But will God dwell indeed with man on the earth?: The adversative But does not render the common Hebrew conjunction but rather one that is often translated “for.” Here it marks contrast between the thought of God living on earth in a building made by human beings and the fact that such an idea is beyond comprehension given the fact that God is so much greater than that.

Since Solomon is praying directly to God, it may be considered unnatural in some languages to speak of God in the third person as the Hebrew does here, which is translated literally by Revised Standard Version. In some languages this will be unnatural in prayer, so it will be better to transform this question into a direct address to God, as Good News Translation has done. Man is not intended to exclude females but rather it is used of all human beings. Good News Translation translates “men and women,” while New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible speak of “mortals” and New Century Version has “people.”

Since this is a rhetorical question, some languages may have to express it as a strong statement, such as “But you would never live on earth with people.”

Behold renders the common Hebrew focusing particle, which here draws attention to the statement that follows. New International Version and many other versions omit it, but New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation attempt to express it by using the adverb “even.”

Heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee: In his letter to King Hiram of Tyre, Solomon expresses this same praise of God: not even all the vastness of heaven can contain God (see 2 Chr 2.6). Heaven and the highest heaven is literally “heavens and heavens of the heavens.” This phrase is a superlative that refers to the totality of heaven including its most remote areas. La Bible du Semeur says “heaven in all its immensity,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “the heavens to their uttermost reaches.”

How much less this house which I have built!: This exclamatory statement is Solomon’s way of expressing his doubt that the God of Israel would stoop to live in the Temple that his people had built for him. It was not large enough to hold him in it. This exclamation may be difficult to understand if it is translated literally, so it may be necessary to say “Surely this house which I have built cannot contain you” (New Century Version) or “There is no way that you would possibly limit yourself to this building that I have made.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .