1 Kings 8:48
New International Version
and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;

New Living Translation
If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—

English Standard Version
if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name,

Berean Standard Bible
and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:

New American Standard Bible
if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name;

NASB 1995
if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name;

NASB 1977
if they return to Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to Thee toward their land which Thou hast given to their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name;

Legacy Standard Bible
and if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name;

Amplified Bible
if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and they pray to You toward their land [of Israel] which You gave to their fathers, the city [of Jerusalem] which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your Name and Presence;

Christian Standard Bible
and when they return to you with all their heart and all their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to you in the direction of their land that you gave their ancestors, the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of their land that You gave their ancestors, the city You have chosen, and the temple I have built for Your name,

American Standard Version
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:

English Revised Version
if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, which 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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
if they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name,

Good News Translation
If in that land they truly and sincerely repent and pray to you as they face toward this land which you gave to our ancestors, this city which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for you,

International Standard Version
if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name,

Majority Standard Bible
and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,

NET Bible
When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner, and direct their prayers to you toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,

New Heart English Bible
if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:

Webster's Bible Translation
And so return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, who led them away captive, and pray to thee towards their land, which thou gavest to their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

World English Bible
if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
indeed, they have turned back to You with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and have prayed to You [in] the way of their land, which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your Name:

Young's Literal Translation
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:

Smith's Literal Translation
And they turned back to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who carried them captive, and prayed to thee the way of their land which thou gavest to their fathers, the city which thou didst choose, and the house which I built to thy name:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul, in the land of their enemies, to which they had been led captives: and pray to thee towards the way of their land, which thou gavest to their fathers, and of the city which thou hast chosen, and of the temple which I have built to thy name:

Catholic Public Domain Version
and they return to you with all their heart and all their soul, in the land of their enemies, to which they have been led away as captives, and if they pray to you in the direction of their land, which you gave to their fathers, and of the city, which you have chosen, and of the temple, which I have built to your name:

New American Bible
if with their whole heart and soul they turn back to you in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, the city you have chosen, and the house I have built for your name,

New Revised Standard Version
if they repent with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies, who took them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their ancestors, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And so return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who carried them away captive, and pray to thee according to the religion of their own land, which thou gavest to their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they will be turned to you from all their heart and from all their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and they will pray before you in the road of their land that you have given to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built to your name
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and they shall turn to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies whither thou hast carried them captives, and shall pray to thee toward their land which thou hast given to their fathers, and the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built to thy name:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
47and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ 48and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, 49then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 30:1-3
“When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you, / and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today, / then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you.

Nehemiah 1:8-9
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, / but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

Daniel 9:4-19
And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, / we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances. / We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. ...

Leviticus 26:40-42
But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— / and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity, / then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

Jeremiah 29:12-14
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. / You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. / I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

2 Chronicles 6:37-39
and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ / and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and pleas, and may You uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.

Psalm 106:6-47
We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. / Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wonders or remember Your abundant kindness; but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea. / Yet He saved them for the sake of His name, to make His power known. ...

Ezekiel 14:6
Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations.

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

Luke 15:18-20
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ / So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” / Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

James 4:8-10
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. / Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. / Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


Treasury of Scripture

And so return to you with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:

And so return

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Deuteronomy 6:5,6
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might…

Judges 10:15,16
And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day…

pray unto

1 Kings 8:29,30
That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place…

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

the city

1 Kings 8:44
If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:

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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














and when they return to You
The phrase "return to You" is deeply rooted in the Hebrew concept of "teshuvah," which means repentance or turning back. This is not merely a physical return but a spiritual reorientation towards God. In the context of the Israelites, it signifies a heartfelt repentance and a desire to restore the covenant relationship with God. Historically, this reflects the cyclical pattern of sin, exile, repentance, and restoration seen throughout the Old Testament.

with all their heart and with all their soul
This expression emphasizes total commitment and sincerity. The heart (Hebrew: "lev") and soul (Hebrew: "nefesh") together represent the entirety of a person's being. This phrase echoes the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:5, underscoring the importance of loving and serving God with complete devotion. It is a call to wholehearted repentance and dedication, which is essential for true reconciliation with God.

in the land of their enemies who took them captive
This phrase acknowledges the reality of exile and captivity, a consequence of Israel's disobedience. Historically, the Israelites experienced captivity under various empires, such as Babylon and Assyria. This context highlights God's sovereignty even in foreign lands and His willingness to hear the prayers of His people, regardless of their physical location.

and when they pray to You
Prayer is a central theme in this verse, serving as the means through which the Israelites can communicate with God. The act of praying signifies humility and dependence on God. It is an acknowledgment of their need for divine intervention and forgiveness. This reflects the biblical principle that God is always accessible to those who earnestly seek Him.

in the direction of the land You gave their fathers
Praying towards the land signifies a connection to the promises God made to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a symbolic act of faith and hope in God's covenantal promises. This practice is rooted in the belief that the land of Israel is a tangible representation of God's faithfulness and blessings.

the city You have chosen
This refers to Jerusalem, the city chosen by God as the spiritual and political center of Israel. Jerusalem holds a special place in biblical history as the location of the Temple and the Davidic monarchy. It symbolizes God's presence and His covenant with David, promising an everlasting kingdom.

and the house I have built for Your Name
The "house" refers to the Temple built by Solomon, which served as the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. The Temple was central to Israelite worship and sacrificial practices. Building the Temple for God's Name signifies dedicating it to His glory and honor. It represents the focal point of worship and the place where God's people could seek His presence and forgiveness.

Verse 48. - And so return unto thee with all their heart [almost the words of Deuteronomy 30. ver. 2, as those in ver. 47 are of ver. 1], and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, Which led them away captive [observe the paronomasia - שבו is here used in two senses], and pray unto thee toward [Heb. the way of] their land [see Daniel 6:10] which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name. [There is apparently a climax here, "land," "city," "house."]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and when they return
וְשָׁ֣בוּ (wə·šā·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to You
אֵלֶ֗יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

with all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their heart
לְבָבָם֙ (lə·ḇā·ḇām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

and
וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

soul
נַפְשָׁ֔ם (nap̄·šām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

in the land
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of the enemies
אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם (’ō·yə·ḇê·hem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

took them captive,
שָׁב֣וּ (šā·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7617: To transport into captivity

and when they pray
וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֣וּ (wə·hiṯ·pal·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6419: To judge, to intercede, pray

to You
אֵלֶ֗יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

in the direction
דֶּ֤רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the land
אַרְצָם֙ (’ar·ṣām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 776: Earth, land

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

You gave
נָתַ֣תָּה (nā·ṯat·tāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to their fathers,
לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם (la·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

the city
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

You have chosen,
בָּחַ֔רְתָּ (bā·ḥar·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

and the house
וְהַבַּ֖יִת (wə·hab·ba·yiṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

I have built
בָּנִ֥יתִי (bā·nî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1129: To build

for Your Name,
לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃ (liš·me·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name


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OT History: 1 Kings 8:48 If they return to you with all (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 8:47
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