1 Chronicles 29:15

15 We are outsiders and strangers in your sight. So were all of our people who lived long ago. Our days on this earth are like a shadow. We don't have any hope.

1 Chronicles 29:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 29:15

For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all
our fathers
For though they were in possession of the land of Canaan, yet they held it not in their own right, but as the Lord's,

who said, the land is mine,
( Leviticus 25:23 ) , they were but tenants in it, and were not to abide long here; they belonged to another city and country; the consideration of which might tend to set them loose to worldly things, and the more easily to part with them for the service of God, and the honour of his name:

our days on the earth are as a shadow;
man's life is expressed by days, not months and years, being so short; and by days on earth, in distinction from the days of heaven, or eternity; and these said to be as a shadow, of a short continuance, empty, mutable, and uncertain, dark and obscure, quickly gone, like the shadow of the sun; and not only like that, or of a mountain, tree or wall; but, as the Targum, of a bird that is flying, which passes away at once:

and [there is] none abiding;
not long, much less always, being but sojourners as before; so Cato in Cicero ^F16 is represented as saying,

``I depart out of this life as from an inn, and not an house; for nature has given us an inn to sojourn, not a place to dwell in:''

or "there is no hope or expectation" ^F17; of living long, of recalling time, and of avoiding death.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 De Senectute, c. 23.
F17 (hwqm Nya) "non est expectatio sive spes", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis.

1 Chronicles 29:15 In-Context

13 Our God, we give you thanks. We praise your glorious name.

14 "But who am I? And who are my people? Without your help we wouldn't be able to give this much. Everything comes from you. We've given back to you only what comes from you.

15 We are outsiders and strangers in your sight. So were all of our people who lived long ago. Our days on this earth are like a shadow. We don't have any hope.

16 "LORD our God, we've given more than enough. We've provided it to build you a temple where you will put your holy Name. But all of it comes from you. All of it belongs to you.

17 My God, I know that you put our hearts to the test. And you are pleased when we are honest. I've given all of these things just because I wanted to. When I did it, I was completely honest with you. And I've been happy to see that your people who are here have also been willing to give to you.