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Nach YomiI Kings · מלכים א׳Chapter 8

I Kings 8

מלכים א׳ פרק ח׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: I Kings | Chapter: 8 of 22 | Day: 108 of 742

Date: May 30, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

I Kings 8 is the great climactic chapter of the Beit HaMikdash narrative — its dedication. After seven years of construction (chapter 6), thirteen years on the palace complex (chapter 7), and decades of David’s preparation, Shlomo assembles “kol Yisrael” before the completed House: the zekenim, the heads of the tribes, the nesi’ei ha-avot, gathered in Yerushalayim during the seventh month for the chag (Sukkot). The chapter is one of the longest in all of Tanakh and one of the most carefully constructed: it moves through five distinct movements — the procession of the Aron (verses 1-13), Shlomo’s opening blessing (14-21), his great dedicatory prayer (22-53), his closing blessing of the people (54-61), and the seven-day chanukat ha-bayit with its colossal sacrifices and the people’s joyful return home (62-66). Every section is freighted with theological weight, and the prayer in particular has been called the most theologically sophisticated extended monologue in Tanakh.

The chapter opens with quiet ceremony. The Aron HaKodesh, which had been resting in Ir David (Tzion) since David retrieved it from Kiryat-Ye’arim (II Shmuel 6), is now carried up by the kohanim and Levi’im to its permanent home in the Devir — the Holy of Holies — beneath the outstretched wings of the great keruvim Shlomo had crafted (chapter 6). The kohanim place the Aron into the Devir; the badim (carrying-poles) are pulled forward until their tips press into the curtain of the Devir, visible from the Heichal but not from outside — a halakhic detail (Yoma 54a derives that the badim were never removed from the Aron). Inside the Aron rest only the two tablets that Moshe placed there at Chorev. When the kohanim withdraw, the anan (cloud) fills the House so that the kohanim cannot continue their service — exactly as the cloud had filled the Mishkan at its dedication (Shemot 40:34-35). The Shechina has arrived. Shlomo opens his mouth and proclaims a brief and stunning verse: “Hashem said He would dwell in araphel (thick darkness); I have built You a House of habitation, a place for Your sitting forever.”

Shlomo then turns to the people and offers his first blessing (verses 14-21), reviewing the divine history of the project: how Hashem chose David, refused him as builder, designated his son, and now fulfilled His word. This sets the rhetorical stage for the great prayer (22-53). Standing before the mizbe’ach with hands spread to heaven, Shlomo articulates one of the most carefully reasoned theological texts in all of Tanakh. He opens with a sweeping confession: “There is no God like You in the heavens above or on the earth beneath” — and immediately confronts the central paradox of any temple: “Behold, the heavens and the heavens-of-heavens cannot contain You — how much less this House that I have built!” The Mikdash, Shlomo insists, is not God’s container. It is the direction of prayer. He then catalogues seven specific situations in which prayer offered at or toward the House should be heard: an oath dispute (31-32), defeat in battle (33-34), drought (35-36), famine and plague (37-40), the prayer of the nochri — the stranger who comes from a distant land (41-43), the army at war (44-45), and the exile of the people (46-51). The seven scenarios trace the arc of national life from individual conflict to national catastrophe, ending with the most heartbreaking petition of all — that even after God has exiled His people for their sins, if they return their hearts in captivity, He should hear their prayer “toward their land that You gave their fathers, the city that You chose, and the House that I have built for Your Name.” The prayer is a theology of teshuva embedded in the dedication of the Temple itself.

The closing blessing (54-61) returns Shlomo to standing position and to the people. He blesses them with the ancient covenantal formula — that God who gave rest to Israel through Moshe should not abandon them, should incline their hearts toward Him, that He should fulfill His promises that “nothing of all His good word should fall.” The chapter then concludes with the sheer numerical immensity of the chanukat ha-bayit: twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep offered as zevachim, requiring Shlomo to sanctify the middle of the azarah for korbanot because even the bronze mizbe’ach was too small to contain them all. The chag stretches across fourteen days — seven for the chanukat ha-bayit and seven for the regular Sukkot — and on the eighth day (Shemini Atzeret, the twenty-third of the seventh month, per verse 66) Shlomo dismisses the people, who go home “with happy hearts for all the good that Hashem had done for David His servant and for Yisrael His people.” It is the high point of Israelite history in Tanakh — the moment when David’s vision, Shlomo’s wisdom, the people’s unity, and the Shechina’s descent all converge in one place. Everything that follows in Sefer Melachim will be measured against this moment and found wanting.

פרק ח׳ · Chapter 8

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

אָ֣ז יַקְהֵ֣ל שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל אֶת־כׇּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הַמַּטּוֹת֩ נְשִׂיאֵ֨י הָאָב֜וֹת לִבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לְֽהַעֲל֞וֹת אֶת־אֲר֧וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֛ה מֵעִ֥יר דָּוִ֖ד הִ֥יא צִ��ּֽוֹן׃

English:

Then Solomon convoked the elders of Israel—all the heads of the tribes and the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites—before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of GOD from the City of David, that is, Zion.

