Tzorwe will retain כֹּ֔חַKo.achstrength לְהִתְנַדֵּ֖בle./hit.na.Devto/ make a contribution כָּזֹ֑אתka./Zotlike/ this כִּֽי־ki-for מִמְּךָ֣mi.me./Kha[is] from/ you הַכֹּ֔לha./Kol<the>/ everything וּמִיָּדְךָ֖u./mi./ya.de./Khaand/ from/ hand/ your נָתַ֥נּוּna.Ta.nuwe have givenלָֽךְ׃La/khto/ you

King James Version

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

Cross-references

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Psalms 50:10 for every beast of the forest is Mine—the cattle on a thousand hills.
Psalms 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.
Genesis 32:10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.
1 Chronicles 29:9 And the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly.
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.