1 Kings 8:35

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 8:35

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 8:35

When the heaven is shut up , and there is no rain - The Third case. When, because of their sin, and their ceasing to walk in the good way in which they should have walked, God refuses to send the early and latter rain, so that the appointed weeks of harvest come in vain, as there is no crop: then, if they pray and confess their sin, hear thou in heaven, etc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 8:23-53

The Prayer of Dedication. In how many and varied ways is Solomon a type of the Divine Solomon, the true Son of David Even in this respect they are alike—that each has "taught us how to pray" ( Luke 11:1 sqq.) For we may be sure that the Prayer of Dedication is for our instruction and imitation, otherwise it would hardly have been recorded, and recorded at such length, in Scripture. "After this manner therefore pray ye" ( Matthew 6:9 ). I. LAYMEN MAY OFFER PUBLIC PRAYER ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 8:35

When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place [ toward, because the inhabitants of the land everywhere would direct their prayers toward the holy oracle in Jerusalem ( Psalms 28:2 ) ] , and confess [ praise ] thy name, and turn from their sin, when [or because, כִי ] thou afflictest them. [ LXX . ὅταν ταπεινώσης αὐτοὺς — Humbling should be the result of affliction.] read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 8:35

1 Kings 8:35. When heaven is shut up The lower or aerial heaven, in which the clouds are. This is compared to a great storehouse in God’s keeping, out of which nothing can be obtained so long as it is close shut up. And as he is said to bring the wind, (Psalms 135:7,) so the rain, out of this treasury. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:22-66

The dedication ceremony (8:22-9:9)Solomon then went up on to a specially made bronze platform, knelt down and prayed to God in the presence of the assembled people (2 Chronicles 6:12-13). He admitted that only God’s grace had allowed his father and himself to fulfil their wish of building God a symbolic dwelling place. He prayed that God’s grace would rest likewise upon his royal descendants after him (22-26). Solomon knew there was no necessity for the temple, because God dwells everywhere.... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Kings 8:35

When heaven is shut up. Compare Leviticus 26:19 . Deuteronomy 11:17 . Compare Ch. 1 Kings 17:1 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Kings 8:35

III. PETITION FOR RELIEF FROM DROUGHT"When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them: then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance." read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 8:1-66

5. The temple dedication ch. 8This chapter climaxes the writer’s emphasis on the greatness of Yahweh as Israel’s God. It is the most detailed account of a dedication service in the Bible. It is also one of the most theologically significant texts in 1 and 2 Kings. read more

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