The dedication begins. Metzudat David: 'Az' — when all the construction was complete. Shlomo assembles the three tiers of Israelite leadership — zekenim, rashei ha-matot, and nesi'ei ha-avot — for the great procession of the Aron from *Ir David* (Tzion, where David had placed it after retrieving it from Oved-Edom, II Shmuel 6) up to the new Beit HaMikdash. Rashi notes that 'rashei ha-matot' and 'nesi'ei ha-avot' are the same group named twice for emphasis (per Metzudat David).
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
נְשִׂיאֵי הָאָבוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵעִיר דָּוִד. שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ שָׁם דָּוִד כְּשֶׁהֱבִיאוֹ מִבֵּית עוֹבֵד אֱדוֹם.
The leaders of the paternal families of the Bnei Yisroel. Of the children of Yisroel.1The literal translation is, "to the children of Yisroel." From the city of Dovid. Dovid had placed it there when he brought it from the house of Oved Edom.2See II Shmuel 6:10-12, 17.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיִּקָּ֨הֲל֜וּ אֶל־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ כׇּל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּיֶ֥רַח הָאֵתָנִ֖ים בֶּחָ֑ג ה֖וּא הַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃

English:

The entire body of IsraelaThe entire body of Israel I.e., the elders of vv. 1 and 3, representing the nation. gathered before King Solomon at the Feast [of Booths],bthe Feast [of Booths] Cf. Lev. 23.34. in the month of Ethanim—that is, the seventh month.

The timing: **Yerach ha-Eitanim** — the seventh month (Tishrei) — at the chag (Sukkot). Rashi (citing Targum): Tishrei was once called the 'first month' (the ancient calendar, when the world was created); from Mattan Torah onward Nissan is first and Tishrei seventh. Metzudat David: 'eitanim' = strength — Tishrei is the spiritually strongest month for human elevation through its abundance of mitzvot. Radak adds the deeper reading from Chazal: Tishrei is the month in which the Avot (eitanei olam) were born. The Mikdash construction was completed in the previous Bul (chapter 6:38), but Shlomo waited eleven months for Tishrei to dedicate it.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
בְּיֶרַח הָאֵתָנִים. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: בְּיַרְחָא דְּעַתִּיקַיָּא דְּקָרַן לֵהּ יַרְחָא קַדְמָאָה בְּחַגָּא וּכְעָן הוּא יַרְחָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, מִשֶּׁנִּתְּנָה תוֹרָה וּכְתִיב בְּנִיסָן שֶׁהוּא רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים, נִקְרָא תִּשְׁרֵי שְׁבִיעִי.
In the month Eisonim. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "In the month which people of the ancient times called the first month, on the festival, and at present it is the seventh month," i.e., since the Torah was given, and it is written in the month of Nissan which it is the first of the months, [therefore,] Tishrei3Although the construction of the Beis Hamikdosh was completed in the eighth month of the previous year [see above 6:38], Shlomo postponed its dedication until the following Tishrei. is called the seventh [month].4איתן means "mighty" and ירח האיתנים refers to the month of Tishrei which has the strongest spiritual effect for people to improve themselves because of the holidays celebrated during Tishrei—Ralbag. Alternatively, איתנים alludes to the Patriarchs. See Maseches Rosh Hashana 11a.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ כֹּ֖ל זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָרֽוֹן׃

English:

When all the elders of Israel had come, the priests lifted the Ark

The kohanim lift the Aron. Radak cites Chazal (Yerushalmi Shekalim): in three places the kohanim carried the Aron — crossing the Yarden, circuiting Yericho, and returning it to its place (which they group together with David's emergency-removal during the Avshalom rebellion). Our verse — bringing the Aron into the Beit HaMikdash — is implicitly the kohanim's fourth occasion, though Chazal don't list it separately. Normally Aron-carriage was the role of the Levi'im (Bnei Kehat); the kohanim took over for the most sacred transports.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ אֶת־אֲר֤וֹן יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְאֶת־כׇּל־כְּלֵ֥י הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּאֹ֑הֶל וַיַּעֲל֣וּ אֹתָ֔ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃

English:

and carried up the Ark of GOD. Then the priests and the Levites brought the Tent of Meeting and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent.

Three transports converge on the Mikdash. **The Aron** comes up from Ir David (Tzion). **The Ohel Mo'ed** — the Mishkan that Moshe built — comes up from Givon, where it had stood. **All the kelei ha-kodesh** (Mishkan-vessels) come up too. Rashi (citing Tosefta Sotah 13:1): Shlomo *stored away* the Mishkan once the Mikdash was built. Metzudat David: stored in the upper storerooms above the Heichal and Devir. Radak: the Aron entered the Devir; the Ohel Mo'ed and its vessels were genized in the otzarot. The labor was divided: kohanim carried the Aron, Levi'im carried the Ohel and its kelim.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
וְאֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה, וּגְנָזוֹ שְׁלֹמֹה מִשֶּׁנִּבְנָה בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּתוֹסֶפְתָּא דְּסוֹטָה (יג א). אֲשֶׁר בָּאֹהֶל. אֲשֶׁר נָטָה דָּוִד לָאָרוֹן.
The Tent of Meeting. Which Moshe made and Shlomo stored this away as soon as the first Beis [Hamikdosh] was built, as we have learned in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.5 13:1 That were in the Tent. Which Dovid pitched for the Ark.6See II Shmuel 6:17

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה וְכׇל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַנּוֹעָדִ֣ים עָלָ֔יו אִתּ֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י הָאָר֑וֹן מְזַבְּחִים֙ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יִסָּפְר֛וּ וְלֹ֥א יִמָּנ֖וּ מֵרֹֽב׃

English:

Meanwhile, King Solomon and the whole community of Israel,cwhole community of Israel I.e., the elders, on the community’s behalf. who were assembled with him before the Ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen in such abundance that they could not be numbered or counted.

