Discovery Box1 Kings 8:33-43
Context8:33 “The time will come when 1 your people Israel are defeated by an enemy 2 because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, 3 and pray for your help 4 in this temple, 8:34 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.
8:35 “The time will come when 5 the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people 6 sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, 7 and turn away from their sin because you punish 8 them, 8:36 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly 9 you will then teach them the right way to live 10 and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess. 11
8:37 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight and disease, or a locust 12 invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, 13 or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 8:38 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help, 14 as they acknowledge their pain 15 and spread out their hands toward this temple, 8:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, 16 and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives. 17 (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.) 18 8:40 Then they will obey 19 you throughout their lifetimes as 20 they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
8:41 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation. 21 8:42 When they hear about your great reputation 22 and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds, 23 they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 8:43 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. 24 Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, 25 obey 26 you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. 27
[8:33] 1 tn 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.
[8:33] 2 tn Or “are struck down before an enemy.”
[8:33] 3 tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
[8:33] 4 tn Heb “and they pray and ask for help.”
[8:35] 5 tn 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.
[8:35] 6 tn Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:35] 7 tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
[8:35] 8 tn 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 (tÿ’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“to afflict”).
[8:36] 9 tn The translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense.
[8:36] 10 tn Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”
[8:36] 11 tn Or “for an inheritance.”
[8:37] 12 tn 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.
[8:37] 13 tn Heb “in the land, his gates.”
[8:38] 14 tn Heb “every prayer, every request for help which will be to all the people, to all your people Israel.”
[8:38] 15 tn Heb “which they know, each the pain of his heart.”
[8:39] 16 tn The words “their sin” are added for clarification.
[8:39] 17 tn 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.
[8:39] 18 tn Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.”
[8:40] 20 tn Heb “all the days [in] which.”
[8:41] 21 tn Heb “your name.” In the OT the word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the
[8:42] 22 tn Heb “your great name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in the previous verse.
[8:42] 23 tn Heb “and your strong hand and your outstretched arm.”
[8:43] 24 tn Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.”
[8:43] 25 tn Heb “your name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in v. 41.
[8:43] 27 tn 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.
