The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:35 Explained

1 Kings 8:35

KJV: When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

YLT: 'In the heavens being restrained, and there is no rain, because they sin against Thee, and they have prayed towards this place, and confessed Thy name, and from their sin turn back, for Thou dost afflict them,

Darby: When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, because thou hast afflicted them;

ASV: When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When heaven  is shut up,  and there is no rain,  because they have sinned  against thee; if they pray  toward this place,  and confess  thy name,  and turn  from their sin,  when thou afflictest  them: 

What does 1 Kings 8:35 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; Revelation 6:9-1081; 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 1713513490_5. [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 8:35 mean?

When are shut up the heavens and no there is rain because they have sinned against You and when they pray toward place this and confess - Your name and from their sin turn You afflict them
בְּהֵעָצֵ֥ר שָׁמַ֛יִם וְלֹא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה מָטָ֖ר כִּ֣י יֶחֶטְאוּ־ לָ֑ךְ וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֞וּ אֶל־ הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ וְהוֹד֣וּ אֶת־ שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וּמֵחַטָּאתָ֥ם יְשׁוּב֖וּן תַעֲנֵֽם

בְּהֵעָצֵ֥ר  When  are  shut  up 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
שָׁמַ֛יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְלֹא־  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִהְיֶ֥ה  there  is 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מָטָ֖ר  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
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
וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֞וּ  and  when  they  pray 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
אֶל־  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמָּק֤וֹם  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
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.
וּמֵחַטָּאתָ֥ם  and  from  their  sin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
יְשׁוּב֖וּן  turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
תַעֲנֵֽם  You  afflict  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.