English Standard Version
1 Kings 8:32
32then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
1 Kings 8:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
- New International Version (NIV)then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.
- New King James Version (NKJV)then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
- New Living Translation (NLT)then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Punish the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.
Context of 1 Kings 8:32
30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 31"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, then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. 33"When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
Read all of 1 Kings 81 Kings 8:32 word by word
וְאַתָּ֣ה׀ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַ רָשָׁ֔ע לָתֵ֥ת דַּרְכּ֖וֹ בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וּלְהַצְדִּ֣יק צַדִּ֔יק לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ כְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- thou in heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- condemningרָשַׁעrâsha‛ · be wickedH7561
- the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- to bringנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- his wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- upon his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- and justifyingצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
- the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- him according to his righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
Cross-references for 1 Kings 8:32
- 1 Kings 8:30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
- Exodus 34:7keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
- Numbers 5:27And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people.
- Deuteronomy 25:1"If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,
- Proverbs 1:31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
- Ezekiel 18:13lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.
- Romans 2:6He will render to each one according to his works:
- Exodus 23:7Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.
- Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
- Ezekiel 18:20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
- Romans 2:13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
- Romans 7:9I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 8:32
- 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 8:32
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries