1 Kings 8

1 Kings 8
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The pages containing the Books of Kings (1 & 2 Kings) Leningrad Codex (1008 CE).
Book	First book of Kings
Hebrew Bible part	Nevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part	4
Category	Former Prophets
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	11

1 Kings 8 is the eighth chapter of the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.^[1][2] The book is a compilation of various annals recording the acts of the kings of Israel and Judah by a Deuteronomic compiler in the seventh century BCE, with a supplement added in the sixth century BCE.^[3] This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the reign of Solomon over the unified kingdom of Judah and Israel (1 Kings 1 to 11).^[4] The focus of this chapter is the dedication of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.^[5]

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and since the 16th century is divided into 66 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[6] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 4Q54 (4QKings; 50–25 BCE) with extant verses 1–9, 16–18.^{[7][8][9][10]}

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).^[11][a]

Old Testament references

• 1 Kings 8:1–10: 2 Chronicles 5:1–14^[13]
• 1 Kings 8:12–21: 2 Chronicles 6:1–11^[13]
• 1 Kings 8:22–53: 2 Chronicles 6:12–42^[13]
• 1 Kings 8:62–66: 2 Chronicles 7:4–10^[13]

Analysis

This chapter serves as the climax of the narrative about Solomon in the Books of Kings, which is also an 'event of world-historical importance' because

In Kings 8:46–48 there is a running pun on the Hebrew words שָׁבָה, shabah ("take captive"; referring to "exile"; used four times), and שׁוּב, shub ("return" or "repent"; used three times).^[16] These two verbs 'alternate chiastically', indicating a connection between captivity and repentance, which could suggest that the solution to "exile" is to "return" to YHWH, so they can "return to the land".^[17]

The dedication of the Temple (8:1–21)

The temple dedication began with a procession of the ark from the tent in the city of David (cf. 2 Samuel 6:16–17; 7:2; 1 Kings 3:15

And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.[22]

• "Feast in the...seventh month": This was the "Feast of Tabernacles" or "Sukkot", see Leviticus 23:34.^[23]
• "The month of Ethanim": or Tishrei/Tishri, which is September or October in Gregorian calendar.^[24]

Verse 9

There was nothing in the ark except for the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel after they had come out of the land of Egypt.^[25]

• Cross reference: 2 Chronicles 5:10
• "There was nothing in the ark except...": The statement seems intended to emphasize that the various things placed in there "before the testimony"—the pot of manna (
  Exodus 40:20, immediately after the Tabernacle was set up.^[26]
• "Two tablets": as described in Deuteronomy 10:1–5[19]
• "Horeb": the name used for Mount Sinai in the book of Deuteronomy.^[19][28]

Verse 21

The theme of the Exodus in Samuel-Kings was altered in the Chronicles, where the portrayal of David in relationship with Moses was sharpened, especially by comparing 1 Kings 8:21 and

The dedicational prayer reflects the relationship between God's promise to David (2 Samuel 7) and the people's loyalty to the Torah (verses 23–26), and between the inestimable size of God and his residence in Zion (verses. 27–30).^[21] God cannot literally 'dwell on earth' (verse 27), but he can listen in heaven (verses 32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49) when 'people pray toward the Temple'.^[19] In the main prayer Solomon asked God to hear all future prayers made to heaven in this temple, especially in the time of difficult trials (verses 31–32), wartime hardship (verses 33–34), drought (verses 35–36), and other calamities (verses 37–40), also the prayers of the proselytes who would come to Jerusalem (verses 41–43) and of the Israelites who would dwell in other countries (verses 44–45, 46–51) as this would 'give every member of YHWH's chosen people a common identity' (verses 52–53).^[21] Finally, Solomon plead for God 'to instil in their hearts a willingness to abide by the commandments, expresses their awe of God's judgement and acceptance of their own insufficiencies'. Israel's existence is solely due to God's mercy and serves the purpose of 'manifesting God to all the peoples of the world' (cf. Isaiah 43:10-12; 45:4-6).^[21]

The Feast of the Temple Dedication (8:62–66)

The festivities of the dedication lasts seven days involving more sacrifices than what Solomon made in Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4) and far too many for the usual altar to deal with (verse 64), to show that Solomon was always 'generous in making every effort to satisfy God and God's people'.^[21]

See also

References

Sources

• Collins, John J. (2014). "Chapter 14: 1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 25". Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Fortress Press. pp. 277–296.
  ISBN 978-1451469233
  .
• ISBN 978-0195288810
  .
• Dietrich, Walter (2007). "13. 1 and 2 Kings". In
  ISBN 978-0199277186
  . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
• ISBN 9780802862419
  .
• ISBN 0-310-25720-4
  .
• Hayes, Christine (2015). Introduction to the Bible. Yale University Press.
  ISBN 978-0300188271
  .
• Leithart, Peter J. (2006). 1 & 2 Kings. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Brazos Press.
  ISBN 978-1587431258
  .
• McKane, William (1993). "Kings, Book of". In
  ISBN 978-0195046458
  .
• ISBN 978-0195046458
  .
• Throntveit, Mark A. (2003). "Was the Chronicler a Spin Doctor? David in the Books of Chronicles". Word & World. 23 (4): 374–381. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
• Ulrich, Eugene, ed. (2010). The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. Brill.
• ISBN 0-8028-0788-7
  . Retrieved January 26, 2019.

• Jewish translations:
  • Melachim I - I Kings - Chapter 8 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • 1 Kings chapter 8. Bible Gateway