1 Kings 8:38 kjv
What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
1 Kings 8:38 nkjv
whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple:
1 Kings 8:38 niv
and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel?being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple?
1 Kings 8:38 esv
whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house,
1 Kings 8:38 nlt
and if your people Israel pray about their troubles, raising their hands toward this Temple,
1 Kings 8 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 6:29 | "whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by anyone...toward this house" | Parallel account emphasizing prayer to the Temple. |
| Ps 51:17 | "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart" | God's preference for contrite hearts over ritual. |
| Joel 2:13 | "Rend your hearts and not your garments." | Call for internal, sincere repentance. |
| Jer 17:9-10 | "The heart is deceitful...I the Lord search the heart." | God's knowledge of the human heart's true state. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace." | Direct access to God through Christ. |
| Ps 28:2 | "Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you...as I lift up my hands" | Example of prayer with lifted hands. |
| Ps 141:2 | "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!" | Another instance of raised hands in prayer. |
| Lam 3:41 | "Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven." | Emphasizes both inner disposition and outward posture. |
| 1 Tim 2:8 | "I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands" | New Testament instruction for prayer posture. |
| Isa 56:7 | "for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." | The Temple's universal purpose for prayer. |
| Mt 21:13 | "My house shall be called a house of prayer" | Jesus' reaffirmation of the Temple's purpose. |
| Jn 14:13-14 | "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do" | Prayers answered through Christ's authority. |
| 1 Jn 5:14 | "if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." | Basis for God hearing prayers. |
| Lk 18:13-14 | "But the tax collector...would not even lift up his eyes to heaven... 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" | Illustrates humble prayer from a self-aware heart. |
| Rom 7:24 | "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" | Acknowledgment of internal spiritual affliction. |
| 2 Cor 7:10 | "godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation." | Grief over sin leading to repentance. |
| 1 Jn 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins" | Promise of forgiveness upon confession. |
| Lev 26:40-42 | "if they confess their iniquity...then I will remember my covenant." | Old Testament principle of confession for restoration. |
| Deut 30:1-3 | "when all these things come upon you...and you return to the LORD...he will have compassion." | Promise of restoration upon returning to God. |
| Neh 9:1-3 | "the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth...and were confessing their sins" | Corporate repentance and prayer. |
| Acts 4:24-30 | "they lifted their voices together to God and said..." | Example of corporate prayer in the New Testament. |
| Rom 8:34 | "Christ Jesus is the one who died...who indeed is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." | Christ as the ultimate intercessor. |
| Heb 7:25 | "He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." | Christ's ongoing intercession. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | "built on the foundation of the apostles...Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone...a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." | Believers as the spiritual Temple where God dwells. |
| Col 3:16 | "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...singing psalms and hymns...with thankfulness in your hearts to God." | Internal disposition of prayer and praise. |
1 Kings 8 verses
1 Kings 8 38 Meaning
1 Kings 8:38 describes a scenario within Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple. It envisions individual or corporate prayer offered by an Israelite, who, deeply aware of their own inner affliction, pain, or sin (whether spiritual or physical), sincerely extends their hands in prayer toward the Temple. The verse encapsulates the understanding that God would hear and respond to heartfelt confessions and supplications emanating from a spirit of personal realization and humble seeking.
1 Kings 8 38 Context
1 Kings chapter 8 recounts the culmination of the building of the Temple in Jerusalem and its dedication. Solomon has just completed constructing the house for the Lord, and the Ark of the Covenant has been brought into the Most Holy Place. In this chapter, Solomon delivers a profound prayer (verses 22-53), which forms the core of the Temple's theological significance. His prayer anticipates various future scenarios—sickness, famine, war, captivity—in which the people of Israel might find themselves. Verse 38 specifically falls within a section where Solomon outlines prayers offered by individuals or the nation as a whole when experiencing internal distress or outward calamity. It establishes the Temple as a crucial focal point for prayer, a place toward which the people can turn to seek God's mercy and intervention, based on their repentance and confession. This aligns with the Mosaic Covenant's provisions for restoration after sin and suffering.
