1 Kings 8:37-40

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 8:37

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:38

What prayer and supplication soever ,.... On account of any of the above things, or any other: be made by any man, or by all the people Israel ; by a private man, for such an one might go to the temple and pray by himself; see Luke 18:10 or by the public congregation: which shall know every man the plague of his own heart ; be sensible of his sin as the cause of his distress, and own it, though ever so privately committed, which none knows but God and his own heart; and which may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:39

Then hear thou in heaven thy dwellingplace ,.... Which was more properly so than this Solomon had built, and the Lord had taken possession of: and forgive ; remove the calamity and distress, be it what it may: and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest : that his prayer is cordial and sincere, his confession and repentance genuine, and that he is truly sensible of his sin, and sorry for it, and is pure in his intentions and resolutions, through... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 8:40

That they may fear thee ,.... For his goodness sake in hearing their prayer, removing their affliction, and bestowing his blessings on them, particularly in forgiving their sins, see Psalm 130:4 . all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers ; not only for the present, while the mercy is fresh, but all the days of their lives; to which they were the more obliged by the good land they possessed as a divine gift, and which they held by the tenure of their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 8:37

If there be in the land famine - pestilence - The Fourth case includes several kinds of evils: Famine; a scarcity or total want of bread, necessarily springing from the preceding cause, drought. Pestilence; any general and contagious disease. Blasting; any thing by which the crops are injured, so that the ear is never matured; but instead of wholesome grain, there is a black offensive dust. Mildew; any thing that vitiates or corrodes the texture of the stalk, destroys... 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 8:37

If there be in the land famine [Heb. Famine should there be, etc. The word is emphatic by position. Famine is denounced, Le 26:20, 26; Deuteronomy 28:33 ], if there be pestilence [Le 26:25; Jeremiah 14:12 ; Jeremiah 24:10 ; Amos 4:10 ; Ezekiel 6:12 , etc.], blasting [same word Genesis 41:6 ; Amos 4:9 ; Deuteronomy 28:22 ], mildew [lit. paleness, χλωρότης , Deuteronomy l.c. ], locust, or if there be caterpillar [It is uncertain whether חָסִיל , lit; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 8:38

What prayer and supplication soever [There is here a studied reference to the preceding words. Lit; every prayer, etc. We might render in 1 Kings 8:37 , "Whatsoever the plague," etc; and here, "Whatsoever the prayer," etc.] be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart [Here again there is an unmistakeable reference to the "plague" (same word) of 1 Kings 8:37 . The plague of the heart is the inner smart of the conscience... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 8:38

The consecration of the temple was the grandest religious ceremony of the old covenant. It is important— I. BECAUSE IT CENTRALIZES THE WORSHIP OF THE THEOCRACY . II. BECAUSE IT SUPPLIES A TYPE OF THE SPIRITUAL TEMPLE which is to be reared in the Church and in every Christian soul. Solomon, as the king chosen of God, represents in this service of consecration the entire theocracy. The temple is essentially a house of prayer, as is manifest from the words... read more

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