During the procession, Shlomo and the assembled Israel are offering uncountable korbanot before the Aron. Metzudat David: 'ito' — joining him in escorting the Aron. The verse hints at the *staged* solemnity of the ceremony — the Aron does not enter the Mikdash silently but accompanied by a procession of sacrifices so numerous they defy enumeration ('lo yissafru ve-lo yimanu me-rov'). This pattern mirrors David's procession of the Aron in II Shmuel 6:13 (with korbanot every six paces) — Shlomo enacts on a grander scale what his father began.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיָּבִ֣אוּ הַ֠כֹּהֲנִ֠ים אֶת־אֲר֨וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֶל־מְקוֹמ֛וֹ אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים אֶל־תַּ֖חַת כַּנְפֵ֥י הַכְּרוּבִֽים׃

English:

The priests brought the Ark of GOD’s Covenant to its place underneath the wings of the cherubim, in the Shrine of the House, in the Holy of Holies;

The decisive moment: the Aron enters the **Devir** — the Kodesh Kodashim — beneath the wings of the great keruvim. Rashi/Metzudat David emphasize: these are the **new keruvim Shlomo made** standing on their feet on the floor (chapter 6) — not the Bezalel-keruvim of the Kapporet that *remained on top of the Aron itself*. Radak: there were thus **two pairs of keruvim** in the Devir at this moment — the original gold pair on the Aron-cover, and Shlomo's two large olive-wood pairs that stretched wing-to-wing across the room, ten cubits high, with the Aron placed *underneath* their canopy of wings.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרוּבִים. אוֹתָן שֶׁעָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה הָעוֹמְדִים עַל רַגְלֵיהֶם בַּקַּרְקַע, וְאֵין אֵלּוּ כְּרוּבִים שֶׁל כַּפֹּרֶת שֶׁעַל הָאָרוֹן.
The wings of the cherubim. Those which Shlomo made, which are standing on their feet on the ground; and these are not the cherubim of the cover which was on the Ark.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

כִּ֤י הַכְּרוּבִים֙ פֹּרְשִׂ֣ים כְּנָפַ֔יִם אֶל־מְק֖וֹם הָאָר֑וֹן וַיָּסֹ֧כּוּ הַכְּרֻבִ֛ים עַל־הָאָר֥וֹן וְעַל־בַּדָּ֖יו מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃

English:

for the cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the Ark, so that the cherubim shielded the Ark and its poles from above.

The keruvim's wings extended **wall-to-wall** across the Devir (per chapter 6:27 — each keruv had a five-cubit wing reaching ten cubits across the room). They formed a *canopy of cover* — **vayasoku** ('they shielded') — over both the Aron itself and its **badim** (carrying-poles). Metzudat David: the keruvim were *originally* positioned with their wings precisely calibrated for the Aron's eventual placement-spot, so that when the Aron arrived they naturally covered it. The room was designed for this moment.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אֶל מְקוֹם הָאָרוֹן. מִקִּיר אֶל קִיר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה בָּעִנְיָן.
Over the place of the Ark. From wall to wall as it is stated above7I Melochim 6:27. regarding this subject.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַֽיַּאֲרִ֘כוּ֮ הַבַּדִּים֒ וַיֵּרָאוּ֩ רָאשֵׁ֨י הַבַּדִּ֤ים מִן־הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֔יר וְלֹ֥א יֵרָא֖וּ הַח֑וּצָה וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזּ��ֽה׃

English:

The poles projected so that the ends of the poles were visible in the sanctuary in front of the Shrine, but they could not be seen outside; and there they remain to this day.

A famous halakhic detail. The **badim** (carrying-poles) of the Aron were pulled forward (toward the Heichal side) and pressed into the *parochet* curtain so that their tips bulged through the cloth, visible from the Heichal but not piercing through. Rashi (Yoma 54a): they bulged 'like the breasts of a woman' — the verse in Shir HaShirim ('bein shadai yalin') was read by Chazal as referring to the Shechina dwelling between the two pole-tips. Radak: this is the source for the halakha that the badim were never removed from the Aron (cf. Shemot 25:15). Metzudat David: 'until this day' refers to the time of the Sefer's composition; the badim remained in place until the genizah of the Aron in the days of Yoshiyahu before the churban.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
וַיֵּרָאוּ רָאשֵׁי הַבַּדִּים. בַּפָּרֹכֶת שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד הַפֶּתַח בָּאַמָּה טְרַקְסִין, יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ מְקָרְעִין בָּהּ וְיוֹצְאִין, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ הַחוּצָה, הָא כֵּיצַד, דּוֹחֲקִין וּבוֹלְטִין כְּעֵין שְׁנֵי דַּדֵּי אִשָּׁה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בֵּין שָׁדַי יָלִין.
The ends of the poles were seen. In the curtain which was at the entrance in the "Amoh Troksin." One might think they tore through it [i.e., the curtain] and protruded [on the other side], it states, "but they could not be seen from outside." How is this possible? They were pushing and bulging8These were new poles made by Shlomo to replace the ones made by Moshe. Shlomo's poles were 20 amohs long vs. Moshe's poles which were 10 amohs in length. Shlomo made them longer to enable more Kohanim to participate in carrying the Ark.—Ralbag similar to two breasts of a woman, as the matter is stated, "He lies between my breasts."9I.e., "the Divine Presence dwelt between the Holy Ark's poles."10Shir Hashirim 1:13.11Maseches Yoma 54a.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

אֵ֚ין בָּֽאָר֔וֹן רַ֗ק שְׁנֵי֙ לֻח֣וֹת הָאֲבָנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִנִּ֥חַ שָׁ֛ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּחֹרֵ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ עִם־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

English:

There was nothing inside the Ark but the two tablets of stone that Moses placed there at Horeb, when GOD made [a covenant] with the Israelites after their departure from the land of Egypt.

