Lexical Summary elom: Elom Original Word: עֵילוֹם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ever For owlam -- ever. see HEBREW owlam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as olam, q.v. Topical Lexicon Single Biblical Occurrence 2 Chronicles 33:7 contains the sole use of עֵילוֹם. In the midst of King Manasseh’s flagrant apostasy, the narrator pauses to recall God’s earlier declaration regarding the temple: “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever”. The term translated “forever” (עֵילוֹם) anchors the whole passage in God’s immutable purpose—even when human leadership turns treacherous. Literary Context Chronicles was written to post-exilic Judah, a community struggling to understand the ruin of the first temple and the tenuous hope of restoration. By citing Manasseh’s worst violation of the sanctuary and immediately juxtaposing it with God’s promise of an everlasting name, the Chronicler highlights a profound tension: human unfaithfulness can provoke judgment, yet it cannot annul divine commitment. The rare form עֵילוֹם intensifies that contrast, drawing attention to the permanence of God’s pledge. Covenantal Significance 1. Davidic Covenant. God had promised David “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:13). The temple, as the earthly intersection of God’s presence and Davidic rule, was granted the same “forever” status. Theological Themes • Divine Fidelity versus Human Failure – Manasseh’s idolatry reaches its peak when he places a carved image in the very house of God. Yet the word עֵילוֹם proclaims that God’s name and covenant outlast every human betrayal. Messianic Foregleam The Chronicler’s emphasis on an enduring temple and name anticipates the Messiah in whom the fullness of God dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). Jesus Christ, David’s greater Son, refers to His own body as the temple (John 2:19–21). Through Him, God’s name is established forever, not merely in a building but in a resurrected, indestructible life. The variant עֵילוֹם, therefore, subtly points beyond stone and mortar to the everlasting kingdom realized in Christ (Hebrews 1:8). Ministry Implications • Guard the Sanctuary: Whether a physical meeting place or the gathered body of believers, God’s dwelling must remain free of idolatry (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). Pastoral Application When congregations wrestle with historic failures or present discouragements, highlight 2 Chronicles 33:7. Remind them that the same Lord who preserved His name through Manasseh’s corruption now preserves His church. Every act of repentance and renewal rests on the certainty that God’s “forever” still stands. Forms and Transliterations לְעֵילֽוֹם׃ לעילום׃ lə‘êlōwm lə·‘ê·lō·wm leeiLomLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Chronicles 33:7 HEB: אֶת־ שְׁמִ֖י לְעֵילֽוֹם׃ KJV: will I put my name for ever: INT: will put my name ever 1 Occurrence |
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