The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:9 Explained

1 Kings 8:9

KJV: There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

YLT: There is nothing in the ark, only the two tables of stone which Moses put there in Horeb, when Jehovah covenanted with the sons of Israel in their going out of the land of Egypt.

Darby: There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses placed there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

ASV: There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[There was] nothing in the ark  save  the two  tables  of stone,  which Moses  put  there at Horeb,  when the LORD  made  [a covenant] with the children  of Israel,  when they came out  of the land  of Egypt. 

What does 1 Kings 8:9 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 8:1-11 - The Temple Filled With Glory
When the Temple was finished it was dedicated in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles. All Israel in its most festive attire welcomed the Ark to its resting-place, with sacrifices and offerings that defied calculation. The budding rod and manna had gone from the Ark, because they belonged to a stage of experience which had passed away, just as we have to put away the things of our childhood; but the holy Law was there, 1 Kings 8:9, because, in our most ripened experience, we need to build and meditate on the eternal righteousness which is the foundation of God's throne. The staves of the Ark were drawn out, because this was God's resting-place forever. See Psalms 132:1-18.
How comforted Solomon was when he saw the glory cloud settle down, like a bird on its nest! It was the sign of the divine approval and acceptance, Exodus 40:34. May that Presence fill the throne-room of our nature, that there may be no part dark, Luke 11:36, but that soul, mind, and strength may be full of love and light.
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 8:9 mean?

Nothing [was] in the ark except two the tablets of stone which put there Moses at Horeb when made [a covenant] Yahweh with the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt
אֵ֚ין בָּֽאָר֔וֹן רַ֗ק שְׁנֵי֙ לֻח֣וֹת הָאֲבָנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִנִּ֥חַ שָׁ֛ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּחֹרֵ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ עִם־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם

אֵ֚ין  Nothing  [was] 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
בָּֽאָר֔וֹן  in  the  ark 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
רַ֗ק  except 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
שְׁנֵי֙  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לֻח֣וֹת  the  tablets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לוּחַ  
Sense: board, slab, tablet, plank.
הָאֲבָנִ֔ים  of  stone 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
הִנִּ֥חַ  put 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֻנָּח  
Sense: to rest.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בְּחֹרֵ֑ב  at  Horeb 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹרֵב  
Sense: another name for Mount Sinai from which God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites.
כָּרַ֤ת  made  [a  covenant] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  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.
בְּצֵאתָ֖ם  when  they  came  out 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.