1 Kings 8:37

37 “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,

1 Kings 8:37 in Other Translations

KJV
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
ESV
37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is,
NLT
37 “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is—
MSG
37 When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses - calamity of any sort
CSB
37 When there is famine on the earth, when there is pestilence, when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper, when their enemy besieges them in the region of their fortified cities, [when there is] any plague or illness,

1 Kings 8:37 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 37 If there be in the land famine
Through want of rain, or any other cause, as there had been a three years' famine in the time of David, and it is supposed it might be again, though Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey:

if there be pestilence;
as there had been, for David's numbering the people:

blasting;
or blights, occasioned by the east wind:

mildew;
a kind of clammy dew, which falling on plants, corn corrupts and destroys them, see ( Amos 4:9 ) ,

locust,
or

if there be caterpillar;
creatures very pernicious to the fruits of the earth, and cause a scarcity of them, see ( Joel 1:4 ) ,

if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities;
so that they cannot go out to gather the increase of the earth, or till their land:

whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
whatever stroke from the hand of God, or what judgment or calamity soever befalls.

1 Kings 8:37 In-Context

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,
36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.
37 “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,
38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple—
39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),

Cross References 4

  • 1. S Leviticus 26:26
  • 2. S Exodus 30:12; S Leviticus 26:25
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 28:22
  • 4. S Exodus 10:13; Psalms 105:34
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