The verse stresses what is **not** in the Aron — only the two tablets of stone Moshe placed there at Chorev (Sinai). Radak: this is proof that the *shattered first tablets* and the *Sefer Torah* (cf. Devarim 31:26 'mi-tzad aron') had been removed and stored separately by this point — and probably placed in the otzarot of the Mikdash alongside the Ohel Mo'ed. He cites the later story of Chilkiyahu HaKohen (II Melachim 22) 'finding' the Sefer Torah in the Mikdash as evidence that it was not in the Aron itself. Metzudat David: the Torah-text refers to *Mattan Torah* itself ('asher karat... be-tzeitam'). Note: the parallel in II Divrei Hayomim 5:10 reads identically ('rak shenei ha-luchot'), confirming this reading.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֕י בְּצֵ֥את הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים מִן־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְהֶעָנָ֥ן מָלֵ֖א אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

When the priests came out of the sanctuary—for the cloud had filled the House of GOD

As the kohanim withdraw from the Devir after placing the Aron, the **anan** — the cloud of the Shechina — fills the entire Beit HaMikdash. Rashi: the Shechina rested in the Heichal at the exact moment the kohanim exited the Kodesh. The scene precisely echoes Shemot 40:34-35 (the cloud filling the Mishkan at its dedication) and Vayikra 9:23 (the fire descending at the chanukat ha-Mishkan). Metzudat David: 'anan' here means a thick *smoke-like* vapor visible to all assembled.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
בְּצֵאת הַכֹּהֲנִים מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁנָּשְׂאוּ הָאָרוֹן בַּדְּבִיר, כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ שָׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה בַּהֵיכָל.
After the Kohanim went out of the Kodesh. As the Kohanim who carried the Ark into the Holy of Holies were leaving, the Divine Presence immediately came to rest in the Sanctuary.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וְלֹא־יָכְל֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים לַעֲמֹ֥ד לְשָׁרֵ֖ת מִפְּנֵ֣י הֶעָנָ֑ן כִּי־מָלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

English:

and the priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence of the ETERNAL filled the House of GOD—

The kohanim cannot continue their service — neither in the Heichal nor in the Azarah — because the **kavod Hashem** (the Divine Glory) so completely fills the House. Metzudat David: 'kevod Hashem' here is the same anan just mentioned; the verse explains that the cloud was no ordinary mist but a visible manifestation of God's presence — so dense it overwhelmed the priestly avoda. The Mikdash's first moment is not human worship but divine self-revelation.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

אָ֖ז אָמַ֣ר שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אָמַ֔ר לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בָּעֲרָפֶֽל׃

English:

then Solomon declared:” GOD has chosenTo abide in a thick cloud:

Shlomo's first words in response to the descent of the Shechina. He recognizes the cloud as the long-promised theophany. Rashi (citing Sifrei): when Shlomo saw the anan he proclaimed, 'Now I know the Shechina dwells in the House I built — for God had promised to come dwell from out of cloud and *araphel*.' The proof-text is Vayikra 16:2: 'ki ba-anan era'eh al ha-kapporet' — 'in a cloud I will appear upon the Kapporet.' Metzudat David: 'araphel' is the densest form of cloud — the verse from Shemot 20:18 'el ha-araphel asher sham ha-Elohim.' Radak adds the Targum's reading: 'God desires that His Presence rest in Yerushalayim' — *bi-araphel* understood as a place-name, the site where the cloud descends.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אָז אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה. כְּשֶׁרָאָה הֶעָנָן, אָמַר: עַתָּה רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בַּבַּיִת שֶׁבָּנִיתִי, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּךְ הִבְטִיחַ לָבֹא וְלִשְׁכֹּן בּוֹ מִתּוֹךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל, וְהֵיכָן אָמַר: כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת, כָּךְ שְׁנוּיָה בַּסִּפְרִי.
Then Shlomo declared. When he saw the cloud, he said, "Now I see that the Divine Presence is in the house which I built, for thus did He promise to come and dwell in it from the midst of a cloud and thick darkness." And where did He say [this promise]? "For in the cloud will I appear upon the Ark cover."12Vayikra 16:2. Thus is this taught in Sifri.

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

בָּנֹ֥ה בָנִ֛יתִי בֵּ֥ית זְבֻ֖ל לָ֑ךְ מָכ֥וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֖ עוֹלָמִֽים׃

English:

I have now built for YouA stately House,A place where YouMay dwell forever.”

