1 Kings 8:36

36 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.

1 Kings 8:36 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:36

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel
By removing the judgment of drought upon them:

that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk;
the way of worship and duty prescribed by the Lord which was good in itself, and good for them, good things being enjoyed by them that walk therein; and this the Lord sometimes teaches by afflictions, as well as by his word; but whenever he does it, it is by his Spirit, and then afflictions are blessings, ( Psalms 104:19 ) ( 2 Chronicles 6:27 ) where the same phrase is differently rendered:

and give rain upon the land which thou hast given to thy people for
an inheritance;
as he did at the prayer of Elijah, ( James 5:18 ) .

1 Kings 8:36 In-Context

34 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Bring them back to the land you gave to their people who lived long ago.

35 "Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn't any rain. But your people pray toward this place. They praise you by admitting they've sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer.

36 Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.

37 "Suppose there isn't enough food in the land. And a plague strikes the land. The hot winds completely dry up our crops. Or locusts or grasshoppers come and eat them up. Or an enemy surrounds one of our cities and gets ready to attack it. Or trouble or sickness comes.

38 But suppose one of your people prays to you. He asks you to show him your favor. He is aware of how much his own heart is suffering. And he spreads out his hands toward this temple to pray.