1 Kings 8:29-43

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:29

That thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day ,.... That is, to the people that pray in it, as they are to his righteous ones, Psalm 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:30

And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray towards this place ,.... Not only he desires his prayers might be heard, but those of the people of Israel, then, and at all times in succeeding ages, whenever they should look towards the temple, and to him that was typified by it; to whose blood, righteousness, sacrifice and mediation, the acceptance of prayers with God is to be ascribed: and hear thou in heaven thy dwellingplace ; for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:31

If any man trespass against his neighbour ,.... By being unfaithful in a trust committed to him, or the like: and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear ; he denying that ever anything was committed to his trust, and there being no witnesses of it, the judge obliges him to take an oath he never had any: and the oath come before thine altar in this house ; where it was taken, as in the presence of God, and as appealing to him: hence in corrupt times they came to swear by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:32

Then hear thou in heaven ,.... When the injured person makes supplication to have justice done him: and do, and judge thy servants ; contending with one another, the one affirming, the other denying condemning the wicked, by bringing his way upon his head : inflicting upon him the punishment imprecated by him in his oath: and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness ; by making it appear that his cause is just. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:33

When thy people Israel shall be smitten down before the enemy ,.... Beaten and routed, many slain, and others carried captive; which had been their case, and might be again, and was, though now a time of peace: because they have sinned against thee ; which always was the reason of their being given up into the hands of their enemies: and shall turn again to thee ; to thy worship, as the Targum, having fallen into idolatry, which was generally the case when they fell before their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:34

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel ,.... It being not personal, but public sins, which would be the cause of such a calamity: and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers ; as had been often their case in the time of the judges. read more

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:36

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel ,.... By removing the judgment of drought upon them: that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk ; the way of worship and duty prescribed by the Lord which was good in itself, and good for them, good things being enjoyed by them that walk therein; and this the Lord sometimes teaches by afflictions, as well as by his word; but whenever he does it, it is by his Spirit, and then... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:37

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, &c.; corrupts and destroys them, see Amos 4:9 , locust , or if there be caterpillar ... read more

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