1 Kings 8:29

29 Night and day may your eyes be on this temple, the place about which you said, 'My name will be there.' Listen to me as I pray 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 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Kings 8:29 In-Context

27 "Does God really live on earth? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you, then how can this temple that I have built?
28 Nevertheless, my LORD God, please pay attention to my prayer for mercy. Listen to my cry for help as I pray to you today.
29 Night and day may your eyes be on this temple, the place about which you said, 'My name will be there.' Listen to me as I pray toward this place.
30 Hear the plea for mercy that your people Israel and I pray toward this place. Hear us [when we pray] to heaven, the place where you live. Hear and forgive.
31 "If anyone sins against another person and is required to take an oath and comes to take the oath in front of your altar in this temple,
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