The poetic completion of Shlomo's opening declaration: 'I have built You a *beit zevul* (stately House), a *machon le-shivtekha olamim* (a fixed place for Your dwelling forever).' Rashi: 'olamim' carries halakhic force — from the moment this Mikdash was chosen, the **bamot** (improvised altars elsewhere) became forbidden, and the Shechina dwelt nowhere else (cf. Devarim 12). Metzudat David: this is now Hashem's *permanent residence*, unlike Gilgal, Shilo, Nov, and Givon — all of which were temporary stops on the way to Yerushalayim. Radak: David already knew this would be the chosen site after the threshing-floor of Aravnah miracle (II Shmuel 24).
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
לְשִׁבְתְּךָ עוֹלָמִים. שֶׁמִּשֶּׁנִּבְחֲרָה, לֹא הֻתָּרוּ הַבָּמוֹת, וְלֹא שָׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
A dwelling place for You forever. From when it was chosen it would no longer be permissible [to offer sacrifices] on improvised altars, and the Divine Presence no longer dwelled in any other place.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיַּסֵּ֤ב הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶת־פָּנָ֔יו וַיְבָ֕רֶךְ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־קְהַ֣ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכׇל־קְהַ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֹמֵֽד׃

English:

Then, with the whole congregation of Israel standing, the king faced about and blessed the whole congregation of Israel.

Shlomo now physically turns from facing the Mikdash to facing the people, and blesses them. Metzudat David: 'omed' (standing) — because *ein yeshiva ba-azarah* (no sitting is permitted in the Temple-court, except for the King). Radak: the actual content of this blessing is not recorded — only Shlomo's *closing* blessing after the great prayer (verses 56-61) is preserved. This first blessing is just narratively noted before he transitions to the substantive 'baruch Hashem' declaration of verse 15.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר בְּפִ֔יו אֵ֖ת דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י וּבְיָד֥וֹ מִלֵּ֖א לֵאמֹֽר׃

English:

He said:“Praised be the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with deeds the promise madedwho has fulfilled with deeds the promise made Lit. “who spoke with His own mouth…and has fulfilled with His own hand.” to my father David. For [God] said,

Shlomo opens the body of his address with **'Baruch Hashem Elokei Yisrael'** — praised be Hashem who *spoke with His mouth* and *fulfilled with His hand* to David. Rashi: 'spoke with His mouth' = Hashem's prophetic word that David's son would build the Mikdash (II Shmuel 7:12-13, delivered through Natan). 'Filled with His hand' = brought that word to actual fulfillment with His powerful hand. Metzudat David: the divine pattern of speech-and-fulfillment is the chapter's deep theme — Hashem keeps every word He utters.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּפִיו. שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ בֵּן שֶׁיִּבְנֶה בַּיִת. וּבְיָדוֹ מִלֵּא. קִיֵּם אֶת דְּבָרוֹ בְּיָדוֹ הַטּוֹבָה.
Who spoke with His mouth. That He would grant him a son who would build the Beis [Hamikdosh].13"With His mouth," refers to the "voice" of prophecy which was given through Noson, the prophet, and repeated directly to Dovid. See II Shmuel 7:12-17. And fulfilled it with His hand. He has fulfilled His word with His good power.14The literal meaning of ובידו מלא is, "and fulfilled with His hand." Here it refers to God's omnipotence, that He alone is able to fulfill any promise He makes, the hand symbolizing strength.—Radak

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

מִן־הַיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֜אתִי אֶת־עַמִּ֣י אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ מִמִּצְרַ֒יִם֒ לֹֽא־בָחַ֣רְתִּֽי בְעִ֗יר מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֔יִת לִהְי֥וֹת שְׁמִ֖י שָׁ֑ם וָאֶבְחַ֣ר בְּדָוִ֔ד לִהְי֖וֹת עַל־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

‘Ever since I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city among all the tribes of Israel for building a House where My name might abide; but I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.‘

Shlomo quotes God's pre-Mikdash declaration to David. Two divine choices are sequenced: from the Exodus until David's reign, *no city* had been chosen for the Bayit. Instead — and crucially — God chose *David* to rule over Israel. Radak: the order is theologically deliberate — only *after* David was chosen did God reveal the chosen city (through the Goren Aravnah incident, II Shmuel 24). Metzudat David: David's selection set in motion the choosing of Yerushalayim; the choice of person preceded and enabled the choice of place.
▶Commentaries (2)
רש״יRashi
מִן הַיּוֹם וְגוֹ'. אֶת זֶה דִּבֵּר אֶל דָּוִד אָבִי.
Since the day, etc. This is what He spoke to my father Dovid.
מצודת דודMetzudat David
לבנות בית. לבנות בה בית: ואבחר בדוד וגו׳. שעל ידו בא ההכנה לבחור בירושלים לבנות בה בית:
but I chose David – Because at his hands came the preparation for the choice of Jerusalem as the place for the building of My house.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֕י עִם־לְבַ֖ב דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֔יִת לְשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

“Now my father David had intended to build a House for the name of the ETERNAL One, the God of Israel.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔י יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיָה֙ עִם־לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ לִבְנ֥וֹת בַּ֖יִת לִשְׁמִ֑י הֱֽטִיבֹ֔תָ כִּ֥י הָיָ֖ה עִם־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃

English:

But GOD said to my father David, ‘As regards your intention to build a House for My name, you did right to have that intention.

