1 Kings 8:17 kjv
And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
1 Kings 8:17 nkjv
Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
1 Kings 8:17 niv
"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
1 Kings 8:17 esv
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
1 Kings 8:17 nlt
Then Solomon said, "My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
1 Kings 8 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 8:18 | "But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart...'" | God acknowledged David's good intention. |
| 2 Sam 7:1–3 | "Now when the king lived in his house... Nathan said to the king, 'Go, do all that is in your heart...'" | David's initial desire to build a house for God. |
| 1 Chr 17:1–2 | "Now when David dwelt in his house... Nathan said to David, 'Do all that is in your heart...'" | Parallel account of David's initial desire. |
| 1 Chr 22:7 | "Then David said to Solomon, 'My son, it was in my heart to build a house...'" | David himself speaks of his desire to Solomon. |
| 1 Chr 28:2 | "David the king rose to his feet... 'I had it in my heart to build a house of rest...'" | David publicly affirms his intention. |
| 2 Sam 7:5 | "‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?”’" | God's initial question to David through Nathan, implying a different plan. |
| 1 Chr 17:4 | "‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus says the Lord: You shall not build me a house...'" | Explicit prohibition to David. |
| 1 Chr 22:8 | "But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You may not build a house...'" | God's reason for not allowing David to build due to warfare. |
| 1 Chr 28:3 | "‘But God said to me, “You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.”’" | Explicit divine restriction and reason. |
| 2 Sam 7:13 | "He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." | God's promise that David's son would build the house. |
| 1 Kgs 5:5 | "Therefore I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God..." | Solomon's declaration of intent, fulfilling God's promise. |
| 1 Chr 17:12 | "He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever." | Parallel to 2 Sam 7:13 regarding the son building. |
| 1 Chr 22:9–10 | "‘Behold, a son shall be born to you... he shall build a house for my name.’" | God's specific promise of Solomon as builder. |
| Deut 12:5 | "But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose... to put his name there..." | The theological concept of God choosing a place for His "name." |
| 1 Kgs 8:29 | "that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there'..." | The Temple as the place for God's manifest name. |
| 2 Chr 6:20 | "that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place where you have promised to set your name..." | Parallel to 1 Kgs 8:29. |
| Ps 74:7 | "They have burned your sanctuary to the ground; they have profaned the dwelling place of your name." | Highlights the Temple as the place where God's name resided. |
| Acts 7:48 | "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands..." | Clarification that God is not confined to a physical temple. |
| Isa 66:1 | "Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me...’" | God's transcendent nature, not confined by physical structures. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' ...He was speaking about the temple of his body." | Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment, the true temple. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" | Believers collectively as God's spiritual temple. |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...?" | Individual believers as a temple for the Holy Spirit. |
| Rev 21:22 | "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb." | The New Jerusalem needing no temple, as God's presence is direct. |
1 Kings 8 verses
1 Kings 8 17 Meaning
This verse states Solomon's affirmation that it was the genuine, deeply-seated desire and intention of his father, David, to build a permanent house, or temple, dedicated to the name of the Lord, the specific and covenantal God of Israel. It highlights David's pure motive and devout heart toward God, even though God had ordained that David's son, Solomon, would ultimately accomplish the building project.
1 Kings 8 17 Context
This verse is part of King Solomon's speech during the grand dedication of the First Temple in Jerusalem, following its completion and the placement of the Ark of the Covenant within it (1 Kgs 8:14-21). Solomon is recounting the history and fulfillment of God's promise to David. He emphasizes that while David passionately desired to build a permanent dwelling for YHWH, God decreed that it would be David's son who would undertake this task (2 Sam 7; 1 Chr 17). This context highlights divine sovereignty over human intentions and the faithfulness of God to His covenant promises. The building of the Temple solidified Jerusalem as the religious and political center of Israel, embodying God's covenant presence among His people, yet maintaining His transcendent nature by stating the house was "for His name."
1 Kings 8 17 Word analysis
- Now it was: A transitional phrase, linking Solomon's present achievement to David's past intention. It frames the current situation as a fulfillment of what God had foretold.
