The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:48 Explained

1 Kings 8:48

KJV: And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

YLT: yea, they have turned back unto Thee, with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and have prayed unto Thee the way of their land, which Thou gavest to their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have builded for Thy name:

Darby: and if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city that thou hast chosen, and the house that I have built unto thy name;

ASV: if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [so] return  unto thee with all their heart,  and with all their soul,  in the land  of their enemies,  which led them away captive,  and pray  unto thee toward  their land,  which thou gavest  unto their fathers,  the city  which thou hast chosen,  and the house  which I have built  for thy name: 

What does 1 Kings 8:48 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 8:44-53 - A Plea For National Righteousness
How true it is that there is no man that sinneth not, 1 Kings 8:46! Only one that ever walked this earth was holy, guileless, and undefiled, Hebrews 7:26. When we fail to watch and abide in Christ, we are easily carried into captivity. How many of God's children are thus taken captive! They are in bondage to some besetting sin, to some evil habit, to some degrading business, or to some unseemly alliance. Like blind Samson, they grind in the prison-house.
Let any such, who long for freedom, take home to their souls the infinite comfort which God's Word affords. Let them bethink-themselves of the holy and blessed days of the past. Let them repent, that is, in their heart and in practice put away the evil thing which is the outward badge of their sad condition. Let them turn again to the Savior, who has passed into the Holiest, that He may intercede in the presence of God for us all. There will be an immediate response. God will hearken in all that they call unto Him for, will forgive transgression and sin, and will restore His people to become again His own inheritance for His glory and praise.
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 8:48 mean?

and [when] they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led away captive them and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers the city You have chosen and the temple which - I have built for Your name
וְשָׁ֣בוּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּכָל־ לְבָבָם֙ וּבְכָל־ נַפְשָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ שָׁב֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֣וּ דֶּ֤רֶךְ אַרְצָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם הָעִיר֙ בָּחַ֔רְתָּ וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־ [בנית] (בָּנִ֥יתִי) לִשְׁמֶֽךָ

וְשָׁ֣בוּ  and  [when]  they  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֵלֶ֗יךָ  to  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בְּכָל־  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לְבָבָם֙  their  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
וּבְכָל־  and  with  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נַפְשָׁ֔ם  their  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם  of  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
שָׁב֣וּ  led  away  captive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁבָה  
Sense: to take captive.
וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֣וּ  and  pray 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
דֶּ֤רֶךְ  toward 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אַרְצָם֙  their  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
נָתַ֣תָּה  You  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם  to  their  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הָעִיר֙  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
בָּחַ֔רְתָּ  You  have  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
וְהַבַּ֖יִת  and  the  temple 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
[בנית]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
(בָּנִ֥יתִי)  I  have  built 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
לִשְׁמֶֽךָ  for  Your  name 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.