1 Kings 8:46

Verse 46. If they sin against thee] This SEVENTH case must refer to some general defection from truth, to some species of false worship, idolatry, or corruption of the truth and ordinances of the Most High; as for it they are here stated to be delivered into the hands of their enemies and carried away captive, which was the general punishment for idolatry, and what is called, 1Kg 8:47, acting perversely and committing wickedness.

In 1Kg 8:46 we read, If they sin against thee, for there is no man that sinneth not. On this verse we may observe that the second clause, as it is here translated, renders the supposition in the first clause entirely nugatory; for if there be no man that sinneth not, it is useless to say, IF they sin; but this contradiction is taken away by reference to the original, כי יחטאו לך ki yechetu lach, which should be translated IF they shall sin against thee, or should they sin against thee; כי אין אדם לא יחטא ki ein Adam asher lo yecheta, for there is no man that MAY not sin; i.e., there is no man impeccable, none infallible, none that is not liable to transgress. This is the true meaning of the phrase in various parts of the Bible, and so our translators have understood the original: for even in the thirty-first verse of this chapter they have translated יחטא yecheta, IF a man TRESPASS; which certainly implies he might or might not do it; and in this way they have translated the same word, IF a soul SIN, in Le 5:1; Le 6:2; 1Sa 2:25; 2Ch 6:22, and in several other places. The truth is, the Hebrew has no mood to express words in the permissive or optative way, but to express this sense it uses the future tense of the conjugation kal.

This text has been a wonderful strong hold for all who believe that there is no redemption from sin in this life, that no man can live without committing sin, and that we cannot be entirely freed from it till we die.

1. The text speaks no such doctrine: it only speaks of the possibility of every man sinning, and this must be true of a state of probation.

2. There is not another text in the Divine records that is more to the purpose than this.

3. The doctrine is flatly in opposition to the design of the Gospel; for Jesus came to save his people from their sins, and to destroy the works of the devil.

4. It is a dangerous and destructive doctrine,; and should be blotted out of every Christian's creed. There are too many who are seeking to excuse their crimes by all means in their power; and we need not embody their excuses in a creed, to complete their deception, by stating that their sins are unavoidable.

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

1Ki 8:46 If they sin against thee, (for [there is] no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;

Ver. 46. For there is no man that sinneth not.] This is triste mortalitatis privilegium.

And thou be angry with them.] As thou canst not but be so, {Hab 1:13} and as the effects of thy just anger thou chide them, and smite them, either with thine own bare hand or by those men of thy band, their enemies.

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.

1Ki 8:46. If they sin against thee — The universal corruption of man’s whole race and nature, makes me presage that they will fall into sins; and withal makes me hope that thou wilt not be severe to deal with them as their sins deserve. For there is no man that sinneth not — That doth not fall short of his duty in many respects, “that doth not enough,” says Henry, “to justify God in the severest rebukes of his providence.” And “no man but what is in danger of falling even into gross sin, and will, if God leave him to himself.” Thus the Hebrew, אשׁר לא יחשׂא, asher lo jecheta, who may not, or will not, sin, even openly and wilfully, if divine grace prevent not. This last sense of the clause seems best to suit the context, as well as to express the meaning of the original. And, thus understood, the words do not contradict the declaration of St. John, that he who is born of God, sinneth not; that is, doth not commit known and actual sin; but has power over it, and is careful to shun the appearance of evil. See notes on 1Jn 3:4-10; 1Jn 5:18; Rom 6:14. Solomon did not mean that the weakness of human nature, and its proneness to sin, would excuse known and wilful offences against God, especially apostacy from him and his service, which was the cause of all the calamities of the Israelites.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:46-51 Solomon prayed concerning a time when Israel might be carried away captive (Lev 26:33). Solomon prayed that if the people genuinely repented and confessed their sin, God would listen, forgive them, and grant them favor with their captors (Lev 26:40-45; 2 Kgs 25:27-30; Dan 6:10; 9:3-19).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

46. If they sin against thee] With the language of these verses concerning the delivery of Israel into the hand of their enemies for their sins, the chapters of Leviticus (26.) and Deuteronomy (28) already frequently quoted should be compared. Though the verbal resemblance is less than in some other parts of this prayer, the idea and spirit of the language is exactly the same.

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.

If they sin against thee,.... The same persons when they were gone forth to battle, not observing the divine commands as they should:

for there is no man that sinneth not; such are the depravity of human nature, the treachery of the heart, and the temptations of Satan, of which Solomon had early notice, and was afterwards still more confirmed in the truth of, Ecc 7:20.

and thou be angry with them; for their sins, and resent their conduct:

so as to deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive unto the land of the enemy, far or near; as into Assyria or Babylon, whither they were carried.

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

There is no man that sinneth not: the universal corruption of man’s whole race and nature makes me presage that they will fall into sins; and withal, makes me to hope that thou wilt not be severe to deal with them as their sins deserve.

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

46. No man that sinneth not — Or, rather, That may not sin. The statement is not made with reference to the possibilities of gracious attainment in the Christian life, but to the ordinary facts of human history. The meaning is. There is no man, and no nation, that can claim to be beyond the possibility of sinning. Israel must not assume, that because they are the chosen people they may not, by running into sin, draw down the Divine anger in bitter judgments upon them. But here is surely no such universal proposition as to involve, (as some assume,) that even the New Testament saint whose life is hid with Christ in God, sees never in this life the hour in which he does not sin. Such teaching is as absurd as it is unscriptural.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy Heb. give them before an enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, fax or near;

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

Suppose that they sin ... suppose that you are ... suppose that they realize ... suppose that they repent ... Suppose that they say

When Solomon was speaking, these hypothetical situations had not happened, but Solomon knew that they might happen in the future. Use the form in your language for talking about events that have not happened but might happen in the future. (See: Hypothetical Situations)

where they have been exiled

This can be stated in active form. AT: "where their enemies have taken them as exiles" (See: Active or Passive)

captors

people who keep others as prisoners

We have acted perversely and sinned. We have behaved wickedly

These two sentences mean the same thing. Together they emphasize how bad the people's actions were. (See: Parallelism)

acted perversely and sinned

The words mean basically the same thing and emphasize how badly the people sinned. (See: Doublet)

translationWords

sin

anger

hand

adversary

captive

exile

repent

favor

perverse

evil

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.