1 Kings 8:50
New International Version
And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;

New Living Translation
Forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all the offenses they have committed against you. Make their captors merciful to them,

English Standard Version
and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

Berean Standard Bible
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.

Berean Literal Bible
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions that they have transgressed against You, and may You grant them compassion before the face of those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them.

King James Bible
And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

New King James Version
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them

New American Standard Bible
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their wrongdoings which they have committed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, so that they will have compassion on them

NASB 1995
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them

NASB 1977
and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them

Legacy Standard Bible
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and give them over as objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them

Amplified Bible
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions which they have committed against You, and make them objects of compassion before their captors, that they will be merciful to them

Berean Annotated Bible
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.

Christian Standard Bible
May you forgive your people who sinned against you and all their rebellions against you, and may you grant them compassion before their captors, so that they may treat them compassionately.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
May You forgive Your people who sinned against You and all their rebellions against You, and may You give them compassion in the eyes of their captors, so that they may be compassionate to them.

American Standard Version
and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

Contemporary English Version
Forgive your people no matter how much they have sinned against you. Make the enemies who defeated them be kind to them.

English Revised Version
and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. [Forgive] all their wrongs when they rebelled against you, and cause those who captured them to have mercy on them

Good News Translation
Forgive all their sins and their rebellion against you, and make their enemies treat them with kindness.

International Standard Version
forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you. "Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them,

NET Bible
Forgive all the rebellious acts of your sinful people and cause their captors to have mercy on them.

New Heart English Bible
and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

Webster's Bible Translation
And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.

World English Bible
and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and have forgiven Your people who have sinned against You, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and have given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy [on] them—

Berean Literal Bible
and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions that they have transgressed against You, and may You grant them compassion before the face of those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them.

Young's Literal Translation
and hast forgiven Thy people who have sinned against Thee, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and hast given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy on them --

Smith's Literal Translation
And forgive to thy people who sinned against thee, and all their transgressions which they transgressed against thee, and give them for compassion before those carrying them captive, and they compassionated them:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And forgive thy people, that have sinned against thee, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them captives, that they may have compassion on them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you will forgive your people, who have sinned against you, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against you. And you will grant to them mercy in the sight of those who have made them captives, so that they may take pity on them.

New American Bible
Forgive your people who have sinned against you and all the offenses they have committed against you, and grant them mercy in the sight of their captors, so that these will be merciful to them.

New Revised Standard Version
and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you; and grant them compassion in the sight of their captors, so that they may have compassion on them
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And forgive thy people who have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion in the presence of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you will forgive your people because they have sinned against you and for all their offenses that they had offended against you, and you shall give them favor before their captors and they will show compassion upon them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against Thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and thou shalt be merciful to their unrighteousness wherein they have trespassed against thee, and according to all their transgressions wherewith they have transgressed against thee, and thou shalt cause them to be pitied before them that carried them captives, and they shall have compassion on them:

Additional Translations ...



Context
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
49then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause. 50May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy. 51For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace for iron.…

Cross References
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You

2 Chronicles 6:39
then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and pleas, and may You uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.

Daniel 9:19
O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.”

Nehemiah 1:6-7
let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. / We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.
and all the transgressions they have committed against You,

Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.

Jeremiah 33:8
And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.

Leviticus 26:40-42
But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— / and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity, / then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.
and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors

Daniel 1:9
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

Exodus 12:36
And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

Genesis 39:21
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
to show them mercy.

Psalm 106:46
He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive.

2 Kings 25:27-30
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah’s King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he released King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. / And he spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and set his throne above the thrones of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. / So Jehoiachin changed out of his prison clothes, and he dined regularly at the king’s table for the rest of his life. …

Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Daniel 9:9
To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him

Psalm 130:4
But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.

Psalm 86:5
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.


Treasury of Scripture

And forgive your people that have sinned against you, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against you, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

and give them

2 Chronicles 30:9
For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

Ezra 7:6,27,28
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him…

Nehemiah 1:11
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

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Captive Carried Cause Committed Compassion Conquerors Evil Find Forgive Forgiven Forgiveness Grant Mercies Mercy Moved Objects Offenses Overlooking Pity Prisoners Show Sight Sin Sinned Transgressed Transgressions Whereby Wherein Wrong
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Captive Carried Cause Committed Compassion Conquerors Evil Find Forgive Forgiven Forgiveness Grant Mercies Mercy Moved Objects Offenses Overlooking Pity Prisoners Show Sight Sin Sinned Transgressed Transgressions Whereby Wherein Wrong
1 Kings 8
1. The feast of the temple
12. Solomon's blessing
22. Solomon's prayer
54. Solomon's blessing
62. His sacrifice of peace offerings












May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You

Solomon asks God to pardon Israel when their sin brings discipline. Though God’s covenant people, they remained accountable to Him and repeatedly needed forgiveness.

2Ch 6:39 then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place,…
Dan 9:19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!…
Neh 1:6-7 Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear…

and all the transgressions they have committed against You,

Their failures were not isolated mistakes but acts of disobedience against the Lord’s commands. Solomon includes every offense, recognizing that restoration depends on God’s mercy rather than Israel’s righteousness.

