And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time. And the LORD said to himThis phrase indicates a direct communication from God to Solomon. The Hebrew word for "LORD" is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This divine communication underscores the personal relationship between God and Solomon, highlighting the importance of prayer and divine response in the life of a believer. I have heard your prayer and petition before Me
The Hebrew word for "heard" is "shama," which implies not just listening but also understanding and responding. This assures believers that God is attentive to their prayers. The dual mention of "prayer and petition" emphasizes the earnestness and sincerity of Solomon's requests, reminding us of the power of fervent prayer. I have consecrated this temple you have built
"Consecrated" comes from the Hebrew "qadash," meaning to set apart as holy. This signifies that the temple is not just a physical structure but a sacred space dedicated to God's presence. The act of consecration is a divine endorsement of Solomon's efforts, reflecting the importance of dedicating our works to God. to put My Name there forever
In ancient Near Eastern culture, a name represented one's character and authority. By placing His Name in the temple, God is establishing His presence and authority there permanently. This phrase assures us of God's enduring commitment to His people and His willingness to dwell among them. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time
The mention of "eyes" and "heart" anthropomorphically attributes human characteristics to God, emphasizing His watchfulness and love. "Eyes" suggest His constant vigilance and protection, while "heart" indicates His deep affection and commitment. This promise of perpetual divine attention and care is a source of comfort and assurance for believers, reminding them of God's unwavering presence in their lives. Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who responds to Solomon's prayer and consecrates the temple. 2. SolomonThe King of Israel, son of David, who built the temple in Jerusalem as a dwelling place for God's Name. 3. The TempleThe holy place in Jerusalem constructed by Solomon, intended as a permanent dwelling for God's presence among His people. 4. JerusalemThe city chosen by God as the location for His temple, central to Israel's worship and identity. 5. Prayer and PetitionSolomon's earnest communication with God, seeking His presence and blessing upon the temple and the nation. Teaching Points God's Faithfulness to Hear PrayerGod listens to the prayers of His people, as demonstrated by His response to Solomon. This encourages believers to approach God with confidence, knowing He hears and answers. The Significance of ConsecrationThe temple's consecration signifies God's holiness and His desire to dwell among His people. Believers are called to live consecrated lives, set apart for God's purposes. The Permanence of God's PresenceGod's promise that His eyes and heart will be in the temple "for all time" assures us of His enduring presence. In Christ, believers become the temple of the Holy Spirit, experiencing God's presence continually. The Importance of ObedienceWhile God promises His presence, the broader context of 1 Kings 9 emphasizes the need for Israel's obedience. Believers are reminded that obedience is crucial in maintaining a close relationship with God. The Fulfillment in ChristThe temple foreshadows Christ, who embodies God's presence. Believers find their ultimate connection to God through Jesus, the true temple. Bible Study Questions 1. How does God's response to Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 9:3 encourage you in your own prayer life? 2. In what ways can you consecrate your life to reflect God's holiness, as the temple was consecrated for His Name? 3. How does the promise of God's enduring presence in the temple relate to the New Testament teaching of believers as the temple of the Holy Spirit? 4. What are some practical steps you can take to ensure obedience to God's commands, as emphasized in the broader context of 1 Kings 9? 5. How does understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of the temple enhance your relationship with Him and your understanding of His role in your life? Connections to Other Scriptures 2 Chronicles 7:12-16This passage parallels 1 Kings 9:3, where God appears to Solomon and reiterates His promise to dwell in the temple, emphasizing the importance of obedience. Deuteronomy 12:5God instructs Israel to seek the place He chooses to put His Name, which is fulfilled in the temple in Jerusalem. Psalm 132:13-14Highlights God's choice of Zion (Jerusalem) as His dwelling place, affirming His eternal presence there. John 2:19-21Jesus refers to His body as the temple, indicating the shift from a physical temple to a spiritual one through His resurrection. People Amorites, Canaanites, David, Geber, Gibeon, Hiram, Hittites, Hivite, Hivites, Israelites, Jebusites, Ophir, Perizzites, Pharaoh, Solomon, TamarPlaces Baalath, Beth-horon, Brook of Egypt, Cabul, Edom, Egypt, Eloth, Ezion-geber, Galilee, Gezer, Gibeon, Hazor, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Megiddo, Millo, Ophir, Red Sea, Tamar, TyreTopics Age, Always, Built, Consecrated, Ears, Forever, Grace, Hallowed, Hast, Heart, Holy, Perpetually, Plea, Prayer, Prayers, Putting, Requests, Supplication, TempleDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 9:3 5013 heart, divine
5149 eyes
8218 consecration
8270 holiness, set apart
8271 holiness, purpose
8272 holiness, growth in
8330 receptiveness
8491 watchfulness, divine
8614 prayer, answers Library Promises and Threatenings
'And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do. 2. That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before Me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put My name there for ever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureGadara
There was a double Gadara. One at the shore of the Mediterranean sea: that was first called Gezer, 1 Kings 9:15. In Josephus, "Simon destroyed the city Gazara, and Joppe, and Jamnia."--And in the Book of the Maccabees, "And he fortified Joppe, which is on the sea, and Gazara, which is on the borders of Azotus." At length, according to the idiom of the Syrian dialect, Zain passed into Daleth; and instead of Gazara, it was called Gadara. Hence Strabo, after the mention of Jamnia, saith, "and there …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Whether Solicitude Belongs to Prudence?
