1 Kings 8:29

29 ¹that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ²'My name shall be there,' that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.

1 Kings 8:29 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:29

That thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day,
&c.] That is, to the people that pray in it, as they are to his righteous ones, ( Psalms 33:14 ) even towards the place of which thou hast my name shall be there; there should be some displays of his presence, power, and providence, of goodness, grace, and mercy:

that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make
towards this place;
not only to what he should make in it, but to what he should make in his own house, with his face directed towards this, as would be, and was the practice of good people in later times, yea, even when the temple lay in ruins; see ( Daniel 6:10 ) figuring the respect gracious souls have to Christ by faith in their prayers, in whom the Godhead dwells bodily, see ( Jonah 2:4 ) and it is observable, according to a Jewish canon ^F2, one at a distance, in another land, was not only to turn his face to the land of Israel, but direct his heart to Jerusalem, and the temple, and the holy of holies; and if in the land, to Jerusalem and if in Jerusalem, not only to the temple, and holy of holies, but if behind the mercy seat, he was to turn his face to it; which was a symbol of Christ, the propitiatory and throne of grace, to be looked unto by faith, ( Romans 3:25 ) ( 1 John 2:2 ) ( Hebrews 4:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 94. sect. 1.

1 Kings 8:29 In-Context

27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day,

29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.

30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

31 "If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house,

Cross References

• 1. ver. 52; [2 Chronicles 7:15; Nehemiah 1:6]
• 2. ver. 16; 1 Kings 9:3; Deuteronomy 12:11