1 Kings 8:16

1Ki 8:16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.

Ver. 16. I brought forth Israel out of Egypt.] This memorable mercy is often mentioned as a motive to real thankfulness. Deliverance commandeth obedience. But what was Egypt to hell? Pharaoh to the devil? &c. Oh, blessed be God for a Christ!

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 16. Since the day, c.] Mention is here made, says Dr. Kennicott, of some one place and some one person preferred before all others and the preference is that of Jerusalem to other places, and of David to other men. In consequence of this remark, we shall see the necessity of correcting this passage by its parallel in 2Ch 6:5-6, where the thirteen Hebrew words now lost in Kings are happily preserved. Let us compare the passages: -

K. Since to day that I brought forth my people

C. Since the day that I brought forth my people

K. Israel out of Egypt, I chose no CITY

C. out of the land of Egypt, I chose no CITY

K. out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house,

C. among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in,

K. that my name might be therein; * * *

C. that my name might be there; neither chose I

K. * * * * * * *

C. any MAN to be a ruler over my people Israel:

K. * * * * * * *

C. but I have chosen JERUSALEM, that my name

K. * * * but I chose David to be

C. might be there; and have chosen DAVID to be

K. over my people Israel.

C. over my people Israel.

I would just observe here, that I do not think these thirteen words ever made a part of Kings, and consequently, are not lost from it; nor do they exist here in any of the versions; but their being found in Chronicles helps to complete the sense.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) I chose no city.—In this verse, as in some other cases, for coherence of idea, it seems necessary to correct from the fuller version in 2Ch_6:5-6, by an addition after the word “therein.” It should run: “Neither chose I any man to be ruler over my people, but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” The parallel in the two points referred to is exact. As there were temporary resting places for the ark—such as Gilgal, Shiloh, Kirjathjearim, and Zion—so there were rulers raised up successively for a time, and then removed. Now there was to be one fixed place as the Sanctuary of God, and one royal house of David to continue for ever.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. that my name might be therein] The expression in the Pentateuch is constant about the place which is dedicated to the worship of God: ‘God records His name there’ (Exo_20:24); ‘God chooses it to put His name there’ (Deu_12:5); ‘God chooses it to cause His name to dwell there’ (Deu_12:11). In Exo_20:24 the phrase is ‘in all places,’ because by that code it was contemplated that the place set apart for worship would be changed from time to time, and before the one permanent place was fixed upon, there would be many places where God was worshipped. Deuteronomy represents the ideal to be aimed at when the people were established in Canaan.

but I chose David] This is expanded in 2Ch_6:6 so as to include both the place and the person. ‘But I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ The LXX. also has the same clause. The language of this verse in Kings seems almost to imply some opposition (or difference in the way of choice) between the material structure and the person.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt,.... Which was now about four hundred and eighty eight years ago; see Kg1 6:1.

I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; he had chosen one in his mind from all eternity; but he had not made known this choice, nor the place he had chosen; he gave hints by Moses, that there was a place which he should choose, or declare he had chosen to put his name in, but did not express it, Deu 12:5 but now it was a clear case that he had chosen Jerusalem, and that was the city he always had in view, see Ch2 6:6,

but I chose David to be over my people Israel; to be their king, and to him he gave the first hint of the place where the temple was to be built, Ch1 22:1, and he chose no man, and his family with him, before him, to rule over Israel, and be concerned in such a work, see Ch2 6:5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The marginal reference completes the sense of this verse here. The passage is in accordance with archaic modes of speech, and is probably the more verbally accurate of the two.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, until David’s time; for then he did choose Jerusalem.

I chose no city, i.e. I did not declare my choice of it; for so choosing is used for declaring or executing one’s choice, as Deu 12:1; 2Ch 6:5; Zec 2:12, and things are oft said to be done when they are only manifested or declared to be such; in which sense God is said to be justified, Psa 51:4, and men to be guilty, Hos 5:15. Otherwise, to speak properly, whatsoever God chooseth, he chooseth from eternity.

That my name might be therein; that my presence, and grace, and worship, and glory might be there.

I chose David, and in and with him the tribe of Judah, of which he was, and Jerusalem, where he dwelt; which is here implied by the opposition of this to the former part of the verse.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel, to build a house, that my name might be therein. The chronicler adds here, "Neither chose I any man to be ruler," etc. Probably our account comes nearer to the words actually spoken. The speech in the Chronicles looks as if it had been somewhat amplified, though it only completes the sense (Rawlinson), but I chose David to be over my people Israel. Cf. Psa_78:70. This psalm pursues much the same line of thought as this address.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Since, &c. - Until David's time; for then he did chuse Jerusalem. That my name - That my presence, and grace, and worship, and glory, might be there. Chose David - And in and with him the tribe of Judah, of which he was, and Jerusalem where he dwelt.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Since the day, etc. This is what He spoke to my father Dovid.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.