Objection 1: It would seem that solicitude does not belong to prudence. For solicitude implies disquiet, wherefore Isidore says (Etym. x) that "a solicitous man is a restless man." Now motion belongs chiefly to the appetitive power: wherefore solicitude does also. But prudence is not in the appetitive power, but in the reason, as stated above [2746](A[1]). Therefore solicitude does not belong to prudence. Objection 2: Further, the certainty of truth seems opposed to solicitude, wherefore it is related …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Whether Prophecy Pertains to Knowledge?
Objection 1: It would seem that prophecy does not pertain to knowledge. For it is written (Ecclus. 48:14) that after death the body of Eliseus prophesied, and further on (Ecclus. 49:18) it is said of Joseph that "his bones were visited, and after death they prophesied." Now no knowledge remains in the body or in the bones after death. Therefore prophecy does not pertain to knowledge. Objection 2: Further, it is written (1 Cor. 14:3): "He that prophesieth, speaketh to men unto edification." Now speech …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Whether it is Lawful to Give and Receive Money for Spiritual Actions?
Objection 1: It seems that it is lawful to give and receive money for spiritual actions. The use of prophecy is a spiritual action. But something used to be given of old for the use of prophecy, as appears from 1 Kings 9:7,8, and 3 Kings 14:3. Therefore it would seem that it is lawful to give and receive money for a spiritual action. Objection 2: Further, prayer, preaching, divine praise, are most spiritual actions. Now money is given to holy persons in order to obtain the assistance of their prayers, …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica The Seven Seas According to the Talmudists, and the Four Rivers Compassing the Land.
"Seven seas (say they) and four rivers compass the land of Israel. I. The Great Sea, or the Mediterranean. II. The sea of Tiberias. III. The sea of Sodom. IV. The lake of Samocho... The three first named among the seven are sufficiently known, and there is no doubt of the fourth:--only the three names of it are not to be passed by. IV. 1. The Sibbichaean. The word seems to be derived from a bush. 2. ... 3. ... V. Perhaps the sandy sea. Which fits very well to the lake of Sirbon, joining the commentary …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica How to Split a Kingdom
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 2. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt); 3. That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4. Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Beginning at Jerusalem
The whole verse runs thus: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose from the dead, and they are here rehearsed after an historical manner, but do contain in them a formal commission, with a special clause therein. The commission is, as you see, for the preaching of the gospel, and is very distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark. "Go teach all nations," …
John Bunyan—Jerusalem Sinner Saved The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
OR, GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN; BEING A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS, SHOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE MERCY IN THE FIRST PLACE OFFERED TO THE BIGGEST SINNERS. THE THIRD EDITION, IN WHICH IS ADDED, AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS THAT LIE IN THE WAY OF THE THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE: FOR THE COMFORT OF THEM THAT FEAR THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. London: Printed for Elizabeth Smith, at the Hand and Bible, on London Bridge, 1691. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to Christians to be Holy. By John Bunyan.
Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.'--[Psalm 93:5] London, by B. W., for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible, in the Poultrey. 1684. THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. This is the most searching treatise that has ever fallen under our notice. It is an invaluable guide to those sincere Christians, who, under a sense of the infinite importance of the salvation of an immortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their hearts, sigh and cry, "O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 9:3 NIV1 Kings 9:3 NLT1 Kings 9:3 ESV1 Kings 9:3 NASB1 Kings 9:3 KJV
1 Kings 9:3 Commentaries
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