1 Kings 9:3 kjv
And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1 Kings 9:3 nkjv
And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
1 Kings 9:3 niv
The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
1 Kings 9:3 esv
And the LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.
1 Kings 9:3 nlt
The LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy ? this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
1 Kings 9 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 8:29 | that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day... toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there.' | Solomon's prayer for God's eyes and Name. |
| 2 Chr 7:16 | For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. | Parallel account confirming God's consecration and presence. |
| Deut 12:5 | But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place, and there you shall go. | Prior divine instruction for a chosen dwelling for His Name. |
| Deut 12:11 | then there will be a place which the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide there; thither you shall bring all that I command you... | God's chosen place for His abiding Name. |
| 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 to David about building a house for His Name. |
| 1 Ki 8:52 | that Your eyes may be open to the plea of Your servant and to the plea of Your people Israel... | Solomon's prayer, echoing God's attention. |
| Ps 11:4 | The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. | God's presence and observant eyes. |
| Ps 33:18 | Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy. | God's eyes of care upon His people. |
| Ps 34:15 | The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. | God's attentive eyes and ears to the righteous. |
| Jer 7:10 | Will you then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered'... | The Temple is identified as being called by His Name. |
| Jer 7:12 | "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first... | Previous locations where God had put His Name. |
| Ezek 43:7 | He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever..." | God's eternal dwelling promise, conditional on obedience. |
| Isa 66:1 | Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?" | God's transcendence; no physical structure can contain Him. |
| Acts 7:48 | "However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:" | New Testament clarification on God's true dwelling. |
| Acts 17:24 | "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands." | God's transcendence reaffirmed in the NT. |
| 1 Pet 3:12 | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. | God's watchful eyes and ears on the New Covenant believer. |
| John 4:21 | Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father." | Worship moving beyond a specific geographical temple. |
| John 4:23 | "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." | Spiritual worship transcends physical temples. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. | New Testament Temple as the Body of Christ. |
| Rev 21:3 | And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." | The ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling with His people. |
| Rev 21:22 | But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. | In the New Jerusalem, God's immediate presence replaces a physical temple. |
1 Kings 9 verses
1 Kings 9 3 Meaning
The Lord here responds to King Solomon's fervent prayer of dedication for the Temple. He assures Solomon that He has indeed heard his supplication. More profoundly, God affirms His acceptance and consecration of the Temple, making it a sacred dwelling where His Name, signifying His very presence and authority, will reside perpetually. This declaration is sealed with the divine assurance that God's unwavering gaze and affectionate concern, symbolized by His "eyes and heart," will remain upon this consecrated house always.
1 Kings 9 3 Context
This verse comes immediately after Solomon has completed the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem and his own palace, a building project that spanned twenty years. Upon the Temple's completion, Solomon dedicates it with a powerful prayer (1 Ki 8:22-53), acknowledging God's omnipresence, yet asking Him to put His name there and for His eyes to be upon it. He requests God's attentiveness to the prayers offered towards and within this house. Verse 3 is God's direct response to that prayer. It's a reaffirmation of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, connecting the Temple's sanctity to God's presence, contingent upon Israel's faithfulness, though His initial commitment to the house is expressed as perpetual. This marks a pivotal moment, as God formally accepts the structure built for His worship, establishing Jerusalem as the central place of pilgrimage and divine encounter for Israel.
1 Kings 9 3 Word analysis
- And the LORD said to him: This highlights divine communication, directly affirming God's active involvement in the covenant with His people and His kings. The LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH), the covenant name of God, underscores His faithfulness.
- 'I have heard: (שָׁמַעְתִּי, shamati) Signifies God's attentive listening and active acknowledgment. It is not merely passive reception but implies a divine response and validation of the prayer. This aligns with His character as One who hears the cries of His people.
- your prayer: (תְּפִלָּתְךָ, tephillateka) Refers specifically to Solomon's dedicatory supplication in 1 Kings chapter 8. It signifies a humble request or entreaty before God.
- and your plea: (וְתַחֲנוּנֶיךָ, vetachanuneyka) Reinforces "prayer," adding the nuance of supplication for favor or mercy, emphasizing the earnestness and humble appeal.
