1 Kings 8:31

1 Kings 8:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
• New International Version (NIV)“When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple,

Context of 1 Kings 8:31

29Watch over this temple and take care of it day and night. This is the place about which you said, “People will give honour to my name there.” Please answer my prayers when I turn towards this place to pray to you. 30Hear the prayers of me, your servant, and the prayers of your people, the Israelites. Please answer us when we turn towards this place and we pray to you. Hear us from heaven, the place where you live. And when we pray, forgive us for our sins. Somebody may do a bad thing against another person. Then he may come to this temple and stand in front of your altar. He may say to you that he is not guilty of any wrong thing. 32Then listen from heaven to what these people are saying. Decide who is right. Punish the guilty person as he deserves. Show clearly that the other person is right, because he has not done any wrong thing. 33Perhaps an enemy will win against your people, the Israelites, because we have not obeyed you. But then your people may turn back to you and worship you. They may come into this temple and pray that you will help them.

1 Kings 8:31 word by word

אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶחֱטָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וְנָֽשָׁא־ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ֖ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If any manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• trespassחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• against his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• and an oathאָלָה'âlâh · oathH423
• be laidנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
• upon him to cause him to swearאָלָה'âlâh · to swearH422
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• thine altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• in this houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for 1 Kings 8:31

• 2 Chronicles 6:22Somebody may do a bad thing against another person. Then he may come to this temple and stand in front of your altar. He may say to you that he is not guilty of any wrong thing.
• Exodus 22:8But if you do not find the robber, you must take your neighbour to stand in front of the judges. They must decide if your neighbour has taken your things for himself.
• Leviticus 5:1A person may know about something that is wrong. He may not speak about it at a public meeting. That person is sinning.
• Proverbs 30:9If I have more than enough, I might say that I do not know you. I might say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ But if I am poor, I might rob people. That would insult my God's good name.
• Numbers 5:16Then the priest will bring the woman to stand in front of the Lord.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 8:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31If any man trespass against his neighbor - Solomon puts here seven cases, in all of which the mercy and intervention of God would be indispensably requisite; and he earnestly bespeaks that mercy and intervention on condition that the people pray towards that holy place, and with a feeling heart make earnest supplication. The First case is one of doubtfulness; where a man has sustained an injury, and charges it on a suspected person, though not able to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31The oath come before … - “The oath” is equivalent to “the man who swears the oath.” A slight alteration in the present Hebrew text gives the sense “and he (the accused) go and swear before thine altar,” etc. The threats and the promises, the punishments and calamities of 1 Kings 8:31-38 were distinctly named in the Law. See the margin reference.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-53Verses 22-53 In this excellent prayer, Solomon does as we should do in every prayer; he gives glory to God. Fresh experiences of the truth of God's promises call for larger praises. He sues for grace and favour from God. The experiences we have of God's performing his promises, should encourage us to depend upon them, and to plead them with him; and those who expect further mercies, must be thankful for former mercies. God's promises must be the guide of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-32Solomon asked God to make the right decision and ensure justice in court cases when there were no witnesses to prove innocence (see Exodus 22:7–12). Solomon might have understood that future officials would not have the special wisdom God gave him (1 Kings 3:12; for example, 3:16–27).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 8:31

• Intercession
• Oath
• Self-Condemnation
• Self-Incrimination
• Sin
• Witness

In the dictionaries

• Contain
• Glad
• Hallow
• Hearken
• Prayer
• Receive
• Solomon
• Stand
• Told
• Transgression

Commentaries on 1 Kings 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings