1Ki 8:33-43 | NETfull | STEP | “The time will come when your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help in this temple,

1 Kings 8:33-43

33 “The time will come when ^{▼▼ Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 33–34 actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.} your people Israel are defeated by an enemy ^{▼▼ Or “are struck down before an enemy.”} because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, ^{▼▼ Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”} and pray for your help ^{▼▼ Heb “and they pray and ask for help.”} in this temple, 34 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “The time will come when ^{▼▼ Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 35–36a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.} the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people ^{▼▼ Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, ^{▼▼ Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”} and turn away from their sin because you punish ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text has “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (t^e’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“to afflict”).} them, 36 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly ^{▼▼ The translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense.} you will then teach them the right way to live ^{▼▼ Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”} and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess. ^{▼▼ Or “for an inheritance.”}

37 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight and disease, or a locust ^{▼▼ Actually two Hebrew terms appear here, both of which are usually taken as referring to locusts. Perhaps different stages of growth or different varieties are in view.} invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, ^{▼▼ Heb “in the land, his gates.”} or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 38 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help, ^{▼▼ Heb “every prayer, every request for help which will be to all the people, to all your people Israel.”} as they acknowledge their pain ^{▼▼ Heb “which they know, each the pain of his heart.”} and spread out their hands toward this temple, 39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, ^{▼▼ The words “their sin” are added for clarification.} and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives. ^{▼▼ Heb “and act and give to each one according to all his ways because you know his heart.” In the Hebrew text vv. 37–39a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided up for stylistic reasons.} (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.) ^{▼▼ Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.”} 40 Then they will obey ^{▼▼ Heb “fear.”} you throughout their lifetimes as ^{▼▼ Heb “all the days [in] which.”} they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.

41 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation. ^{▼▼ Heb “your name.” In the OT the word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name.} 42 When they hear about your great reputation ^{▼▼ Heb “your great name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in the previous verse.} and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds, ^{▼▼ Heb “and your strong hand and your outstretched arm.”} they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 43 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. ^{▼▼ Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.”} Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, ^{▼▼ Heb “your name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in v. 41.} obey ^{▼▼ Heb “fear.”} you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. ^{▼▼ Heb “that your name is called over this house which I built.” The Hebrew idiom “to call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.}