1 Kings 8:36

36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when ¹you teach them ²the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

1 Kings 8:36 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:36

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel
By removing the judgment of drought upon them:

that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk;
the way of worship and duty prescribed by the Lord which was good in itself, and good for them, good things being enjoyed by them that walk therein; and this the Lord sometimes teaches by afflictions, as well as by his word; but whenever he does it, it is by his Spirit, and then afflictions are blessings, ( Psalms 104:19 ) ( 2 Chronicles 6:27 ) where the same phrase is differently rendered:

and give rain upon the land which thou hast given to thy people for
an inheritance;
as he did at the prayer of Elijah, ( James 5:18 ) .

1 Kings 8:36 In-Context

34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.

35 "When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,

36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is,

38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house,

Cross References

• 1. [Psalms 25:4; Psalms 27:11; Psalms 86:11]
• 2. 1 Samuel 12:23