1 Kings 9:3

3 And the LORD said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before Me. I have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put My name there forever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.

1 Kings 9:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:3

And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy
supplication that thou hast made before me
With delight and pleasure, and had accepted it; meaning the prayer recorded in the preceding chapter:

I have hallowed this house which thou hast built;
by the cloud of glory filling it, and by fire descending from heaven, and consuming the sacrifices offered in it, ( 2 Chronicles 7:1 )

to put my name there for ever;
there to grant his presence, so long as his pure worship should be continued in it; so the Targum adds,

``and my Shechinah or divine Majesty shall abide in it, if my will is done there continually:''

and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually;
his eyes of Providence should be upon it, to watch over it, and protect it, and his worshippers in it; and he should have a cordial regard to the sacrifices there offered, and to the persons of the offerers, so long as they offered them in a right way, and to right ends and purposes.

1 Kings 9:3 In-Context

1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,

2 that the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3 And the LORD said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before Me. I have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put My name there forever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.

4 And if thou wilt walk before Me as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep My statutes and My judgments,

5 then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, `There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.'