I Chronicles 29:15 · Bible study
1 Chronicles 29:15 Commentary: Strangers and Sojourners
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does David call himself a stranger before God during a joyful offering? 1 Chronicles 29:15 explains life's brevity and our stewardship.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David confesses that Israel is not the owner of the land or their possessions; they are temporary residents living under God’s protection, with life as fleeting as a shadow.
- Key words: Stranger (ger), sojourner (toshav), shadow (tsel), no hope/abiding (ein mikveh).
- Main debate: Whether mikveh should be translated 'hope' or 'abiding', both have lexical support; the Targum reads 'no hope that he will live forever'.
- Theological theme: Stewardship and humility in giving, rooted in the recognition that all belongs to God and our time on earth is brief.
- Best use: As a foundational text for teaching on generosity: it grounds giving in our identity as sojourners and in God’s ownership of all.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For we are strangers before you and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for sojourners we are before Thee, and settlers, like all our fathers; as a shadow are our days on the land, and there is none abiding.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no hope [of life].
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. I Our days upon earth are as a shadow, and there is no stay.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque nosotros, extranjeros y advenedizos somos delante de ti, como todos nuestros padres; y nuestros días cual sombra sobre la tierra, y no dan espera.
Porque nós, estrangeiros e peregrinos somos diante de ti, como todos nossos pais; e nossos dias qual sombra sobre a terra, e não dão espera.
Nous sommes devant toi des étrangers et des habitants, comme tous nos pères; nos jours sur la terre sont comme l’ ombre, et il n’ y a point d’ espérance.
Denn wir sind Fremdlinge und Gäste vor dir wie unsre Väter alle. unser Leben auf Erden ist wie ein Schatten, und ist kein Aufhalten.
Want wij zijn vreemdelingen en bijwoners voor Uw aangezicht, gelijk al onze vaders; onze dagen op aarde zijn als een schaduw, en er is geen verwachting.
Noi siamo dinanzi a te dei forestieri e dei pellegrini, come furon tutti i nostri padri; i nostri giorni sulla terra son come un’ombra, e non v’è speranza.
Bośmy my pielgrzymami i przychodniami przed tobą, jako i wszyscy ojcowie nasi; dni nasze na ziemi jako cień, a nie masz czego oczekiwać.
потому что странники мы пред Тобою и пришельцы, как и все отцы наши, как тень дни наши на земле, и нет ничего прочного.
我們 在你面前 是客旅，是寄居的，與我們列 祖一樣。我們在 世 的日子 如影兒，不能長存（或譯：沒有 長存的指望）。
For we, as all our fathers were, are like men from a strange country before you, who have got a place for a time in the land; our days on the earth are like a shade, and there is no hope of going on.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Chronicles 29:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that David’s opening words in verse 15 are not a cry of despair but a foundation for the generous offering that precedes them. Gill and Matthew Henry both note that calling ourselves 'strangers and sojourners' sets us loose from worldly possessions, making it easier to give them back to God. Clarke emphasizes that the language of 'shadow' and 'no abiding' underscores the brief, passing nature of life on earth. The Cambridge Bible adds that David and the people are not strangers to God but strangers 'before you', they dwell under God’s immediate protection, like resident aliens in a capital who rely on the king’s favor. Keil & Delitzsch tie the verse both to land tenure (the land is God’s, we only have usufruct) and to the brevity of life. The shared consensus is that verse 15 is intended to produce humility and freedom in giving, not to generate fear or sorrow.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: David and the people are temporary residents before God; the brevity of life and God's ownership of all things are certain.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Translation of mikveh (H4723) | The word indicates something lacking: either permanent residence, hope, or expectation. All traditions agree it points to the fleeting nature of life. | Some translations render it 'no remaining' (WEB) or 'none abiding' (KJV), focusing on duration. Others render it 'without hope' (BSB) or 'no expectation' (Clarke's note on the Targum), focusing on the futility of human expectation for permanence. |
| Emotional tone of the verse | The verse is not lament but worship. David is not complaining; he is giving theological grounds for humility and generous offering. | Some readers sense melancholy in the shadow image, but the context of joyful giving shapes the tone as one of grateful dependence. The Cambridge Bible emphasizes that being a stranger 'before God' means living under His protection, not alienation. |
| The identity of 'stranger and sojourner' | Israel's status as sojourners before God is rooted in Leviticus 25:23 and the patriarchal narratives. It indicates that the land and all possessions are held as a trust from God. | The Geneva Bible and Matthew Henry stress that this status means we have no absolute right to anything; we are only tenants. The Cambridge Bible adds that the phrase 'before you' implies immediate divine protection, not distance from God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits within one of the most joyful scenes in the Old Testament. David has just received a lavish offering from the people for the construction of the temple. His prayer opens with praise (verses 11-13) and expresses amazement that God would accept such gifts (verse 14). Verse 15 then provides the theological reason: we are strangers and sojourners.
The terms 'stranger' (ger) and 'sojourner' (toshav) were deeply familiar to Israel. Abraham described himself as 'a foreigner and a traveler' (Genesis 23:4). The whole nation had been strangers in Egypt. Leviticus 25:23 states plainly, 'the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me.' David picks up this covenant language: the land of Canaan itself is held as a trust from God. The people are not owners but tenants at will.
The phrase 'before you' (lephaneykha) is also significant. The Cambridge Bible notes that in the ancient Near East, resident aliens sometimes lived under the protection of a king. Israel lives under God’s immediate protection. This is not distance from God but proximity to God, a privileged position of dependence.
