1 Kings 8:13-23

13 I have surely built thee a house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face about and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel were standing.
15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth unto David my father, and with his hand has fulfilled it, saying,
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17 And it was in the heart of David, my father, to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18 But the LORD said unto David, my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart;
19 nevertheless, thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build a house unto my name.
20 And the LORD has established his word that he spoke, and I have risen up in the place of David, my father, and sit on the throne of Israel as the LORD had said and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and extending his hands toward heaven,
23 he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in the heavens above or on earth beneath, who keeps the covenant and mercy with thy slaves that walk before thee with all their heart,

1 Kings 8:13-23 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010