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?
• 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!
• New Living Translation (NLT)“But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!

Context of 1 Kings 8:27

25“Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true. “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward 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“But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
• Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
• John 1:14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• Acts 7:48“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
• Acts 17:24“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
• 1 John 3:1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
• Deuteronomy 10:14To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
• 2 Chronicles 2:6But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?
• Psalms 113:4The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
• Psalms 139:7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
• Jeremiah 23:24Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 12:2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.

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