1 Kings 8:16

16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

1 Kings 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:16

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of
Egypt
Which was now about four hundred and eighty eight years ago; see ( 1 Kings 6:1 1 Kings 6:38 ) ( 8:2 ) .

I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that
my name might be therein;
he had chosen one in his mind from all eternity; but he had not made known this choice, nor the place he had chosen; he gave hints by Moses, that there was a place which he should choose, or declare he had chosen to put his name in, but did not express it, ( Deuteronomy 12:5 Deuteronomy 12:11 ) but now it was a clear case that he had chosen Jerusalem, and that was the city he always had in view, see ( 2 Chronicles 6:6 ) ,

but I chose David to be over my people Israel;
to be their king, and to him he gave the first hint of the place where the temple was to be built, ( 1 Chronicles 22:1 ) , and he chose no man, and his family with him, before him, to rule over Israel, and be concerned in such a work, see ( 2 Chronicles 6:5 ) .

1 Kings 8:16 In-Context

14 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all

15 and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,

16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

18 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.