1 Kings 8:37

37 If hunger riseth in the land, either pestilence is, either corrupt air is (If famine riseth in the land, or pestilence, or corrupt air), either rust, either locust, either mildew, and if his enemy tormenteth him, and besiegeth the gates of him, and (bringeth in) all wound, all sickness,

1 Kings 8:37 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 37 If there be in the land famine
Through want of rain, or any other cause, as there had been a three years' famine in the time of David, and it is supposed it might be again, though Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey:

if there be pestilence;
as there had been, for David's numbering the people:

blasting;
or blights, occasioned by the east wind:

mildew;
a kind of clammy dew, which falling on plants, corn corrupts and destroys them, see ( Amos 4:9 ) ,

locust,
or

if there be caterpillar;
creatures very pernicious to the fruits of the earth, and cause a scarcity of them, see ( Joel 1:4 ) ,

if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities;
so that they cannot go out to gather the increase of the earth, or till their land:

whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
whatever stroke from the hand of God, or what judgment or calamity soever befalls.

1 Kings 8:37 In-Context

35 If heaven is closed (When the heavens be closed up), and (it) raineth not for the sins of them, and they pray in this place, and do penance to thy name, and be converted, or altogether turned, from their sins for their torment,

36 (then) hear thou them in heaven, and forgive thou the sins of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, and show thou to them a good way, by which they shall go, and give thou rain to them upon the land, which thou hast given to them into possession (which thou hast given to them for a possession).

37 If hunger riseth in the land, either pestilence is, either corrupt air is (If famine riseth in the land, or pestilence, or corrupt air), either rust, either locust, either mildew, and if his enemy tormenteth him, and besiegeth the gates of him, and (bringeth in) all wound, all sickness,

38 all cursing, and all wishing of evil, that befalleth to each man of thy people Israel, if any man knoweth the wound of his heart, and holdeth forth his hands in this house,

39 thou shalt hear in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling (then thou shalt hear in heaven, in thy dwelling place), and thou shalt do mercy, and thou shalt do that thou give to each man after all his ways, as thou seest his heart; for thou alone knowest the heart of all the sons of men,