How do we know where He placed His Name and what does that mean? The answer to this verse is first revealed in this verse. The English "name" comes from the Hebrew word ³ "Shem" (shame) is more than just a name it conveys the idea of a definite and conspicuous position of individuality of our CREATOR and it relates to His Glory or presence.

The English word "place" comes from the Hebrew word ⁴ "shakan" (shaw-kan') and means to reside or permanently stay. In other words to "dwell" or "live" in a certain place. The New International Version captures the meaning quite well:
Deuteronomy 14 23 (NIV) "Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of ETERNAL CREATOR at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to revere ETERNAL CREATOR always."

The English word "dwell" comes from the Hebrew word ⁵ "yashab" (yaw-shab') means to sit down an by implication means to dwell, to settle down, to marry. Thus, we see that wherever ETERNAL places His Name, He dwells in that location and it includes the idea of marrying and settling down. Notice the particular location ETERNAL placed His Name to dwell there:
2 Samuel 6:2 (NKJV) "And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the Ark of CREATOR, whose name is called by the Name, ETERNAL of Hosts, who dwells between the Cherubim."

Thus we see that in addition to ETERNAL's normal residence in Heaven He dwelled at that time in or on the Ark of the Covenant between the Cherubim. That is why Uzzah died when He touched the Ark, he touched the very "Shem" of Elohim, and he should not have it:
2 Samuel 6:6 "And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of Elohim and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of ETERNAL was aroused against Uzzah, and Elohim struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of Elohim."

In addition ETERNAL had taken Israel for His wife and He was dwelling near her. He dwelled in Israel's midst in order to watch over her and protect her. However, Israel broke the covenant and ETERNAL allowed the first Temple to be destroyed:
Jeremiah 31:32 "...not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says ETERNAL."

The next question to consider is where was the Ark to be placed:
1 Kings 8:26-27,29 "And now I pray, O CREATOR of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father. But, will CREATOR indeed dwell on the earth? Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this Temple which I have built! ...that Your eyes may be open toward this Temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place" (compare Isa 62:4).

ETERNAL's "Shem" was placed on/in the Ark that is where He dwells. Since the Ark was in the Holy of Holies in the Temple, then His presence was in the Temple near His wife Israel. With that thought in mind we now understand why ETERNAL commanded the following Scripture, because He wanted His wife to rejoice at the Feast, camp (live in booths), sacrifice (so He could smell the sweet aroma), and rest from work in His presence:
Leviticus 23:37,39-40,42-43 (NIV) 'These are ETERNAL's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to ETERNAL by fire--the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. ...So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the Festival to ETERNAL for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day, also is a day of rest. 'On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before ETERNAL your CREATOR for seven days. ...Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am ETERNAL your CREATOR.'"

Numbers 29:36 "You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to ETERNAL: one bull, one ram, seven lambs in their first year without blemish,"

The Mighty One, our CREATOR want us sacrifice, a form of worship, to Him in the place He has chosen and only in that place when His "Shem" abides. His "Shem" or name shows where He dwelt, and His "Shem" was in or on the ark, which was in the Temple. The reason for this is for us to worship Him in His presence.
Deuteronomy 12:11 "...then there will be the place where ETERNAL your CREATOR chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to ETERNAL. And you shall rejoice before ETERNAL your CREATOR, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you. Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; but in the place which ETERNAL chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

Solomon prayed that if sometime in the future that Israel is defeated in battle and are taken captive (1 Kings 8:33) and ETERNAL was no longer in the Temple that if they prayed toward the Temple location that ETERNAL would hear in heaven. However, notice that the Temple was built to house ETERNAL's Name "Shem" which was in/on the Ark.
1 Kings 8:44-45 "When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to ETERNAL toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

Jerusalem was the city where the Temple was and therefore the Ark was there. The Ark was where ETERNAL placed His "Shem" thus making Jerusalem a sanctified consecrated city.
1 Kings 14:21 "And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king. He reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which, ETERNAL had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His Name (Shem) there.

Other Locations for ETERNAL's Name?

Notice that His name was put on the people by Aaron and was not a place where ETERNAL was to dwell. However, since ETERNAL had married Israel they had His name on them but He dwelt in/on the Ark. Israel is called by the name of ETERNAL, but He did not place His name there. ETERNAL dwells (or lived in at the time) in/on the ark thus His "Shem" or name is there.

Some have stated that ETERNAL placed His name on the altar that Elijah built on Mt. Carmel. However, notice that Elijah just built the altar in the name of ETERNAL not that ETERNAL placed His name there.
1 Kings 18:32 '"Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of ETERNAL..."

After Israel had sinned and had been taken into captivity, the Temple remained in Jerusalem and the Name "Shem" of ETERNAL was still there. However, Judah sinned greatly by worshipping false gods and the anger of ETERNAL was provoked against her causing Him to state:

2 Kings 23:27 "And ETERNAL said, "I will also remove Judah from My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, 'My name shall be there.'"

Just before the sacking of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the burning of the Temple ETERNAL removed His Name "Shem" from the Ark and Jerusalem. It will not be placed back on the earth until the third Temple is built after the Advent of the Messiah. The following is quoted from Chapter Four of our article "New Proof of the Messiah."

Observe that the Glory of ETERNAL departed from the city just before the destruction of Jerusalem and that the Glory will return to Jerusalem in the millennia period. No temple in Jerusalem has known the presence of the Glory of the ETERNAL in this manner since 586 BCE, ⁶ which was the date of the destruction of Solomon's Temple. The trail of our CREATOR's Glory is the key to understanding the third Temple. We will follow the trail.

Scofield's note for verse (Ezek 9:3) "It is noteworthy that to Ezekiel, the priest, was given the vision of the Glory of ETERNAL's presence departing the Temple. It happened in four steps:

Step 1) From the Cherubim [on the Ark] to the threshold of the Temple.
Ezekiel 9:3 "Now the glory of the CREATOR of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple....

Ezekiel 10:4 "Then the glory of ETERNAL went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of ETERNAL's glory.

Step 2) From the threshold to Cherubim [that lifted the portable Throne].
Ezekiel 10:18 "Then the glory of ETERNAL departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim."

Step 3) From the midst of the city to the mountain on the east of Jerusalem, Mt. of Olives.
Ezekiel 11:23 "And the glory of ETERNAL went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city."
Scofield's note for verse (11:23); "The departure of the divine glory (the visible symbol of "Gods" presence) from the Temple, marks the end of the theocratic kingdom in OT history. ...The visible Glory will return when the kingdom is restored to Israel (Ezek. 43:1-7).

Step 4) Returning back to Mt. Of Olives and then to the millennial Temple to abide.
Zec 14:4 "And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two...

Ezekiel 43:2-5 "And behold, the glory of the CREATOR of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw; like the vision which I ⁷ saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the glory of ETERNAL came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of ETERNAL filled the temple."

There is a lot being said about the restoration of the Temple. The first Temple was Solomon's, the second one was Hezekiah's which was rebuilt by Herod. The third Temple will be built by the Messiah ⁸ the Branch, in Jerusalem and it will be a physical Temple. After it is built, ETERNAL CREATOR will make it His residence forever.
Zec 6:12-3 (NRSV) "say to him: Thus says ETERNAL of hosts: 'Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of ETERNAL. It is he that shall build the temple of ETERNAL; he shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. There shall be a priest by his throne, with peaceful understanding between the two of them.

Ezekiel. 43:7 "And He said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places.'"

The word "dwell" in verse seven is Strong's #H7931 "shakan" and means to reside or permanently stay. So the ETERNAL will put His Glory into this third Temple and will dwell among His people forever.

ETERNAL's Name or "Shem" was never in the second Temple although His Spirit was among the people:
Haggai 2:1-5 "In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of ETERNAL came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 'Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says ETERNAL; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says ETERNAL, 'and work; for I am with you,' says ETERNAL of hosts. 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'"

That verse is saying that even though the glory of the ETERNAL left the physical Temple, and it will not be back until the third and final Temple is built. However, He says, "My spirit remains among you, so fear not"! Therefore from that time until now we do have access to ETERNAL and His Holy Spirit. Then ETERNAL is here again our CREATOR promises peace:
Haggai 2:6-9 "For thus says ETERNAL of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this Temple with Glory,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says ETERNAL of Hosts."

There will come a day when Israel will be at peace, when the ETERNAL will again dwell among His people. However, that is yet a ways off, because before the destruction and regathering of Israel, a work must be done in an end time commission.

You have been exposed to this work. The question of what you will do about it has already been asked. The answer is already in your heart, known only to you and the Holy One of Israel. He alone is your judge.

1 Kings 8:44-53 "When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to ETERNAL toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your Name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, 'We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness'; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your Name. Then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace), that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O ETERNAL CREATOR."

[ "The Hope of Israel" index page ]

Footnotes

1. Unless noted all Scriptures will be from the New King James Version and all emphasis are the authors.
2. We will use ETERNAL in place of "the Lord" and CREATOR in place of "God."
3. Strong's #H8034 "shem" (shame) a prim. word [perh. rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by impl. honor, authority, and character. Gesenius' states the same but adds "the glory of 'CREATOR'".
4. Strong's #H7931 shakan, (shaw-kan') a prim. root to reside or permanently stay (lit. or fig.):
5. Strong's #H342 yashab (yaw-shab') a prim. root; prop. to sit down; by impl. to dwell, to remain: causat. to settle, to marry:
6. Notes from New Scofield Reference Edition, introduction notes for Ezekiel.
7. Scofield's note for verse 3. Obviously, it was not Ezekiel who came to destroy the city of Jerusalem for her sins, but ETERNAL Himself. On the basis of the requirements of the context, the reading in some six manuscripts, the version of Theodotion and that of the Vulgate, the best reading is "when I came to destroy the city." A possible rendering, and perhaps preferable, would be to read the final letter of the disputed word as a well-known abbreviation for "ETERNAL," thus giving us the reading "when ETERNAL came to destroy the city."
8. See our article "New Proof of the Messiah."