1 Chronicles 17:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God explains that since the Exodus He has never required a permanent house, but has moved with His people in a tent.
What Does 1 Chronicles 17:5 Mean?
The LORD reaches back to the founding event of the nation, the day He brought up Israel out of Egypt. From then until now He has dwelt not in a fixed temple but in a tent, moving from place to place with His wandering people. The God of Israel has been a pilgrim God, traveling alongside those He redeemed rather than waiting for them in a single shrine.
There is profound comfort here. The LORD is not confined to one holy building; He goes where His people go, through wilderness and warfare, in tents and curtains. This is the same heart that would one day be revealed when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, pitching His tent in our midst. God has always preferred to be with His people on the road rather than be admired from a distance.
1 Chronicles 17:5 in the Original Language
mishkan (מִשְׁכָּן), 'tabernacle' -- literally a dwelling-place or tent, from the verb to settle or dwell among.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 17:5
What does 1 Chronicles 17:5 mean?
God explains that since the Exodus He has never required a permanent house, but has moved with His people in a tent.