1 Kings 8 38 Word analysis
- whatever prayer: (Hebrew: תְפִלָּה, təpillāh) This word denotes a general request, an address to God. It highlights the inclusive nature of prayer, covering a wide range of needs and expressions.
- whatever plea: (Hebrew: תְחִנָּה, təḥinnāh) This word carries a stronger connotation of supplication, an appeal for mercy, grace, or favor. It often implies a sense of need and humble desperation.
- is made by anyone: (Hebrew: אִישׁ, ʼîsh – 'man' or 'person') This emphasizes the individual's ability and right to approach God personally. It indicates that God is accessible not only to the corporate body of Israel but to each individual within it.
- or by all your people Israel: This indicates the possibility of corporate, communal prayer, where the entire nation, or its representatives, come together to address God. It points to both individual responsibility and national solidarity in seeking God.
- each knowing the affliction of his own heart: (Hebrew: יֹדֵעַ נֶגַע לְבָבוֹ, yōḏēaʿ neḡaʿ ləḇāḇō)
- knowing: Signifies an internal awareness, a deep, personal recognition. It's not just a superficial acknowledgment but a profound understanding of their state.
- affliction: (Hebrew: נֶגַע, neḡaʿ) This word often means "stroke," "plague," or "disease," but in this context, when combined with "heart," it transcends a mere physical ailment. It denotes a deep inner wound, suffering, pain, distress, or perhaps, most profoundly, a consciousness of sin and guilt within one's own being. It is a unique and potent phrase here, conveying spiritual brokenness or moral culpability.
- of his own heart: This phrase directs the focus inward, to the core of one's being. It stresses the deeply personal and internal nature of the struggle or sin that prompts the prayer. True prayer comes from a self-aware, penitent heart, not merely from outward circumstances.
- and spreading out his hands: (Hebrew: וּפָרַשׂ כַּפָּיו, ūpāraś kaphāv) This describes a common posture of prayer in the ancient world, signifying humility, surrender, earnest supplication, dependence, and open receptiveness. It's a physical act reflecting the internal posture of the heart.
- toward this house: Refers to the Temple, God's designated dwelling place in Jerusalem. While God is omnipresent, the Temple was established as a focal point where God's "Name" would dwell, and where His presence would be specifically recognized for hearing prayer. This directed posture signifies an acknowledgment of God's revealed presence and covenant promises tied to this sacred space.
1 Kings 8 38 Bonus section
The emphasis on "affliction of his own heart" is profoundly significant. Unlike outward calamities (like famine or plague mentioned in adjacent verses), this points to an internal burden that may not be visible to others. It includes deep remorse for sin, overwhelming guilt, inner spiritual struggles, or even profound personal distress not related to overt sin. This shows God's concern extends beyond the outward actions or circumstances to the hidden suffering and spiritual state of an individual. This aspect anticipates the New Testament emphasis on the inner man, true circumcision of the heart, and the Spirit's work in revealing sin and bringing conviction. The Temple thus functioned not just for national atonement, but as a beacon for individual soul-searching and reconciliation with God.
1 Kings 8 38 Commentary
Verse 1 Kings 8:38 provides a crucial insight into the nature of covenantal prayer and God's interaction with His people. It goes beyond merely ritualistic offerings, emphasizing the inner condition of the supplicant. Solomon’s foresight highlights that true prayer stems from an "affliction of heart"—a deep awareness of one's personal struggles, sin, or pain. This recognition of internal brokenness is a prerequisite for authentic communication with God, fostering humility and dependence. The act of "spreading out hands" symbolizes open submission and desperate appeal, physically manifesting the heart’s disposition.
The Temple, therefore, is not presented as a magical dispenser of blessings, but as a consecrated point of access. God, though transcendent and dwelling beyond human constructs, chose to place His Name there, signifying a promise to attend to prayers directed towards it. This verse assures both individuals and the collective nation that their sincere cries, even when burdened by unseen inner turmoil, would be heard by the Almighty from His dwelling place. It reinforces the theme that God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7), and a broken and contrite spirit is His desired offering (Ps 51:17). This principle laid the groundwork for future understanding of genuine worship and repentance, which would eventually transcend physical structures through the indwelling of the Spirit and access through Christ.