John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:35
When heaven is shut up ,.... As it may be said to be when the air is quite serene, and not a cloud in it: and there is no rain ; in its season, neither the former nor the latter, as it was in the times of Elijah: because they have sinned against thee ; want of rain was threatened in case of sin, and was always the effect of it, Leviticus 26:19 , if they pray towards this place ; in any part of the country where they were; for it sometimes rained on one city, and not on another,... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 8:22-53
Solomon having made a general surrender of this house to God, which God had signified his acceptance of by taking possession, next follows Solomon's prayer, in which he makes a more particular declaration of the uses of that surrender, with all humility and reverence, desiring that God would agree thereto. In short, it is his request that this temple may be deemed and taken, not only for a house of sacrifice (no mention is made of that in all this prayer, that was taken for granted), but a... read more