1 Kings 8:42

(For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;

(For they shall hear {H8085} of thy great {H1419} name {H8034}, and of thy strong {H2389} hand {H3027}, and of thy stretched out {H5186} arm {H2220};) when he shall come {H935} and pray {H6419} toward this house {H1004};

(for they will hear of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house;

for they will hear of Your great name and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,

(for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;

Commentary

This verse is part of King Solomon's significant prayer dedicating the newly built temple in Jerusalem. After recounting God's faithfulness and making various requests concerning the people of Israel, Solomon extends his prayer to include foreigners who would come to seek the Lord.

Context

1 Kings chapter 8 describes the culmination of years of planning and construction: the dedication of Solomon's magnificent temple in Jerusalem. After the ark of the covenant is brought into the Most Holy Place and the glory of the Lord fills the temple, Solomon offers a lengthy and powerful prayer (beginning in 1 Kings 8:22). This prayer covers various situations where the people might need to call upon God, including judgment, defeat, famine, and plague. Verses 41-43 specifically address the foreigner, showing a remarkable openness to non-Israelites seeking the Lord.

Key Themes

  • God's Universal Fame: The verse highlights that God's "great name," "strong hand," and "stretched out arm" would be known far beyond Israel's borders. This speaks to God's power and reputation extending to all nations.
  • Accessibility to Foreigners: It reveals God's willingness to hear and respond to the prayers of non-Israelites who sincerely seek Him based on hearing of His power and come to pray towards the temple. This foreshadows a more inclusive relationship between God and humanity than limited strictly to the Israelite covenant.
  • The Temple as a Focal Point: For those far away, the temple in Jerusalem served as a physical symbol and direction towards which prayers could be offered, representing God's dwelling place among His people.

Linguistic Insights

The phrases "strong hand" and "stretched out arm" are common idiomatic expressions in the Old Testament. They are powerful metaphors representing God's immense power, authority, and ability to act decisively, particularly in deliverance (e.g., the Exodus from Egypt, see Exodus 6:6). Hearing of these mighty acts is what draws the foreigner to seek God.

Reflection and Application

This verse reminds us that God's reputation is not confined. His power and grace are intended to be known by all peoples. It challenges believers today to live in such a way that God's "great name" is glorified and made known to those who do not yet know Him. Furthermore, it shows that God has always been willing to receive anyone, regardless of their background, who turns to Him in faith and prayer. While Christians no longer pray towards a physical temple, we are called to worship God in spirit and truth, knowing that He is accessible to all who call upon Him through Christ.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 3:24

    O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God [is there] in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?

  • Deuteronomy 4:6

    Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people.

  • Psalms 89:13

    Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, [and] high is thy right hand.

  • Daniel 2:47

    The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

  • Joshua 7:9

    For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

  • Isaiah 63:12

    That led [them] by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?

  • Exodus 3:19

    And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
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