And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
- BSB Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
- NKJV Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
- NASB Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
- NLT Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon notes that his father David had longed to build a house for God's name. It shows godly desire that God Himself honored.
Overview
David's heart was set on building the temple, a desire flowing from his love for the Lord. Though David would not build it, his zeal was commended. This devotion to God's honor models the right posture of worship, even when God assigns our part to others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Sam 7:2–3That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
- 1 Chr 17:1–15Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
- 1 Chr 22:7And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
- 1 Chr 28:2Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 8:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.