What Does 2 Chronicles 6:3 Mean in the King James?
And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Blessing moves toward the whole assembly: the king turns his face to the people, and they stand together.
THE MEANING
You are included in a blessing addressed to the whole congregation: the king turns toward the people, and they stand together. The scene makes blessing a shared encounter, with attention facing the assembly and the assembly rising in response.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Blessing reaches you only when you are singled out; here its address is the whole congregation, and it is received together.
THE ROOT
וַיְבָרֶךְ
wayevarekh
GROWS FROM
ברך
barak
To bless; the same root also names the knee.
“blessed” in this verse is wayevarekh. The same consonants hold blessing and knee, giving blessing an embodied depth beneath the spoken act. With the king turning toward everyone, blessing arrives as directed regard for the whole assembly.
ALSO GROWS
berakhah: Blessing
בְּרָכָה
This noun grows from the same root as the king’s act of blessing.
berekh: Knee
בֶּרֶךְ
The shared root links blessing with an embodied posture of regard.
וַיַּסֵּב פָּנָיו
wayyassev panav
GROWS FROM
סבב
sabab
To turn, go around, or surround.
“turned his face” in this verse is wayyassev panav. The root carries a sense of turning and circling, giving the king’s movement more depth than a passing glance. His face turns toward the whole assembly, making the blessing an act of attention directed to the people.
ALSO GROWS
saviv: Around, surrounding
סָבִיב
This branch carries the root’s sense of turning around or encircling.
sovev: Turns or circles
סוֹבֵב
This form preserves the motion inside the king’s turn toward the assembly.
THE PATTERN
Blessing moves toward people as an act of regard, then extends beyond the one who speaks it.
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.THE THREAD
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.The word translated “bless” shares the root ברך (barak) with the king’s blessing here. Psalm 67 joins that blessing to God’s face shining upon the people, making explicit the face-to-assembly movement this verse shows.
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