1 Kings 8 48

1 Kings 8:48 kjv

And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

1 Kings 8:48 nkjv

and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:

1 Kings 8:48 niv

and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;

1 Kings 8:48 esv

if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name,

1 Kings 8:48 nlt

If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors ? toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name ?

1 Kings 8 verses

1 Kings 8 48 Meaning

First Kings 8:48 describes a conditional promise for God's people in exile. It states that if, after being carried captive into an enemy land, they genuinely turn back to God with their whole heart and soul, and pray towards the land, the chosen city (Jerusalem), and the Temple built for God’s Name, then God will hear their prayer and grant them mercy, fulfilling Solomon's request in the Temple dedication prayer. It underscores the Lord's compassionate nature and His readiness to restore those who repent, even when far from home.

1 Kings 8 48 Context

1 Kings chapter 8 narrates the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, the culmination of David's vision and Solomon's work. The central event is Solomon’s extensive prayer, offered before the assembled Israelites, invoking God's presence and blessing upon the Temple as a place of prayer and encounter. The prayer spans various hypothetical scenarios where Israel might stray and face divine discipline. Verses 46-51 specifically address the scenario of God's people sinning and being taken captive into an enemy land. Within this larger context, verse 48 details the specific conditions for repentance and seeking God, laying the groundwork for divine mercy and restoration. This part of the prayer reflects an understanding of God’s covenant with Israel, which included both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, culminating in exile, but also promised hope of return upon genuine repentance. Historically, this prayer foresaw events like the Babylonian exile and the subsequent return, serving as a prophetic blueprint for the nation's spiritual life and interaction with God in times of hardship.

1 Kings 8 48 Word analysis

• "if they return":
  • Hebrew: shūḇ (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn back," "to return," "to repent."
  • Significance: Implies a change of mind, heart, and action, a turning away from sin and back towards God. It is not merely a physical return to the land but a spiritual reorientation.
  • Conditionality: "If" highlights human free will and responsibility in the covenant relationship. God's action is contingent on Israel's response.
• "to you":
  • Points directly to God, emphasizing that the repentance and return are God-ward, recognizing His sovereignty and authority.
• "with all their heart":
  • Hebrew: bĕḵol-lêḇāḇām (בְּכָל־לִבָּם), "with their whole heart."
  • Significance: Denotes inner sincerity, intellect, will, and affection. Repentance must not be superficial or external but proceed from the deepest part of one's being. It excludes hypocrisy or partial devotion.
• "and with all their soul":
  • Hebrew: ūḇĕḵol-nap̄šām (וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁם), "and with their whole being/life."
  • Significance: Nephesh encompasses the entire person, including emotions, desires, and the very essence of life. Combined with "heart," it signifies total dedication and an unreserved commitment to God. This dual expression emphasizes completeness.
• "in the land of their enemies":
  • Highlights the dire circumstance of exile, a result of their sin. This context makes the turning to God even more profound and desperate. It is a confession of helplessness and dependence on God from a place of subjugation.
• "who carried them captive":
  • Explicitly names the condition of forced removal, acknowledging their low state and God's just judgment. It reinforces the reality of their broken covenant.
• "and pray to you":
  • Hebrew: wĕhitpalle‌lû (וְהִתְפַּלְּלוּ), from pālal, meaning "to intercede," "to mediate," "to pray." The Hithpael stem denotes reflexive action, implying they cause themselves to pray.
  • Significance: Prayer is the outward expression of the inward turning of heart and soul. It is their active engagement with God in their predicament.
• "toward their land which you gave to their fathers":
  • Refers to the Promised Land, a covenantal gift. Praying towards it symbolizes their longing for return and their belief in God's faithfulness to His promises. It also connects them to their identity as the chosen people of God.
• "the city which you have chosen":
  • Refers to Jerusalem, specifically identified by God as the place where He would establish His Name (Deut 12:5-7, 11). This highlights Jerusalem's unique status as the spiritual capital.
• "and the house which I have built for your name":
  • Refers to the Temple, built by Solomon. This emphasizes the Temple as the designated place where God's presence dwells among His people and where prayers ascend. Praying toward it acknowledged God's presence and covenantal relationship, even when physically absent.

Word-group analysis:

• "return to you with all their heart and with all their soul": This phrase signifies radical, profound, and holistic repentance. It emphasizes a complete inner transformation and surrender to God, transcending mere ritual or outward observance. It’s a spiritual exodus from the ways of the world back to divine communion.
• "in the land of their enemies who carried them captive, and pray to you": This contrasts their physical captivity and subjugation with their spiritual freedom to pray and access God. Even in the depths of punishment, access to God's mercy through repentance remains open, signifying God's ultimate desire for restoration over retribution. It underscores prayer as a means of defying the chains of exile.
• "toward their land which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name": This triad emphasizes the fixed, divine focal points for Israel's hope and prayer during exile. The "land," "city," and "house" represent God's promises, His dwelling place, and the covenantal legacy, solidifying their spiritual identity and providing a tangible direction for their yearning and petition.

1 Kings 8 48 Bonus section

The direction of prayer toward Jerusalem and the Temple in this verse is not unique; it becomes a recurrent motif in Israel's history, notably demonstrated by Daniel during the Babylonian exile (Dan 6:10). This practice served not as a magical incantation or worship of a place, but as an affirmation of God's presence with His people in a specific location (His "Name" dwelt there), an expression of unity, and a declaration of their ultimate hope for return to the covenant land. The Temple represented God's tangible presence, His established dwelling among His people, and the physical manifestation of the covenant. While the New Covenant later redefines worship as being "in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:24) rather than tied to a specific geographical location, the principle of a sincere heart directing itself towards God's appointed place or means of presence remains constant. This verse underscores the sovereignty of God, who punishes unfaithfulness, yet always leaves open a path for restoration through contrite repentance and humble supplication.

1 Kings 8 48 Commentary

1 Kings 8:48 reveals a profound aspect of God's covenantal faithfulness: His mercy and willingness to restore those who genuinely repent. Solomon's foresight, under divine inspiration, included the eventual scattering and captivity of Israel, demonstrating that even in judgment, God provided a pathway back. The verse posits a necessary condition: a comprehensive return ("all their heart and all their soul"), indicating that true repentance is not a superficial act but an inward turning, a reorientation of one's entire being toward God. The act of praying "toward" the Temple in Jerusalem from foreign lands illustrates that prayer, even when physical access to the divine dwelling is impossible, remains potent and effective. This directed prayer symbolized continued allegiance to God and His chosen dwelling place, acknowledging the Temple's unique role as a point of contact for the scattered people. This truth offered enduring hope through centuries of dispersion, reinforcing that God remains accessible to His people no matter where they are, provided their hearts are sincerely directed towards Him. This foundational principle teaches that God values genuine repentance over proximity to sacred sites, ensuring that His grace extends beyond geographical boundaries.