1 Kings 8:18 kjv
And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
1 Kings 8:18 nkjv
But the LORD said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.
1 Kings 8:18 niv
But the LORD said to my father David, 'You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name.
1 Kings 8:18 esv
But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
1 Kings 8:18 nlt
But the LORD told him, 'You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
1 Kings 8 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:1-3 | Now when the king lived in his house… David said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but….” | David's desire to build for God. |
| 1 Chr 17:1-2 | And it came to pass, when David dwelt in his house… David said to Nathan, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar….” | Parallel account of David's intention. |
| 1 Chr 22:7-8 | David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house... but the word of the LORD came to me..." | David recounts his desire and God's response. |
| 1 Chr 28:2-3 | "Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house… but God said to me, ‘You may not build." | David explains why he was not chosen to build. |
| 1 Ki 8:16-17 | "Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city... but I chose David... It was in the heart of David My father..." | Immediate context; God's election of David. |
| Deut 12:5 | "but to the place that the LORD your God will choose... for his name to dwell there..." | Concept of a chosen place for God's name. |
| Exod 20:24 | "An altar of earth you shall make for me... in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come..." | God's name linked to presence and worship. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance… For the LORD sees not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.'" | God sees the heart. |
| Prov 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | Importance of the heart. |
| Ps 51:10 | "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." | A desire for a pure heart. |
| Prov 16:9 | "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." | God's sovereignty over human plans. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | "The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing… The counsel of the LORD stands forever." | God's plans prevail over human designs. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD." | God's higher thoughts and ways. |
| 2 Cor 8:12 | "For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." | God values readiness and willingness. |
| Mk 12:43-44 | "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing... For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had..." | God values sincerity over quantity of contribution. |
| Phil 2:13 | "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." | God enables the desire and the deed. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." | God discerns intentions. |
| Isa 66:1-2 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for Me… But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit…'" | God's ultimate dwelling transcends a building; valuing a humble heart. |
| Acts 7:48-50 | "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands… Heaven is my throne, and earth my footstool..." | Stephen's reminder that God doesn't need temples built by hands. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood..." | Believers as the spiritual house of God. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "So then you are no longer strangers… built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…" | Believers as part of God's spiritual building. |
| 1 Cor 3:9-11 | "For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building... no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." | The church as God's building, founded on Christ. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” | God's greater promise to David (Messianic lineage). |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." | Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic line. |
1 Kings 8 verses
1 Kings 8 18 Meaning
1 Kings 8:18 reveals God's divine affirmation of King David's sincere and profound desire to build a permanent temple dedicated to the Lord's name. This declaration, recounted by Solomon during the Temple's dedication, emphasizes that despite God's sovereign plan that his son would be the actual builder, David's pure heart and good intention behind the aspiration were highly valued and pleasing in God's sight. It underscores that God looks upon the heart of a person.
1 Kings 8 18 Context
This verse is part of Solomon’s extended prayer dedicating the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Ki 8:14-61). After blessing the assembly and recounting God’s faithfulness, Solomon reminds the people of God's earlier conversation with his father David. In verses 16-17, Solomon establishes that while David had a strong desire to build God a physical "house," God had another plan. Verse 18 then directly quotes God's response to David. The broader historical context includes David’s prosperity, his personal revelation in 2 Samuel 7 that God would establish David’s "house" (dynasty) rather than David building God a permanent one, and that a son of David would eventually build the Temple. Solomon's repetition of these details validates his work and the Temple itself as aligned with God's ultimate will, originating from David's godly impulse yet directed by divine sovereignty.
1 Kings 8 18 Word analysis
- "But the Lord": This phrase, initiating God's response, highlights the divine initiative and sovereignty. The Hebrew for Lord, יהוה (YHWH), signifies God's covenant faithfulness and personal relationship with His people. He is not a passive observer but actively involved in human affairs.
- "said": The Hebrew verb אָמַר ('amar) denotes a direct and authoritative verbal declaration. This wasn't merely a thought or feeling; it was God's expressed word to David, underscoring the divine approval David received.