God's response to David's intent: 'You did well that this was in your heart.' Metzudat David: even though David himself was not granted the privilege of building, the very fact of his intent earned him spiritual merit — *zechut* — for through it came the preparation: David assembled the materials, drafted the blueprints (cf. I Divrei Hayomim 28-29), and conveyed the divine instructions to Shlomo. The reward is not contingent on completion; intention itself is sanctified.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

רַ֣ק אַתָּ֔ה לֹ֥א תִבְנֶ֖ה הַבָּ֑יִת כִּ֤י אִם־בִּנְךָ֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣א מֵחֲלָצֶ֔יךָ הֽוּא־יִבְנֶ֥ה הַבַּ֖יִת לִשְׁמִֽי׃

English:

However, you shall not build the House yourself; instead, your son, the issue of your loins, shall build the House for My name.‘

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֣קֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶת־דְּבָר֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּ֑ר וָאָקֻ֡ם תַּ֩חַת֩ דָּ��ִ֨ד אָבִ֜י וָאֵשֵׁ֣ב ׀ עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה וָאֶבְנֶ֣ה הַבַּ֔יִת לְשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

“And GOD has fulfilled the promise that was made: I have succeededesucceeded Lit. “risen in place of.” my father David and have ascended the throne of Israel, as GOD promised. I have built the House for the name of the ETERNAL One, the God of Israel;

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וָאָשִׂ֨ם שָׁ֤ם מָקוֹם֙ לָאָר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּרַת֙ עִם־אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ בְּהוֹצִיא֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ {ס}        

English:

and I have set a place there for the Ark, containing the covenant that GOD made with our ancestors upon bringing them out from the land of Egypt.”

Shlomo concludes the historical retrospective: '*I have set a place there for the Aron*' — Radak: this is the **Devir**. Metzudat David: 'brit Hashem' inside the Aron refers to the **luchot ha-brit** that Hashem gave at Sinai when He cut His covenant with Israel at the Exodus. Shlomo neatly ties the chapter's central act (placing the Aron in its permanent home) back to the foundational event of Israelite history (Yetziat Mitzrayim and Mattan Torah).

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה לִפְנֵי֙ מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד כׇּל־קְהַ֣ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּפָּ֖יו הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

English:

Then Solomon stood before the altar of GOD in the presence of the whole community of Israel; he spread the palms of his hands toward heaven

The great prayer begins. Shlomo stands before the bronze mizbe'ach (20 × 20 × 10 cubits per II Divrei Hayomim 4:1) facing the people, and spreads his palms heavenward. Rashi (citing II Divrei Hayomim 6:13): Shlomo had earlier constructed a special bronze **kiyor** (platform, 5 × 5 × 3 cubits) in the middle of the courtyard; he stood on it, then knelt on his knees and spread his palms. Metzudat David: 'pores kapav' is the classic posture of asking for chesed. Radak details the kiyor and notes that the verse simplifies — the full sequence (stood, knelt, spread palms) is in Divrei Hayomim.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
וַיַּעֲמֹד שְׁלֹמֹה לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּח ה'. כְּתִיב: כִּי עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה כִּיּוֹר נְחשֶׁת וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ בְּתוֹךְ הָעֲזָרָה וְגוֹ', וַיַּעֲמֹד עָלָיו וַיִּבְרַךְ עַל בִּרְכָּיו.
And Shlomo stood before the Altar of Adonoy. [As] it is written, "and Shlomo made a copper basin and had set it in the midst of the court, etc. and upon it he stood, and knelt on his knees."15Even though a king of Yisroel is allowed to sit in the Beis Hamikdosh [See II Shmuel 7:18], Shlomo chose to stand.16II Divrei Hayomim 6:13.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֵין־כָּמ֣וֹךָ אֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם מִמַּ֔עַל וְעַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַבְּרִית֙ וְֽהַחֶ֔סֶד לַעֲבָדֶ֕יךָ הַהֹלְכִ֥ים לְפָנֶ֖יךָ בְּכׇל־לִבָּֽם׃

English:

and said, “O ETERNAL God of Israel, in the heavens above and on the earth below there is no god like You, who keep Your gracious covenant with Your servants when they walk before You in wholehearted devotion;

The prayer's opening declaration: **'There is no God like You in the heavens above or on the earth beneath.'** A sweeping monotheistic affirmation. Hashem is then characterized as **'shomer ha-brit ve-ha-chesed'** — keeper of covenant and lovingkindness — with His servants who walk before Him with whole heart. Rashi: 'shomer' = waits and stores away reward to fulfill the covenant. Radak: 'brit' refers to the covenant with the Avot; 'avadekha' refers to their seed (the Israelite descendants). This is the prayer's theological frame: God is faithful to His covenantal word.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית. מַמְתִּין וְגוֹנֵז לִשְׁמֹר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד, לְקַיֵּם הַבְטָחָתוֹ.
Preserver of the covenant. He waits and stores away [reward] to keep the covenant and [is based on] mercy, to fulfill His promise.17Which He made with our Patriarchs.—Radak

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ֙ דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔י אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ד��ִבַּ֖רְתָּ ל֑וֹ וַתְּדַבֵּ֥ר בְּפִ֛יךָ וּבְיָדְךָ֥ מִלֵּ֖אתָ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

You who have kept the promises You made to Your servant, my father David, fulfilling with deeds the promise You made—as is now the case.

