2 Chronicles 7:16

For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks to Solomon at the dedication of the temple, immediately following His promise to hear prayers offered in that place and preceding His warning about future royal obedience. The words — בָּחַ֤רְתִּי (ba.Char.ti) translates as "I have chosen," and וְ/הִקְדַּ֙שְׁתִּי֙ (ve./hik.Dash.ti) means "and I have consecrated." These verbs specify God's deliberate selection and setting apart of the temple structure. The thread — This declaration echoes 2 Chronicles 6:5 and 7:12, where God notes He previously chose no city or house from Israel's tribes before now, and 7:15, where His attentive eyes and ears are tied to that same location. Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine presence is anchored to a specific place God Himself established, requiring the reader to acknowledge that access to His attention depends on His prior choice, not human initiative.

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

וְעַתָּ֗הve./'a.Tahand/ now בָּחַ֤רְתִּיba.Char.tiI have chosen וְהִקְדַּ֙שְׁתִּי֙ve./hik.Dash.tiand/ I have consecrated אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַבַּ֣יִתha./Ba.yitthe/ house הַזֶּ֔הha./Zeh<the>/ this לִהְיוֹת־li/h.yot-to/ be שְׁמִ֥יshe.M/iname/ my שָׁ֖םshamthere עַד־'ad-until עוֹלָ֑םo.Lamperpetuity וְהָי֨וּve./ha.Yuand/ they will be עֵינַ֧י'ei.Na/ieyes/ my וְלִבִּ֛יve./li.B/iand/ heart/ my שָׁ֖םshamthere כָּל־kol-all הַיָּמִֽים׃hai./ya.Mimthe/ days

King James Version

For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 7:15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
2 Chronicles 7:12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
2 Chronicles 6:5 ‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel.
1 Kings 9:3 And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
2 Chronicles 6:20 May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
John 2:19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
2 Chronicles 33:4 Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”
Psalms 132:14 “This is My resting place forever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have desired this home.
Zechariah 3:2 And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”