1 Kings 8:16-24

16 ¹'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, ²that my name might be there. ³But I chose David to be over my people Israel.'

17 ⁴Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

18 But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

19 ⁵Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.'

20 Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, ⁶as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, ⁷in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon ⁸stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and ⁹spread out his hands toward heaven,

23 and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, ¹⁰there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, ¹¹keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart,

24 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. ¹²You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day.

1 Kings 8:16-24 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.

Cross References

• 1. See 2 Sam. 7:4-16, 25
• 2. ver. 29; Deuteronomy 12:11
• 3. 1 Samuel 16:1; 2 Samuel 7:8; 1 Chronicles 28:4
• 4. 2 Samuel 7:2, 3; 1 Chronicles 17:1, 2
• 5. 1 Kings 5:3, 5; 2 Sam. 7:5, 12, 13
• 6. 1 Chronicles 28:5, 6
• 7. ver. 9; Deuteronomy 31:26
• 8. ver. 54; 2 Chronicles 6:12, 13
• 9. [Exodus 9:33; Ezra 9:5; Isaiah 1:15]
• 10. Exodus 15:11; 2 Samuel 7:22
• 11. See Deuteronomy 7:9
• 12. [See ver. 15 above]