1 Kings 8:20-30

20 The Lord hath now confirmed his word, that he spake; and I stood for David, my father, and I sat upon the throne of Israel, as the Lord spake; and I have builded an house to the name of the Lord God of Israel. (The Lord hath now fulfilled his word, that he spoke; and I have stood in place of my father David, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord spoke; and I have built a House in honour of the name of the Lord God of Israel.)
21 And I have ordained there a place of the ark, in which ark the bond of peace of the Lord is, which he smote with our fathers, when they went out of the land of Egypt. (And I have ordained a place there for the Ark, in which Ark is the Covenant of the Lord, which he struck with our forefathers, when they went out of the land of Egypt.)
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the sight of the church of Israel; and he held forth his hands against heaven, (And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, before the congregation of Israel; and he held forth his hands toward heaven,)
23 and said, Lord God of Israel, no God in heaven above, neither on earth beneath, is like thee, which keepest covenant and mercy to thy servants, that go before thee in all their heart; (and said, Lord God of Israel, there is no god like thee, in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, which keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants, who go before thee with all their heart;)
24 and thou keepest to David, my father, thy servant, those things which thou hast spoken to him (and thou hast kept thy promise to thy servant David, my father); by mouth thou hast spoken (it), and by hands thou hast fulfilled (it), as this day proveth.
25 Now therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep thou to thy servant David, my father, those things which thou spakest to him, and saidest, A man of thee shall not be taken away (from) before me, which man shall sit on the throne of Israel, so nevertheless if thy sons keep thy way (as long as thy sons obey thy ways), (so) that they go before me, as thou wentest in my sight.
26 And now, Lord God of Israel, thy words be made steadfast, which thou spakest to thy servant David, my father.
27 Therefore whether it is to guess, that God dwelleth verily on earth; for if heaven, and (the) heaven of heavens be not able to take thee, how much more this house, that I have builded to thee. (And so, is it only a guess, that truly God liveth not on the earth? for if heaven, and the heaven of heavens be not able to hold thee, then how much less this House, that I have built for thee?)
28 But, my Lord God, behold thou to the prayer of thy servant, and to the beseechings of him; hear thou the hymn, either praising, and [the] prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee today;
29 that thine eyes be opened on this house by night and day, on the house of which thou saidest, My name shall be there; that thou hear the prayer, which thy servant prayeth to thee in this place;
30 that thou hear the beseeching of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, whatever thing he prayeth in this place, and hear thou in the place of thy dwelling in heaven; and when thou hast heard, thou shalt be merciful. (that thou hear the beseeching of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, whatever thing they prayeth in this place, and hear thou in heaven, in thy dwelling place; and that when thou hast heard, thou shalt be merciful.)

1 Kings 8:20-30 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.