1 Kings 8:16 kjv
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
1 Kings 8:16 nkjv
'Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.'
1 Kings 8:16 niv
'Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'
1 Kings 8:16 esv
'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.'
1 Kings 8:16 nlt
'From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. But I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.'"
1 Kings 8 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 8:20 | "Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke... a house for the name..." | Fulfillment of Temple building |
| 2 Sam 7:5-7 | "Shall you build Me a house?... I have not dwelt in a house since..." | God dwelling in tents, not houses |
| 2 Sam 7:12-13 | "I will raise up your offspring after you... he shall build a house for My name." | Davidic Covenant & future Temple builder |
| Ps 78:68-70 | "He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved... chose David His servant..." | God choosing Judah, Zion, and David |
| Ps 78:71-72 | "He brought him from the sheepfolds... to shepherd Jacob His people, Israel His inheritance." | David chosen as shepherd-king |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David My servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever...’" | Divine promise to David's dynasty |
| Ps 89:19-20 | "I have given help to one who is mighty... I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him." | David's divine appointment and anointing |
| 1 Chr 17:4-6 | Similar to 2 Sam 7, God not residing in a fixed dwelling until now. | Echoes God's choice not to have early fixed abode |
| Deut 12:5 | "to the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to put His name there..." | Prophecy of a chosen place for God's Name |
| Deut 12:11 | "then to the place which the Lord your God will choose to make His name dwell there..." | Specific dwelling place for God's name |
| Ex 13:21-22 | God's presence as a pillar of cloud/fire, mobile with the people. | God's mobile presence before fixed place |
| Acts 7:47-49 | "But Solomon built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands..." | Temple is not for containing God's presence |
| Isa 66:1-2 | "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me?" | God's transcendence beyond human structures |
| Jer 7:10 | "Then you come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name..." | God's name linked to the Temple for presence |
| Josh 24:17 | "For the Lord our God is He who brought us... out of the land of Egypt..." | God as the deliverer from Egypt |
| Neh 1:9 | "if you return to Me... the place where I have chosen for My name to dwell." | Reminder of the chosen place for God's Name |
| Jn 15:16 | "You did not choose Me, but I chose you..." | God's divine initiative in choosing |
| Amos 9:11 | "On that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David..." | Future restoration of Davidic line |
| Hag 2:7 | "...and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts." | God's glory filling the House |
| Zec 1:17 | "Yet again My cities will overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem." | God's ultimate choice of Jerusalem |
1 Kings 8 verses
1 Kings 8 16 Meaning
This verse recounts the Lord's historical acts, conveyed through Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple. It states that after delivering His people Israel from Egypt, God did not immediately choose a specific city from any tribe where a permanent structure would be built for His name to dwell. Instead, His immediate and foundational choice was David, to be the shepherd-king over His people, a choice that paved the way for the later establishment of Jerusalem as the chosen city and the Temple as the designated house for God's name.
1 Kings 8 16 Context
1 Kings 8 describes the dedication of the magnificent Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. Following the Ark of the Covenant's installation, the cloud of God's glory fills the Temple, signaling His presence. In response, Solomon pronounces a blessing over the assembly and then offers a lengthy, profound prayer. This specific verse (1 Kgs 8:16) is part of Solomon's retrospective declaration, emphasizing God's faithfulness and the divine initiative that led to this monumental moment. Solomon frames the Temple's construction not as a human endeavor to confine God, but as the fulfillment of God's unfolding plan, first by bringing Israel out of Egypt, then by choosing David as king, and finally, by designating Jerusalem as the city for His name to dwell in.
1 Kings 8 16 Word analysis
Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt:
- Since the day: Marks a significant starting point for Israel's national history and God's unique relationship with them.
- I brought: The divine pronoun "I" (Hebrew: ’ānōkî) emphasizes God's sovereign and personal action.
- My people Israel: Highlights the special covenantal relationship God established with this nation.
- out of Egypt: (Hebrew: mitsrayim) Refers to the foundational event of the Exodus, the ultimate act of liberation and creation of Israel as a distinct nation under God's ownership.
I chose no city from all the tribes of Israel:
- I chose: (Hebrew: bāḥar) Denotes divine election and sovereign selection. This is a deliberate, divine decision.
- no city: During the wilderness wandering and the period of the Judges, God's presence was mobile with the Tabernacle. This contrasts with common ancient Near Eastern practices where deities were tied to specific city shrines, underscoring God's transcendence and His freedom from geographical limitation.
- from all the tribes of Israel: Reinforces that no part of the whole nation was initially favored with a fixed place for God's primary dwelling.
in which to build a house, that My name might be there:
- to build a house: (Hebrew: bayith) Refers to a physical temple structure. The absence of an early choice for such a permanent building contrasts with the ultimate goal.
- that My name might be there: (Hebrew: šēm) "Name" here represents God's manifested presence, authority, reputation, and character, not His literal being. God's name dwelling in a place means that He is pleased to manifest His presence and receive worship there in a special, covenantal way. It signifies a point of unique encounter.
but I chose David to be over My people Israel:
- but I chose David: A stark contrast (signified by "but"), emphasizing a divine choice regarding a person, David, rather than a place for a structure. This shows the divine priority and the direct progression of God's plan.
- David: (Hebrew: dāwīḏ) A shepherd elevated by God's choice (1 Sam 16) to be the king, marking the establishment of the Davidic dynasty, central to God's redemptive plan.
- to be over My people Israel: David was God's chosen shepherd-king (Ps 78:71-72), entrusted with leading and ruling the nation according to God's will. This royal choice directly precedes and enables the ultimate choice of Jerusalem and the Temple.
1 Kings 8 16 Bonus section
- This verse subtly introduces the sequence of divine priorities: first deliverance from bondage (Exodus), then chosen leadership for His people (David), which then leads to a designated place for His Name (Temple).
- The emphasis on God choosing ("bāḥar") signifies His sovereignty over Israel's history and destiny, countering any human claim to merit or self-sufficiency in establishing their worship practices or kingship.
- The distinction between God's omnipresence and His name dwelling in a place is crucial. It does not mean God is contained within a building but rather that He chose to make His presence uniquely and powerfully manifest there for His covenant people.
1 Kings 8 16 Commentary
This verse encapsulates a crucial theological principle regarding God's presence and divine choices in Israel's history. It asserts that God, after supernaturally delivering His people from Egypt, did not immediately fix His dwelling in a permanent, urban location. For centuries, His presence resided with a mobile Tabernacle, demonstrating His unbound nature and His accompanying His people through their wanderings. This period emphasizes that God's immediate priority for His dwelling was not a building or a city, but His chosen leadership for His people. The divine choice ultimately fell on David, a humble shepherd, who would then serve as the foundational human king under God's eternal covenant. This highlights the centrality of chosen human agents in God's redemptive plan. David's kingship, divinely established, became the necessary precursor and direct cause for the later designation of Jerusalem and the building of the Temple under his son, Solomon. Thus, God's choosing of David marked a new phase, setting the stage for the specific city and the house where His Name would dwell.