1 Chronicles 29:15

15 For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

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 Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee and praise Thy glorious name.

14 "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly in this manner? For all things come from Thee, and from Thine own have we given Thee.

15 For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build Thee a house for Thine holy name cometh from Thine hand and is all Thine own.

17 I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy Thy people, who are present here to offer willingly unto Thee.