1 Kings 8:29

29 That thy eyes may be open towards this house night and day, [even] towards the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken to the prayer which thy servant shall make towards 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 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have built?
28 Yet have thou respect to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken to the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee this day:
29 That thy eyes may be open towards this house night and day, [even] towards the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken to the prayer which thy servant shall make towards this place.
30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray towards this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man shall trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thy altar in this house:
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