Isa 43:25 I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions…
Jer 33:8 And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity…
Lev 26:40-42 But if they will confess their iniquity…

and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors

Solomon anticipates that disobedience could lead to defeat and exile. Even under foreign rule, Israel’s circumstances would remain under God’s control, and He could move captors to treat them with favor.

Dan 1:9 Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion…
Exo 12:36 And the LORD gave the people such favor…
Gen 39:21 the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him…

to show them mercy.

The prayer seeks relief from the consequences of judgment and preservation for God’s people in captivity.

Psa 106:46 He made them objects of compassion to all who…
2Ki 25:27-30 On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month…
Pro 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
The king of Israel who is offering this prayer during the dedication of the temple. He is seeking God's favor and forgiveness for the people of Israel.

2. The Israelites
The people of God who have sinned and are in need of forgiveness and mercy. They are the primary focus of Solomon's intercession.

3. The Temple in Jerusalem
The newly built temple where Solomon is praying. It represents God's dwelling place among His people and a central place of worship.

4. Captors
The foreign powers or individuals who may hold the Israelites in captivity. Solomon prays for compassion from these captors.

5. God
The ultimate authority and the one to whom Solomon directs his prayer, seeking forgiveness and mercy for the people.
Teaching Points
The Power of Intercessory Prayer
Solomon's prayer demonstrates the importance of interceding for others, especially in seeking God's forgiveness and mercy.

God's Readiness to Forgive
This passage reassures believers of God's willingness to forgive sins when approached with a repentant heart.

Compassion from Unlikely Sources
God can move the hearts of even those who are against us to show mercy, as seen in Solomon's request for compassion from captors.

The Role of Leadership in Spiritual Matters
Solomon, as a leader, takes responsibility for the spiritual well-being of his people, setting an example for leaders today.

The Importance of Repentance
Acknowledging sin and seeking forgiveness is crucial for restoring a right relationship with God.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of 1 Kings 8:50?

2. How does 1 Kings 8:50 demonstrate God's mercy and forgiveness towards His people?

3. What role does repentance play in receiving God's compassion, according to 1 Kings 8:50?

4. How can we apply Solomon's prayer for forgiveness in our own prayer life?

5. In what ways does 1 Kings 8:50 connect with the New Testament teachings on forgiveness?

6. How can understanding God's compassion in 1 Kings 8:50 impact our relationships with others?

7. How does 1 Kings 8:50 reflect God's nature of forgiveness and mercy?

8. What historical context surrounds Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 8:50?

9. How does 1 Kings 8:50 relate to the concept of repentance in the Bible?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Kings 8?


(50) Forgive . . . and give them compassion This prayer was singularly fulfilled at the captivity of Judah in Babylon, though we hear of no such thing in relation to the captivity of the "lost tribes" of Israel in Assyria. We see this in the exceptional favour of Nebuchadnezzar and of the Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther to the Jews in Babylon; we see it still more in the greater boon of restoration granted them by Cyrus and Darius, and the Artaxerxes of the Book of Nehemiah. Like the whole course of the fortunes of the Jews in their subsequent dispersion, these things,--however they may be accounted for--are certainly unique in history.

Verse 50. - And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion [Heb. to compassion or bowels רַחֲמִים = τὰ σπλάγχνα, 2 Corinthians 6:12; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:1, etc. before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them. [For the fulfilment of this prayer, see Ezra 1:3, 7; Ezra 6:13; Nehemiah 2:6. Compare Psalm 106:46.] In the three following verses we have a sort of general conclusion to the dedication prayer. It is hardly correct to say that these last words apply to all the preceding petitions - the plea "they are thy people" manifestly cannot apply in the case of vers. 41-43. On the other hand, as little are they to be limited to the persons last mentioned in vers. 46-50, though it is highly probable they were suggested by the thought of the captives. They are manifestly in close connection with the preceding verses.

1 Kings 8:50 unfolds like a multi-layered request: forgiveness for every sin, transformation of hostile hearts, and the gift of mercy that restores life even in exile. Solomon’s prayer teaches that God’s pardon is total, His control is absolute, and His compassion is practical—reaching all the way into enemy territory to cradle His people with favor.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May You forgive
וְסָלַחְתָּ֤ (wə·sā·laḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5545: To forgive, pardon

Your people
לְעַמְּךָ֙ (lə·‘am·mə·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

who
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

have sinned
חָֽטְאוּ־ (ḥā·ṭə·’ū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

against You
לָ֔ךְ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and all
וּלְכָל־ (ū·lə·ḵāl-)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the transgressions
פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֖ם (piš·‘ê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6588: Transgression

they have committed
פָּשְׁעוּ־ (pā·šə·‘ū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6586: To break away, trespass, apostatize, quarrel

against You,
בָ֑ךְ (ḇāḵ)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and may You grant them
וּנְתַתָּ֧ם (ū·nə·ṯat·tām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

compassion
לְרַחֲמִ֛ים (lə·ra·ḥă·mîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7356: Compassion, the womb, a maiden

in the eyes
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of their captors
שֹׁבֵיהֶ֖ם (šō·ḇê·hem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7617: To transport into captivity

to show them mercy.
וְרִֽחֲמֽוּם׃ (wə·ri·ḥă·mūm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7355: To fondle, to love, to compassionate


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OT History: 1 Kings 8:50 And forgive your people who have sinned (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)

1 Kings 8:49
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