- "to David my father": Spoken by Solomon, this acknowledges David's role as his progenitor and the originator of the pious intent. It maintains the lineage and covenant continuity. David, as a type of the one after God’s own heart, set an example.
- "Whereas it was in your heart": The Hebrew לֵב (lev), "heart," refers to the entire inner being—the mind, will, affections, and moral conscience. It indicates that God observed and delighted in David's profound inner desire and pure motive. This wasn't a casual thought but a deep-seated spiritual impulse born out of love and reverence for God. The divine focus is on the intent behind the action.
- "to build a house": בָּנָה בַּיִת (banah bayith). "House" here refers to a literal physical structure, a permanent dwelling place. Culturally, it symbolized stability and permanence. David desired to give God a dwelling that befitted His greatness, unlike the portable Tabernacle.
- "for My name": לִשְׁמִי (lishmi). This phrase is profoundly significant. God does not need a physical dwelling for Himself, being omnipresent (Isa 66:1). Instead, "for My name" means the house would be a place where God's unique identity, character, reputation, authority, and covenant presence would be recognized, proclaimed, and worshipped. It represents where He chooses to manifest Himself to His people for communion and where His worship would be centralized. It emphasizes the purpose and divine orientation of the building.
- "you did well": The Hebrew הֵיטִיבְתָּ (hetivta), derived from the root יטב (yatav), means "you have done good," "you have acted wisely," or "you have done rightly." This is an explicit divine commendation and affirmation. It’s God's positive assessment of David’s innermost intention.
- "that it was in your heart": This is a repetition of the earlier phrase "Whereas it was in your heart." The reiteration functions as a literary emphasis, stressing the profound importance and sincere nature of David's desire. God's affirmation is not lukewarm but heartfelt, expressing His deep pleasure in David's spiritual condition and pure motives.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "But the Lord said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for My name'": This section sets the stage for a crucial theological point: the interplay between human intention and divine sovereignty. It shows that God actively communicates His perspective and validates noble human aspirations, even if the ultimate outcome must align with His broader plan. The concept of building "for My name" underscores the central purpose of the Temple: not merely a grand building, but a place consecrated for God's presence, honor, and revelation.
- "'you did well that it was in your heart'": The powerful repetition in this clause highlights God's deep appreciation for David's sincere and righteous inner disposition. It's a divine seal of approval on the motive, demonstrating that God is intimately concerned with the attitude and integrity of heart behind a person's desire to serve Him. This contrasts with superficial religious observance, emphasizing that genuine devotion stems from within and is valued by God even when external circumstances dictate a different path for its fulfillment.
1 Kings 8 18 Bonus section
The divine affirmation in this verse subtly contrasts human understanding of achievement (the completed building) with God's valuing of internal righteousness (the heart's intention). It underscores a central biblical truth that God sees beyond outward appearances (1 Sam 16:7). Furthermore, this divine commendation for David's desire sets a theological precedent that transcends the physical temple. It prefigures the New Covenant emphasis where God seeks a "spiritual house" built of "living stones" (1 Pet 2:5), not temples made with human hands, yet still desires worship "in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:24), originating from the sincerity of the heart. David's commendable intention thus points to a deeper reality of true worship and service that goes beyond outward religious structures or visible accomplishments.
1 Kings 8 18 Commentary
1 Kings 8:18 stands as a profound testament to God's meticulous scrutiny of the human heart and His appreciation for sincere intention. Though David was a man "after God's own heart," he was prevented from building the Temple due to his involvement in warfare (1 Chr 22:8). Yet, God's declaration, "you did well that it was in your heart," signifies that His judgment is not solely on the accomplished deed but crucially on the desire, motive, and inner disposition from which the deed sprang. God acknowledged David's reverence, his personal sacrifice, and his pure yearning to honor Him. This verse teaches us that genuine desire to glorify God and contribute to His kingdom is seen and celebrated by Him, regardless of whether circumstances allow for its full or precise execution. It reassures believers that a willing spirit and a heart turned towards God's glory are precious in His sight. For instance, a person deeply desiring to serve in foreign missions but prevented by health issues, or one desiring to give generously but possessing limited means, exemplifies this principle: their intention, borne out of love for God, is honored by Him.