1 Kings 8:20-30

20 The Lord has fulfilled what He promised. I have taken the place of my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

21 I have provided a place there for the ark, where the Lord's covenant is that He made with our ancestors when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.^[a]

Solomon's Prayer

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

23 He said: Lord God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping the gracious covenant with Your servants who walk before You with their whole heart.

24 You have kept what You promised to Your servant, my father David. You spoke directly [to him] and You fulfilled [Your promise] by Your power as it is today.

25 Therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep what You promised to Your servant, my father David: You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons guard their walk before Me as you have walked before Me.

26 Now Lord ^[b] God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David.

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^[c] 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,^[d] 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.

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.

Footnotes

• [a] 2 Ch 6:1-11
• [b] Many Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg ms, Vg mss, 2 Ch 6:16; MT omits Lord
• [c] Lit Turn
• [d] Dt 12:11