1 Kings 8:15-21

15 He said, "Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him,
16 "From the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.' " 1
17 And Solomon continued, "My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel, 2
18 but the Lord said to him, "You were right in wanting to build a temple for me,
19 but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple.' 3
20 "And now the Lord has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built the Temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel.
21 I have also provided a place in the Temple for the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt."

1 Kings 8:15-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of the introduction of the ark into the temple, 1Ki 8:1-9 of the glory of the Lord filling it, 1Ki 8:10,11 of a speech Solomon made to the people concerning the building of the temple, and how he came to be engaged in it, 1Ki 8:12-21, of a prayer of his he put up on this occasion, requesting, that what supplications soever were made at any time, or on any account, by Israelites or strangers, might be accepted by the Lord, 1Ki 8:22-53, and of his blessing the people of Israel at the close of it, with some useful exhortations, 1Ki 8:54-61, and of the great number of sacrifices offered up by him, and the feast he made for the people, upon which he dismissed them, 1Ki 8:62-66.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 8.16 2 S 7.4-11;1 Chronicles 17.3-10.
  • 2. 8.17, 18 2 S 7.1-3;1 Chronicles 17.1, 2.
  • 3. 8.19 2 S 7.12, 13;1 Chronicles 17.11, 12.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.