- in the heart (לֵבָב - lebab): This Hebrew term signifies the core of a person's being—their inner being, mind, will, and affection. It indicates that David's desire was not superficial but profound, stemming from his deepest thoughts and emotions. It implies a sincere and devoted motive.
- of my father David: Solomon humbly acknowledges his lineage and David's foundational role. This also authenticates the source of the intention, placing it squarely within the narrative of the Davidic dynasty.
- to build (לִבְנוֹת - livnot): The infinitive form denotes a purpose or intention for an action. It wasn't just a fleeting thought but a developed resolve to construct.
- a house (בַּיִת - bayit): While literally meaning "house" or "dwelling," here it specifically refers to the Temple—the sacred structure designated for God's worship and manifest presence among His people.
- for the name (לְשֵׁם - leshem): This is a critical theological concept. "Name" (shem) in Hebrew thought often represents more than just an appellation; it embodies a person's character, reputation, authority, and manifest presence. Building "for the name of the Lord" means dedicating the structure not as a literal dwelling to contain the infinite God (who cannot be contained by any structure, 1 Kgs 8:27; Isa 66:1), but as a place where God's character and power would be specifically revealed, worshipped, and invoked. It designates the Temple as the site where His unique identity and presence would be accessible to His people for worship and fellowship.
- of the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): This is the Tetragrammaton, the personal covenant name of God, revealing His self-existent and ever-present nature. Its use here emphasizes that this house was exclusively dedicated to the one true God who actively related to Israel.
- the God of Israel (אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - ʾElohei Yisrael): This title stresses YHWH's specific and unique covenant relationship with Israel, distinguishing Him as their sovereign Lord, separate from the deities of other nations. It highlights His choice and ownership of this particular nation.
Words-group analysis:
- "in the heart of my father David to build:" This phrase emphasizes David's deep, personal initiative and his genuine desire to honor God. It conveys the purity of his intentions, showing that his desire sprang from devotion, not from any selfish ambition.
- "a house for the name of the Lord:" This expression carefully defines the Temple's purpose. It was not a physical dwelling for God to reside in as idols might, but a focal point for worship where His manifest presence, authority, and unique identity as YHWH would be made known and invoked among His people. It stresses that God cannot be confined, but He can be specifically present by His "name."
- "the God of Israel:" This concluding phrase reiterates the exclusivity and intimacy of God's relationship with Israel. The Temple was for their covenant God, reinforcing Israel's unique status among the nations and YHWH's sole claim over them.
1 Kings 8 17 Bonus section
- David's unfulfilled but good intention serves as an example that even if God's specific plan does not align with a human desire, a pure motive itself is recognized and valued by God. God evaluates the heart behind our actions and aspirations (Ps 37:4; Ps 20:4).
- The Temple's purpose as a house "for the name" anticipates New Testament theology where God's ultimate dwelling place is not a man-made building but among His people: first in Christ (Jn 2:19-21), then collectively as the Church (1 Cor 3:16), and individually as believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). This transition signifies that access to God's presence is no longer limited to a physical structure but is open through spiritual reality.
1 Kings 8 17 Commentary
1 Kings 8:17, spoken by King Solomon during the Temple's dedication, provides a vital insight into David's devout heart and the theological understanding of the Temple. It reveals that David's earnest desire to build a "house" for God was not just an architectural ambition but stemmed from a pure spiritual longing to honor the Lord, reflecting a true mark of kingship aligned with God's will. Although God chose for David's son, Solomon, to undertake the construction, David's good intention was clearly pleasing to God, a testament to God's valuing of heartfelt devotion. The phrase "for the name of the Lord" is paramount, clarifying that the Temple was not conceived as a physical dwelling for an omnipresent God, but as the central, designated place where God's character, authority, and unique covenant presence would be revealed, invoked, and worshipped by His chosen people. This concept reinforced God's transcendence while providing a tangible focal point for Israel's religious life, marking Him as distinct from the localized gods of pagan nations. David's noble desire laid the spiritual foundation upon which Solomon's work of completion was built.