- which you have made before Me: Locates the act of prayer directly in God's presence, signifying its immediate receipt and legitimacy. It underscores that true prayer is directed to God Himself.
- I have consecrated: (הִקְדַּשְׁתִּי, hikdashti) From the root קָדַשׁ (qadash), meaning "to be holy, set apart." This is a divine act of making holy, setting apart the Temple exclusively for God's sacred purpose and presence. It indicates divine acceptance and sanctification, not merely human dedication.
- this house: Refers specifically to the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. It's the physical structure but imbued with spiritual significance through God's act of consecration.
- which you have built: Acknowledges Solomon's role and effort, recognizing human participation in God's larger plans.
- to put My name there: (לָשׂוּם שְׁמִי שָׁם, lasum shemi sham) The "Name" (שֵׁם, shem) in Hebrew thought is more than just a label; it embodies the essence, character, authority, and presence of the person. For God to put His Name there means He has chosen this place as the designated locus where His character, power, and authority are specifically invoked and manifested, indicating a special, although not exclusive, presence. This does not mean God is contained within the Temple but that the Temple is where His glory is revealed in a unique way for Israel. It’s a point of divine contact and communication.
- forever: (עַד עוֹלָם, ad olam) Implies perpetual duration, as long as the covenant conditions (though implied, specified elsewhere) are maintained. In the biblical context, "forever" often means "for as long as the conditions for covenant relationship persist" or "for the entire age" – it can be contingent eternity rather than absolute timelessness if human faithfulness is involved.
- and My eyes: (וְעֵינַי, ve'einai) Anthropomorphism symbolizing God's continuous, watchful attention, care, and superintendence. It denotes divine vigilance and awareness over the Temple and, by extension, over those who come to worship there.
- and My heart: (וְלִבִּי, velibi) Anthropomorphism expressing God's emotional commitment, affection, and deep concern. It reveals God's tender and intimate connection with the Temple, and thus with His people who gather there. This is a profound expression of divine care.
- will be there perpetually: (כָּל הַיָּמִים, kol ha'yamim) Literally "all the days." Reaffirms the continuous and unwavering nature of God's watchful care and affectionate presence. It echoes "forever," reinforcing the steadfastness of His commitment to this sacred space, as long as Israel maintains covenant faithfulness.
1 Kings 9 3 Bonus section
- The concept of God "putting His Name" in a place differentiates the God of Israel from pagan deities believed to be confined to idols or physical temples. While the Temple was central, it was a focal point for the revelation of God's essence, not a prison for Him. This was a polemic against common Near Eastern religious beliefs of localized deities.
- The conditional nature of God's "forever" promise concerning the Temple is fully elaborated in the subsequent verses (1 Ki 9:6-9), underscoring that while God's initial commitment is perpetual, Israel's sustained faithfulness is essential for the continual manifestation of that commitment in their land and through the Temple.
- The choice of Jerusalem and the Temple as the singular place for His name reinforced monotheism and prevented scattered, diverse places of worship that might lead to syncretism, serving as a unified spiritual center for all tribes of Israel.
1 Kings 9 3 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the divine affirmation of Solomon's grand work, transcending mere architectural achievement into a theological declaration. God's act of "hearing" signifies not only His receptivity to prayer but His active engagement with His covenant people. His "consecration" of the Temple, specifically by choosing to "put My name there," establishes the sacred space as the unique point of interface between heaven and earth for Israel. This does not imply that God is limited to the Temple, as His throne remains in the heavens, but rather that He has designated this place for His manifest presence among His people. The "name" of God signifies His very being, character, and authority, making the Temple a place where these attributes are specifically revealed and where Israel can uniquely approach Him. The dual emphasis on God's "eyes" and "heart" reveals a profound level of divine intimacy and care: His "eyes" for vigilant oversight and protection, and His "heart" for deep affection and concern. While the permanence indicated by "forever" and "perpetually" refers to the covenant intention for the Temple's role, the history of Israel would later show that human disobedience could indeed disrupt this divine dwelling, leading to the Temple's destruction and God's apparent withdrawal (Ezek 8-11). Yet, the ultimate theological promise anticipates a time when God's dwelling with humanity will be restored in full, not in a building, but through Christ and His people, foreshadowing the new heavens and new earth where "the tabernacle of God is with men" (Rev 21:3).