The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:33 Explained

1 Kings 8:33

KJV: When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

YLT: 'In Thy people Israel being smitten before an enemy, because they sin against Thee, and they have turned back unto Thee, and have confessed Thy name, and prayed, and made supplication unto Thee in this house,

Darby: When thy people Israel are put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house;

ASV: When thy people Israel are smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; if they turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When thy people  Israel  be smitten down  before  the enemy,  because they have sinned  against thee, and shall turn again  to thee, and confess  thy name,  and pray,  and make supplication  unto thee in this house: 

What does 1 Kings 8:33 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 8:33-43 - Appeals To The God Of Mercy
Solomon's prayer is evidently based on the book of Deuteronomy, and tends to confirm the old belief that, with the rest of the Pentateuch, this book came from the hand of Moses. In 2 Chronicles 20:7-9, Jehoshaphat pleaded this prayer as though it were substantially a promise, and therefore all needy souls who find their case described here, may plead it on their own behalf.
Notice how frequently Solomon speaks of prayer, even in the land of captivity and exile, as being-directed toward the Temple, 1 Kings 8:38, etc. It reminds us of the grave need of maintaining unimpaired our spiritual frontage. It has been truly said that the direction of the soul's outlook is the preliminary question in religion. Whether our home looks south or north; whether it faces sunless alleys or sunny fields, is an important physical consideration with us: It is likewise of great importance that the mind or soul should face the right way. The difference between spiritual health and disease is very largely one of the way in which we front. For us, Temple, Altar, and Mercy-Seat are all summed up in Jesus Christ. Our life must be spent looking unto Him, Hebrews 12:2.
1 Kings 8:1-66 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 8

1  The feast of the temple
12  Solomon's blessing
22  Solomon's prayer
54  Solomon's blessing
62  His sacrifice of peace offerings

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 8:33 mean?

When are defeated Your people Israel before an enemy because they have sinned against You and when they turn back to You and confess - Your name and pray and make supplication to You in temple this
בְּֽהִנָּגֵ֞ף עַמְּךָ֧ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י אוֹיֵ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶחֶטְאוּ־ לָ֑ךְ וְשָׁ֤בוּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהוֹד֣וּ אֶת־ שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֧וּ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֛וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה

בְּֽהִנָּגֵ֞ף  When  are  defeated 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַף  
Sense: to strike, smite.
עַמְּךָ֧  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אוֹיֵ֖ב  an  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  because 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֶחֶטְאוּ־  they  have  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
לָ֑ךְ  against  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
וְשָׁ֤בוּ  and  when  they  turn  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙  to  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְהוֹד֣וּ  and  confess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמֶ֔ךָ  Your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֧וּ  and  pray 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֛וּ  and  make  supplication 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָנַן 
Sense: to be gracious, show favour, pity.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  to  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בַּבַּ֥יִת  in  temple 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.