1 Kings 8:27

1 Kings 8:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
• New International Version (NIV)“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
• English Standard Version (ESV)"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
• New King James Version (NKJV)“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!

Context of 1 Kings 8:27

25Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’ 26Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant, my father David, be realized. “God does not really live on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 28But respond favorably to your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you today. 29Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.

1 Kings 8:27 word by word

כִּ֚י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם יֵשֵׁ֥ב אֱלֹהִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הִ֠נֵּה הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּשְׁמֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ אַ֕ף כִּֽי־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But will Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• indeedאֻמְנָם'ûmnâm · trulyH552
• dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• on the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• behold, the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• cannot containכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
• thee; how much lessאַף'aph · alsoH637
• this houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• that I have buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129

Cross-references for 1 Kings 8:27

• 2 Chronicles 6:18“God does not really live with humankind on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!
• Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says: “The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest?
• John 1:14Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
• Acts 7:48Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,
• Acts 17:24The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,
• 2 Corinthians 6:16And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
• 1 John 3:1(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.
• Deuteronomy 10:14The heavens – indeed the highest heavens – belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it.
• 2 Chronicles 2:6Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.
• Psalms 113:4The Lord is exalted over all the nations; his splendor reaches beyond the sky.
• Psalms 139:7Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence?
• Jeremiah 23:24“Do you really think anyone can hide himself where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. “Do you not know that I am everywhere?” the Lord asks.
• 2 Corinthians 12:2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 8:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? - This expression is full of astonishment, veneration, and delight. He is struck with the immensity, dignity, and grandeur of the Divine Being, but especially at his condescension to dwell with men: and though he sees, by his filling the place, that he has come now to make his abode with them, yet he cannot help asking the question, How can such a God dwell in such a place, and with such creatures? Behold, the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27heaven of heavens - Compare Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm 148:4. It seems to mean the heaven in its most extended compass. Solomon combines with his belief in Yahweh‘s special presence in the temple, the strongest conviction that He is no local or finite deity, but is ever present everywhere. Compare Psalm 139:7-10.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. 22-61Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple praised God and blessed the people. He highlighted God's faithfulness to His promises and his own part in building the temple. Solomon prayed for God to keep answering their prayers (1 Kings 8:22–30). He then made seven specific requests to God (1 Kings 8:31–53) and ended with a blessing (1 Kings 8:54–61).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 8:27

• God Continued...
• Prayer
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• God
• Contain
• Glad
• Hallow
• Hearken
• Heaven
• Prayer
• Receive
• Solomon
• Stand

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