1 Kings 8

This chapter recounts Solomon's dedication of the temple in Jerusalem built in 1 Kings 6–7. It stands at the climax of the Solomon narrative in the first half of the book.

Outline

• Verses 1–11 At the feast in the month Ethanim, the seventh month, the elders and the chiefs of the fathers' houses assemble. The priests carry the ark of the covenant up from Zion and place it in the Most Holy Place beneath the wings of the cherubim. Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone. A cloud fills the house, so that the priests cannot stand to minister.
• Verses 12–21 Solomon blesses the congregation and declares that the promise made to David has been fulfilled.
• Verses 22–30 Solomon stands before the altar, spreads forth his hands, and prays. Although even heaven cannot contain the Lord, he asks God to hear in heaven the prayers offered toward this house.
• Verses 31–53 He asks God to hear and forgive in a series of cases: oaths, defeat in battle, drought, calamity, the prayers of foreigners, war, and captivity.
• Verses 54–61 Solomon rises, blesses the congregation, and exhorts the people to keep the commandments.
• Verses 62–66 The house is dedicated with peace offerings of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. After the feast has been kept for fourteen days, the people are sent home.

Key Verses

• 1 Kings 8:11 "The glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD" is the same sign of the divine presence seen at the dedication of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–35).
• 1 Kings 8:27 "The heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee" is a confession that no building can contain God.

People and Places

• Solomon: The king who built and dedicated the temple.
• Moses: Mentioned as the one who placed the two tablets of stone in the ark at Horeb (Mount Sinai).
• The entering in of Hamath and the river of Egypt: The northern and southern limits of the territory from which the congregation gathered for the feast.

Points for Reflection

• The same event is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 6 and 2 Chronicles 7. The relationship between "the eighth day" in verse 66 and the fourteen-day feast is read in light of 2 Chronicles 7, which divides the period into seven days for the dedication of the altar and seven days for the feast.
• Verse 9 states that only the two tablets of stone were in the ark, whereas Hebrews 9:4 also lists the pot of manna and Aaron's rod. Some explain this by holding that those items were lost at a later time; others hold that Hebrews is speaking of the tabernacle period.
• Verses 46–50 call for prayer toward the temple from the land of captivity. This passage connects with Daniel 6, where Daniel prays toward Jerusalem. Some critical scholars hold that the passage reflects the circumstances of the Babylonian exile.
• The New Testament calls the community of believers a temple (1 Corinthians 3:16–17) and speaks of worship not bound to a particular place (John 4:20–23). These passages are often read together with verse 27.

In the Korean Church

The chapter is frequently used as a sermon text at church dedication services, in which a church building is dedicated to God.