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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

1 Kings 8:35

When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quitting their sins because you have scourged them, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them: Train them to live right and well; send rain on the land you gave your people as an inheritance.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Backsliders;   Blessing;   Drought;   Intercession;   Rain;   Repentance;   Sin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ask;   Christ;   Church;   Dedication;   Drought;   Family;   Importunity;   Meteorology;   Prayer;   Secret Prayer;   Solomon;   United Prayer;   Unwise Prayers;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - Confession;   God;   Heart;   Jerusalem;   Knowledge;   Name;   Prayer;   Rendering;   Sin;   Turning;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Conversion;   Dedication;   Prayer, Intercessory;   Rain;   Temple, the First;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dedication;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Confession;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Forgiveness;   Hear, Hearing;   Prayer;   Teach, Teacher;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Confession;   Famine and Drought;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Confession;   Israel;   Prayer;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Profession (2);   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Prayer;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Heaven;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Name;   Palestine;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the skies are shut and there is no rain,because they have sinned against you,and they pray toward this placeand praise your name,and they turn from their sinsbecause you are afflicting them,
Hebrew Names Version
When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them:
King James Version
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:
English Standard Version
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,
New Century Version
"When they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray, facing this place and praising you; they will stop sinning when you make them suffer.
New English Translation
"The time will come when the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, and turn away from their sin because you punish them,
Amplified Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them,
New American Standard Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them,
Geneva Bible (1587)
When heauen shalbe shut vp, & there shalbe no raine because they haue sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them,
Legacy Standard Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them,
Contemporary English Version
Suppose your people sin against you, and you punish them by holding back the rain. If they turn toward this temple and pray in your name and stop sinning,
Complete Jewish Bible
"When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then, if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low;
Darby Translation
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;
Easy-to-Read Version
"Sometimes they will sin against you, and you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray toward this place and praise your name. You make them suffer, and they will be sorry for their sins.
George Lamsa Translation
When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee; and they shall come and pray in this place and confess thy name and turn from their sins, when thou dost afflict them;
Good News Translation
"When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you, and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you,
Lexham English Bible
When you shut up the heavens so there is no rain because they have sinned against you, then they pray to this place and they confess your name and they return from their sin because you punished them,
Literal Translation
When the heavens are restrained, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they have prayed toward this place, and confess Your name, and have turned from their sin because You have afflicted them,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan the heauen is shut vp, so yt it rayneth not (for so moch, as they haue synned agaynst the) and yf they make their prayer in this place, and knowlege thy name, and turne from their synnes wha thou troublest them,
American Standard Version
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:
Bible in Basic English
When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If heauen be shut vp, and there be no rayne, because they haue sinned against thee: yet if they pray in this place, and knowledge vnto thy name, and turne from their sinne through thy scourging of them:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, when they do sin against Thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin, when Thou dost afflict them;
King James Version (1611)
When heauen is shut vp, and there is no raine, because they haue sinned against thee: if they pray towards this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou afflictest them:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
When the heaven is restrained, and there is no rain, because they shall sin against thee, and the shall pray toward this place, and they shall make confession to thy name, and shall turn from their sins when thou shalt have humbled them,
English Revised Version
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:
Berean Standard Bible
When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If heuene is closid, and reyneth not for the synnes of hem, and thei preyen in this place, and doen penaunce to thi name, and ben conuertid fro her synnes for her turment,
Young's Literal Translation
`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,
Update Bible Version
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them:
Webster's Bible Translation
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray towards this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
World English Bible
When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them:
New King James Version
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
New Living Translation
"If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,
New Life Bible
"When the heavens are shut up and give no rain because they have sinned against You, if they pray toward this place and call on Your name and turn from their sin when You bring trouble to them,
New Revised Standard
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they shall pray toward this place, and confess thy Name, and, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them,
Douay-Rheims Bible
If heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain, because of their sins, and they, praying in this place, shall do penance to thy name, and shall be converted from their sins, by occasion of their afflictions:
Revised Standard Version
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and acknowledge thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them,

