The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:34 Explained

1 Kings 8:34

KJV: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.

YLT: then thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy people Israel, and brought them back unto the ground that Thou gavest to their fathers.

Darby: then hear thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land that thou gavest unto their fathers.

ASV: then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then hear  thou in heaven,  and forgive  the sin  of thy people  Israel,  and bring them again  unto the land  which thou gavest  unto their fathers. 

What does 1 Kings 8:34 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 8:34 mean?

Then You hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers -
וְאַתָּה֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְסָ֣לַחְתָּ֔ לְחַטַּ֖את עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָם֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תָּ לַאֲבוֹתָֽם ס

וְאַתָּה֙  Then  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
תִּשְׁמַ֣ע  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  in  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְסָ֣לַחְתָּ֔  and  forgive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַח  
Sense: to forgive, pardon.
לְחַטַּ֖את  the  sin 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
עַמְּךָ֣  of  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  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.
וַהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָם֙  and  bring  them  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
נָתַ֖תָּ  You  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַאֲבוֹתָֽם  to  their  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation