1 Kings 8:27

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?)

1 Kings 8:27 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:27

But will God indeed dwell on the earth?
&c.] Is it true? Can any credit be given to it? Who could ever have thought it, that so great and glorious a Being, who inhabits eternity, dwells in the highest heavens, should ever condescend to dwell on earth? Such was the amazing condescension of Christ, the Son of God, to tabernacle in human nature with men on earth, to which Solomon perhaps might have respect; his temple being the figure of his body, in which the Godhead dwells, ( John 2:19 ) ( Colossians 2:9 ) ( John 1:14 )

behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, cannot
contain thee;
not, only the visible heavens, but the third heaven, where the throne of God is, and is the habitation of angels and saints; though there God makes the most glorious displays of himself yet he is so immense and infinite, that he is not to be comprehended and circumscribed in any place whatever:

how much less this house that I have builded?
Though temples built for idols contain them, and are large enough, yet Solomon had no notion, when he built his temple, though it was for the name of God, that he was restrained to it, but dwelt everywhere, filling heaven and earth with his presence.

1 Kings 8:27 In-Context

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;