1 Kings 8:29

29 so that Your eyes may watch over this temple night and day, toward the place where You said: My name will be there,^[a] and so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.

1 Kings 8:29 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:29

That thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day,
&c.] That is, to the people that pray in it, as they are to his righteous ones, ( Psalms 33:14 ) even towards the place of which thou hast my name shall be there; there should be some displays of his presence, power, and providence, of goodness, grace, and mercy:

that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make
towards this place;
not only to what he should make in it, but to what he should make in his own house, with his face directed towards this, as would be, and was the practice of good people in later times, yea, even when the temple lay in ruins; see ( Daniel 6:10 ) figuring the respect gracious souls have to Christ by faith in their prayers, in whom the Godhead dwells bodily, see ( Jonah 2:4 ) and it is observable, according to a Jewish canon ^F2, one at a distance, in another land, was not only to turn his face to the land of Israel, but direct his heart to Jerusalem, and the temple, and the holy of holies; and if in the land, to Jerusalem and if in Jerusalem, not only to the temple, and holy of holies, but if behind the mercy seat, he was to turn his face to it; which was a symbol of Christ, the propitiatory and throne of grace, to be looked unto by faith, ( Romans 3:25 ) ( 1 John 2:2 ) ( Hebrews 4:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 94. sect. 1.

1 Kings 8:29 In-Context

27 But will God indeed live on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

28 Listen to Your servant's prayer and his petition, Lord my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant prays before You today,

29 so that Your eyes may watch over this temple night and day, toward the place where You said: My name will be there, and so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.

30 Hear the petition of Your servant and Your people Israel, which they pray toward this place. May You hear in Your dwelling place in heaven. May You hear and forgive.

31 When a man sins against his neighbor and is forced to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple,

Footnotes

• [a]. Dt 12:11