1 Kings 8:57-59

8:57 May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us. 8:58 May he make us submissive, 1  so we can follow all his instructions 2  and obey 3  the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors. 8:59 May the Lord our God be constantly aware of these requests of mine I have presented to him, 4  so that he might vindicate 5  his servant and his people Israel as the need arises.

1 tn Heb “to bend our hearts toward him.” The infinitive is subordinate to the initial prayer, “may the Lord our God be with us.” The Hebrew term לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) here refers to the people’s volition and will.

2 tn Heb “to walk in all his ways.”

3 tn Heb “keep.”

4 tn Heb “May these words of mine, which I have requested before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night.”

5 tn Heb “accomplish the justice of.”