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

25“And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow me as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ 26Now, O God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David, my father. “But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built! 28Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you today. 29May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make 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 live on earth among people? Why, 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. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
• John 1:14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
• Acts 7:48However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
• Acts 17:24“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,
• 2 Corinthians 6:16And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
• 1 John 3:1See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
• Deuteronomy 10:14“Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God.
• 2 Chronicles 2:6But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?
• Psalms 113:4For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.
• Psalms 139:7I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
• Jeremiah 23:24Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 12:2I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only 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