1 Chronicles 29:11–14
David acknowledges that what the people give, they received from God
Study it word by word11Yours, YHWH, are the greatness and the might and the beauty and the eminence and the splendor, for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours. Yours, YHWH, is the kingdom, and you are the one who exalts himself as head over all.
12Riches and glory come from before you, and you rule over all; in your hand are strength and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to strengthen all.
13And now, our Elohim, we give thanks to you and praise the name of your beauty.
14For who am I, and who are my people, that we should have strength to offer willingly like this? For from you comes everything, and from your hand we have given to you.
In its context
9The people rejoiced that they had offered willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered willingly to YHWH; and also David the king rejoiced with great joy.
10David blessed YHWH in the sight of all the assembly. David said, “Blessed are you, YHWH, the Elohim of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.
…
15For we are resident aliens before you and temporary residents, like all our fathers; like a shadow are our days on the earth, and there is no hope.
16YHWH our Elohim, all this abundance that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name is from your hand, and all is yours.
Its words in the original
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- גְּדֻלָּהgedula· greatness
Greatness; also the great deeds someone does.
- גְּבוּרָהgevura· might
Strength, might; mighty deed, victory.
- תִּפְאֶרֶתtiferet· beauty, glory
Beauty, splendor; what someone takes pride in.
- נֵּצַחnetsach· splendor, forever, victory
A word with several senses: brightness or splendor, what endures (hence "forever"), firmness, victory. In 1 Samuel 15:29 it is a title of God, "the Splendor of Israel."
- הוֹדhod· majesty, splendor
Majesty, splendor: the dignity and authority seen in someone.
- שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מַּמְלָכָהmamlacha· kingdom
Kingdom: the territory and the power of a king; reign.
- מִּתְנַשֵּׂאmitnase· exalt oneself
Exalt oneself, rise above others. It is a form of the verb "lift up, carry," used of one who makes himself great.
- רֹאשׁrosh· head, chief
Head. From there the first or the chief of a group, the top of a mountain, the beginning of something, or the sum; also the branches of a river.
- עֹשֶׁרosher· wealth
Wealth, riches.
- כָּבוֹדkavod· glory, honor
Weight, importance; from there glory, honor, splendor. Sometimes wealth: what makes someone "weigh".
- פָנֶיfane· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- מוֹשֵׁלmoshel· rule
Rule, have dominion or authority over something or someone.
- יָדְyad· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- כֹּחַkoach· strength
Strength, power, vigor; also what the ground can produce. A word with the same letters names a large lizard.
- גַדֵּלgadel· grow up, become great
Grow up, become great; in the causative form, make great, magnify; also be proud.
- חַזֵּקchazek· be strong, seize
Be strong; take hold of firmly, seize. In other forms, strengthen, encourage, repair; said of the heart, become stubborn.
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- מוֹדִיםmodim· praise, give thanks; confess
In one form of the verb, praise, give thanks. In another, confess: acknowledge sins or the name of God aloud. Its root sense is to throw.
- מְהַלְלִיםmehallim· praise; boast
Praise, extol. "Hallelujah" comes from this verb. In other forms, boast; also act like a madman.
- שֵׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- עַמִּami· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- נַעְצֹרnatsor· restrain, shut
Hold back, shut, prevent; also rule.
- הִתְנַדֵּבhitnadev· volunteer
Be moved from within to give or to offer oneself willingly.
- נָתַנּוּnatanu· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.