What Does 2 Chronicles 1:5 Mean in the King James?

Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

2 Chronicles 1:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The Hebrew “sought him/it” lets the altar stand at the meeting point of shared seeking and the LORD’s presence.

THE MEANING

The verse places you among a gathered people whose seeking converges at the altar before the LORD’s dwelling. The Hebrew object pronoun can mean “him” or “it,” holding the altar and the One whose dwelling it faces close together.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

Seeking the LORD is only private or inward: here, the seeking is shared by a whole congregation and centered at the altar.

THE ROOT

וַיִּדְרְשֻׁהוּ

vayyidreshehu

GROWS FROM

דָּרַשׁ

To seek, inquire, or resort to.

“sought unto it” in this verse is vayyidreshehu. The verb’s object suffix can mean “him” or “it,” allowing the search to be heard as seeking the LORD at the altar. Its root also appears in words for inquiry, showing that this seeking is an active turning toward what is sought.

ALSO GROWS

doresh: One who seeks or inquires.

דּוֹרֵשׁ

This branch gives the seeker an active role, matching the congregation’s movement toward what they seek.

midrash: Inquiry or exposition.

מִדְרָשׁ

This branch preserves the root’s sense of searching through inquiry, beyond a passing glance.

מִזְבֵּחַ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת

mizbeach hannechoshet

GROWS FROM

זָבַח

To slaughter or sacrifice.

“brazen altar” in this verse is mizbeach hannechoshet. The Hebrew word for altar, ⁨מִזְבֵּחַ⁩ (mizbeach), is formed from the root ⁨זָבַח⁩ (zavach), meaning to slaughter or sacrifice. The verse therefore places the congregation’s seeking at a site whose name carries the work of offering.

ALSO GROWS

zebach: Sacrifice or offering.

זֶבַח

This noun names what is brought to the altar where the congregation gathers to seek.

zoveach: One who sacrifices.

זֹבֵחַ

This branch keeps the act of offering present in the altar’s name.

THE PATTERN

Seeking the LORD is an active turning toward his presence, shared, whole-hearted, and sustained.

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Deuteronomy 4:29 · KJVSeeking the LORD opens into finding when it engages the whole heart and soul.

Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Psalm 105:4 · KJVThe repeated call to seek makes this turning toward the LORD’s face and strength continual.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 · KJVDiligently seeking God appears as a sustained movement toward him, met by his response.

THE THREAD

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

1 Chronicles 16:11 · KJV

The Hebrew verb translated “sought” here and “Seek” in this verse comes from ⁨דָּרַשׁ⁩ (darash, seek or inquire). Here the object can be heard as “him” or “it”; this line names the LORD directly and opens the altar as the place of seeking.

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