Contextual Overview

22Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took a position before the Altar, spread his hands out before heaven, and prayed, O God , God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and relentlessly loves them as they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your personal word. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today! Keep it up, God , O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have." 26 O God of Israel, let this all happen; confirm and establish it! 27Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built. Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God , my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple night and day, this place of which you said, "My Name will be honored there," and listen to the prayers that I pray at this place. Listen from your home in heaven and when you hear, forgive. When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple, listen from heaven and act accordingly: Judge your servants, making the offender pay for his offense and setting the offended free of any charges. 33When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they've sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, return them to the land you gave their ancestors. 35When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quitting their sins because you have scourged them, Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them: Train them to live right and well; send rain on the land you gave your people as an inheritance. 37When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort—any prayer that's prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, hearts penetrated by the disaster, hands and arms thrown out to this Temple for help, Listen from your home in heaven. Forgive and go to work on us. Give what each deserves, for you know each life from the inside (you're the only one with such "inside knowledge"!) so that they'll live before you in lifelong reverent and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors. 41And don't forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation. People are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonder-working power, who come to pray at this Temple. Listen from your home in heaven. Honor the prayers of the foreigner so that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like and will live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do; so they'll know that you personally make this Temple that I've built what it is. 44When your people go to war against their enemies at the time and place you send them and they pray to God toward the city you chose and this Temple I've built to honor your Name, Listen from heaven to what they pray and ask for, and do what's right for them. When they sin against you—and they certainly will; there's no one without sin!—and in anger you turn them over to the enemy and they are taken captive to the enemy's land, whether far or near, but repent in the country of their captivity and pray with changed hearts in their exile, "We've sinned; we've done wrong; we've been most wicked," and turn back to you heart and soul in the land of the enemy who conquered them, and pray to you toward their homeland, the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and this Temple I have built to the honor of your Name, Listen from your home in heaven to their prayers desperate and devout and do what is best for them. Forgive your people who have sinned against you; forgive their gross rebellions and move their captors to treat them with compassion. They are, after all, your people and your precious inheritance whom you rescued from the heart of that iron-smelting furnace, Egypt! 52O be alert and attentive to the needy prayers of me, your servant, and your dear people Israel; listen every time they cry out to you! You handpicked them from all the peoples on earth to be your very own people, as you announced through your servant Moses when you, O God , in your masterful rule, delivered our ancestors from Egypt.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

heaven: 1 Kings 17:1, Leviticus 26:19, Deuteronomy 11:17, Deuteronomy 28:12, Deuteronomy 28:23, Deuteronomy 28:24, 2 Samuel 24:13, Jeremiah 14:1-7, Ezekiel 14:13, Malachi 3:10, Luke 4:25, Revelation 11:6

if they pray: 1 Kings 8:33, 2 Chronicles 6:24, 2 Chronicles 6:26, Romans 10:9, Romans 15:9

confess: 1 Kings 8:29, 1 Kings 8:30, Joel 1:13-20, Joel 2:15-17

and turn: 1 Kings 8:33, Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 1:16, Isaiah 9:13, Ezekiel 18:30-32, Hosea 14:1

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 6:27 - when thou hast 2 Chronicles 7:16 - my name Job 12:15 - Behold Psalms 5:7 - I worship Amos 4:7 - I have Haggai 1:10 - General Zechariah 14:17 - even

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When heaven is shut up,.... As it may be said to be when the air is quite serene, and not a cloud in it:

and there is no rain; in its season, neither the former nor the latter, as it was in the times of Elijah:

because they have sinned against thee; want of rain was threatened in case of sin, and was always the effect of it, Leviticus 26:19,

if they pray towards this place; in any part of the country where they were; for it sometimes rained on one city, and not on another, Amos 4:7

and confess thy name; own his power and his providence, and the justness of his dealings with them:

and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them; their affliction being made useful, to bring them to a sense of their sin, and to repentance for it, and reformation from it; or, "when thou hearest" or "answerest them" g; so the Targum, receives their prayer; thus the goodness of God leads to repentance.

g כי תענם "cum exaudieris eos", Vatablus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 35. When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain — The THIRD case. When, because of their sin, and their ceasing to walk in the good way in which they should have walked, God refuses to send the early and latter rain, so that the appointed weeks of harvest come in vain, as there is no crop: then, if they pray and confess their sin, hear thou in heaven, &c.


 
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