The image of life as a shadow appears often in wisdom literature and psalms: Job 14:2, Psalm 102:11, Psalm 144:4. The shadow is fleeting, insubstantial, and unchanging in the sense that it passes quickly. But the context here is not complaint; it is worship. David acknowledges that even his long reign (forty years) is but a shadow compared to God’s eternity. Therefore, all he has, including the temple treasure, is only loaned by God.
The Hebrew word translated 'abiding' or 'hope' is mikveh, which can mean both 'expectation' and 'collection' (as in a gathering of water). Clarke notes the Targum renders it 'no hope that we shall live forever.' The point is not despair but realism: our life does not continue on earth, so we entrust all to God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Chronicles 29:15. The verse is well preserved across the Hebrew manuscript traditions.
Reception History
This verse has been treasured in Christian funeral and burial liturgies across many traditions, often read alongside Psalm 39:12 and Psalm 90. Its imagery of life as a shadow and strangers before God shaped the medieval ars moriendi tradition, reminding believers to hold earthly things lightly. Protestant commentators from the Reformation onward, Geneva, Matthew Henry, Wesley, all used it to teach stewardship and humility in giving. The verse also appears in sermon collections on Christian hope, where the absence of abiding on earth points toward the eternal dwelling in God’s presence. In recent decades, it has been a key text in theological discussions of pilgrimage and the Christian life as a journey toward God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- We are sojourners before God. David does not say they are strangers to God, but strangers before Him, living under His care. This humility frees us to hold possessions loosely.
- Our days are a shadow. Life is brief and fragile, but that reality does not lead to despair. It leads to worship: we return to God what He gave us.
- There is no abiding. Nothing here lasts. But because God is eternal, our hope rests in Him, not in what we can build or keep.
Five-point outline
- The offering has already been given. David is not asking for money; he is interpreting what has happened theologically.
- The confession: 'we are strangers and sojourners.' This is the identity of the people of God throughout Scripture.
- The metaphor: 'our days on the earth are as a shadow.' Not a dark shadow but a passing one.
- The conclusion: 'there is no remaining.' No permanence in earthly things. This fuels radical generosity.
- The prayer continues: David asks God to keep the people’s hearts loyal. Generosity needs ongoing grace.
Illustration hooks
- A family staying in a hotel for a week. They use the room, enjoy the amenities, but they do not redecorate or claim ownership. When they check out, they leave it for the next guest. Our time on earth is like that.
- A gardener tending a park that belongs to the city. He waters, prunes, and enjoys the flowers, but he knows he does not own a single petal. His joy comes from working for the owner.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does calling life a shadow mean I shouldn't care about my home, my job, or my future?
- If everything belongs to God, why should I give to the church? Isn't it all His anyway?
- This verse sounds sad. How can I preach it without making people feel hopeless?
Leading a Discussion
This verse can be disorienting. It comes at a moment of triumph, the temple offering, yet uses words like 'strangers' and 'shadow'. Use these questions to help your group connect the joy of giving with the humility of being temporary residents before God.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Chronicles 29:14-16 aloud. What emotions do you hear in David’s voice?
- Why do you think David calls the people 'strangers and sojourners' right after they have given so generously?
- In what sense were the people strangers before God, even though they were in the Promised Land?
- How does the image of life as a 'shadow' affect your attitude toward the possessions you hold?
- What does the word 'abiding' (or 'hope') mean here? How does it shape your view of the future?
- David speaks of 'no abiding' but then asks God to keep the people's hearts loyal. How do holding loosely and trusting God work together?
- How could this verse help someone who feels anxious about giving to God’s work?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 47:9 | Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and evil. They have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” |
| Leviticus 25:23 | “‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me. |
| Job 14:2 | He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue. |
| Psalms 39:12 | “Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were. |
| Psalms 90:9 | For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh. |
| Psalms 102:11 | My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass. |
| Psalms 119:19 | I am a stranger on the earth. Don’t hide your commandments from me. |
| Psalms 144:4 | Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that believers have no property or permanent home on earth; they are tenants at will, lodged briefly in another's house. He notes that every earthly form is in constant decay, so there is no expectation of lasting stability. The Targum captures this by comparing life to the shadow of a bird flying across heaven.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
David stresses that Israel is not a stranger to God but a stranger dwelling under God's immediate protection, like foreign residents who live in a king's capital under his safeguard. He appeals to God on this basis, pointing out that their stay on earth has no permanence.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
For we are stragers before thee, and soiourners, like all our fathers: our dayes are like ye shadowe vpon the earth, and there is none abiding.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that even when believers hold land or wealth, they hold it as tenants, not owners, because the land is ultimately the Lord's. He compares human life to a bird's shadow, vanishing instantly, and notes there is no hope of lasting here, only a brief sojourn before moving on.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch focuses on the word "strangers" to mean that we have no enduring property in the land, only the right to use it. Even everything we possess is merely a gift from God granted in usufruct, not permanent ownership. Life itself is a fleeting shadow, offering no ground for trust in its continuance.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that David received the temple plan through direct divine revelation, not human invention. The detailed instructions came to him "in writing from the hand of the Lord," making the project uniquely God's design rather than David's own conception.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that David's prayer demonstrates the true spirit
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that even a king like David saw himself as merely a tenant, not an owner, of everything he possessed. Our days are as a shadow: fleeting, uncertain, and ending either in perfect light or perfect darkness. We only give back to God what we cannot keep.