A specific application of God's covenant-keeping faithfulness: the promise to David. Rashi: 'shamarta' is the language of fulfilling a promise — *amanat hav'tacha*. Metzudat David: the proof of God's word-keeping is visible 'ka-yom ha-zeh' — *this very day*. The completed Mikdash standing before them is itself the demonstration of divine fidelity. Speech (be-ficha) and act (be-yadcha mileta) align perfectly.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַרְתָּ. לְשׁוֹן אֲמָנַת הַבְטָחָה.
You preserved. [שמרת is] a expression meaning the fulfillment of a promise.

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וְעַתָּ֞ה יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁ֠מֹ֠ר לְעַבְדְּךָ֨ דָוִ֤ד אָבִי֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֤רְתָּ לּוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־יִכָּרֵ֨ת לְךָ֥ אִישׁ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י יֹשֵׁ֖ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רַ֠ק אִם־יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֤יךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְפָנָֽי׃

English:

And now, O ETERNAL God of Israel, keep the further promise that You made to Your servant, my father David: ‘Your line on the throne of Israel shall never end,fYour line on the throne of Israel shall never end See note at 2.4. if only your descendants will look to their way and walk before Me as you have walked before Me.‘

Shlomo now asks for the *second* part of the Davidic promise to be fulfilled: that David's dynastic line on the throne of Israel never be cut off, conditional on his descendants walking before Hashem as David did. Metzudat David: 'shemor' = honor and preserve also this part of Your promise to David — that if his sons live righteously, the monarchy will remain in his line uninterrupted. This is the conditional formulation of the Davidic covenant first articulated in II Shmuel 7 and reformulated in I Melachim 2:4.

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

וְעַתָּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יֵאָ֤מֶן נָא֙ (דבריך) [דְּבָ֣רְךָ֔] אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֔רְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ֖ דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽי׃

English:

Now, therefore, O God of Israel, let the promise that You made to Your servant my father David be fulfilled.

A brief but charged petition: 'ye'amen na devarcha' — let Your word be confirmed/established. Metzudat David: the kavanah is that the Bayit will be permanently known as 'beit Hashem' — that the Name will rest there in fulfillment of David's promise. Radak notes a ketiv/krei: written *devarekha* (plural, all the particulars) but read *devarcha* (singular, the whole).

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

כִּ֚י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם יֵשֵׁ֥ב אֱלֹהִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הִ֠נֵּ֠ה הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּשְׁמֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ אַ֕ף כִּֽי־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃

English:

“But will God really dwellgdwell Cf. 2 Chron. 6.18, which adds “with humankind.” on earth? Even the heavens to their uttermost reaches cannot contain You, how much less this House that I have built!

**The theological pivot of the entire chapter.** Shlomo confronts the paradox of any Temple: how can the Infinite be housed in the finite? Rashi: 'ha-umnam' is a rhetorical exclamation of wonder. **'Hineh ha-shamayim u-shemei ha-shamayim lo yekhalkelukha — af ki ha-bayit ha-zeh asher baniti!'** — *The heavens and heavens-of-heavens cannot contain You — how much less this House!* Radak: this is Shlomo's profound theology — Hashem is *makom ha-olam* (place of the world), not contained by space; the Mikdash is therefore not God's container but the *focal direction* for prayer. The Bayit functions as a *meilitz* (intercessor), a place where prayer is heard with special favor — but Hashem Himself transcends all space.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
הַאֻמְנָם. לְשׁוֹן תֵּימָהּ. לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ. לֹא יְכִילוּךָ.
Will. [This is] an expression of wonder. Cannot contain You. Cannot contain You.18The root of יכלכלוך is "כול", meaning to contain, as in, "each basin could hold [=יכיל]," in 7:38 above.

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וּפָנִ֜יתָ א��ל־תְּפִלַּ֧ת עַבְדְּךָ֛ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּת֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י לִשְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶל־הָֽרִנָּה֙ וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ מִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל לְפָנֶ֖יךָ הַיּֽוֹם׃

English:

Yet turn, my ETERNAL God, to the prayer and supplication of Your servant, and hear the cry and prayer that Your servant offers before You this day.

The pivot from theology to petition. Despite the Bayit's inability to contain Hashem (verse 27), Shlomo asks: nevertheless, **turn** toward Your servant's prayer. Metzudat David: 'lazot, peneh na el tefilati' — 'in light of all this, please face toward my prayer that addresses the very purpose of this House and what makes it called the House of Hashem.' This verse functions as the hinge between the prayer's framing (22-27) and its seven scenarios (31-53).

פסוק כ״ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

לִהְיוֹת֩ עֵינֶ֨ךָ פְתֻחֹ֜ת אֶל־הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם אֶ֨ל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְתָּ יִהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמִ֖י שָׁ֑ם לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

May Your eyes be open day and night toward this House, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall abide there’; may You heed the prayers that Your servant will offer toward this place.

Shlomo's foundational request: '**May Your eyes be open** toward this House night and day' — i.e., that Hashem's perpetual divine attention rest upon the Bayit. Radak: 'einecha petuchot' means *continuous watchful providence* over this place. The verse establishes the Mikdash as the *focus of divine attention* — a place where prayer commands a special audience. Metzudat David: 'el ha-makom ha-zeh' means *in* this place; the preposition is unusual.

פסוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

וְשָׁ֨מַעְתָּ֜ אֶל־תְּחִנַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽתְפַּלְל֖וּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה תִּשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מְק֤וֹם שִׁבְתְּךָ֙ אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ וְסָלָֽחְתָּ׃

English:

And when You hear the supplications that Your servant and Your people Israel offer toward this place, give heed in Your heavenly abode—give heed and pardon.

Shlomo extends the request: just as Hashem should hear Shlomo's prayer, He should hear the prayers of all the people directed at the Bayit. Metzudat David clarifies the theological nuance: 'You will hear in *Your dwelling-place in the heavens*' — i.e., Hashem does not literally sit in the Mikdash to hear; rather, the prayer offered there is *transmitted to His heavenly seat*, where it is received with mercy. The Mikdash is a *prayer-relay station*, not God's container. **'Ve-shamata ve-salachta'** — 'You shall hear and forgive' — becomes the prayer's refrain across the seven scenarios.

פסוק ל״א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶחֱטָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וְנָשָׁא־ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ֖ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

“Whenever one person commits an offense against another, and the latter utters an imprecation to bring a curse upon the former,hand the latter utters an imprecation to bring a curse upon the former Or “and is made to take an oath and utter a self-imprecation.” and comes with that imprecation before Your altar in this House,

**Scenario 1 of 7: the oath-dispute.** When one person sins against another, and the wronged party imposes an oath of *alah* (imprecation/curse) on the accused, and the accused comes to swear before Your altar in this House. Metzudat David: a *monetary* dispute where one party is obligated to take an oath to clear himself. Rashi (citing Chazal): also evokes the sotah-imagery (the suspected adulteress brought before God's altar for the bitter-waters trial). Radak frames it as the **oath-taker** coming to swear at the mizbe'ach — the Mikdash is the venue for sacred-oath proceedings.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אֲשֶׁר יֶחֶטָא אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ. בּוֹעֵל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ. וְנָשָׁא בוֹ אָלָה. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַמַּיִם בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתָהּ, כָּךְ הַמַּיִם בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. וְנָשָׁא בוֹ. לְשׁוֹן נוֹשֶׁה. וּבָא אָלָה לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּחֲךָ. וְהֶעֱמִיד הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הָאִשָּׁה לִפְנֵי ה'.
Should a person sin against his fellow man. One who has intimate relations with a married woman. And is liable that a curse. Just as the water examines her, so does the water examine him.19Rashi explains אלה as "a curse," i.e., the waters examines "him" i.e., the husband, as well. In this instance, אלה does not mean "oath," because the husband of a Sotah is not subject to an oath. And is liable. An expression of a creditor. And the curse comes before your altar. "And the Kohein shall stand the woman before Adonoy."20Bamidbar 5:18

פסוק ל״ב · Verse 32

Hebrew:

וְאַתָּ֣�� ׀ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַ רָשָׁ֔ע לָתֵ֥ת דַּרְכּ֖וֹ בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וּלְהַצְדִּ֣יק צַדִּ֔יק לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ כְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃

English:

oh, hear in heaven and take action to judge Your servants, condemning the one who is in the wrong and bringing down the punishment of their conduct on their head—while vindicating the other, who is in the right, by rewarding them according to their righteousness.

The petition for scenario 1: judge swiftly and visibly. Convict the false oath-taker (whether accused or accuser) by bringing punishment down on his own head; vindicate the righteous. Radak: ordinarily Hashem is patient with false-swearers — but Shlomo asks that within the Mikdash precinct *justice be expedited and visible*, so that all see the unique sanctity of the place and fear it (matching the Torah's command 'u-mikdashi tira'u'). Metzudat David: the prayer here departs from the 'salachta' formula — this is the one scenario where Shlomo asks for *no* forgiveness, but rather *judicial discrimination* between the righteous and the wicked.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
לָתֵת דַּרְכּוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. וְצָבְתָה בִטְנָהּ וְגוֹ'. וּלְהַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק. וְנִקְּתָה וְנִזְרְעָה זָרַע, כָּךְ נִדְרַשׁ בַּתּוֹסֶפְתָּא דְּסוֹטָה.
To set his [evil] way upon his head. "And her abdomen will swell, etc."21Ibid. v. 27.22Alternatively, if one swears falsely in the Beis Hamikdosh, his punishment should be swift and obvious, so that people recognize the unique level of sanctity of the Beis Hamikdosh, and they would perceive that the Beis Hamikdosh as God's chosen place.—Radak And to justify the righteous one. "Then she will be cleared, and shall bear seed."23Bamidbar 5:28. Thus it is expounded in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.24 1:3.

פסוק ל״ג · Verse 33

Hebrew:

בְּֽהִנָּגֵ֞ף עַמְּךָ֧ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י אוֹיֵ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֑ךְ וְשָׁ֤בוּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהוֹד֣וּ אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וְהִתְפַּלְל֧וּ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֛וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

“Should Your people Israel be routed by an enemy because they have sinned against You, and then turn back to You and acknowledge Your name, and they offer prayer and supplication to You in this House,

**Scenario 2: defeat in battle due to sin.** When Israel is routed by an enemy *because they have sinned* — and then they return to You, acknowledge Your name, and pray in this House. Rashi (citing Berachot 54a): **'ve-hodu et shemecha'** — even in defeat, one must *bless God for the bad* as one blesses for the good; acknowledging Hashem's hand in misfortune is the first step of teshuva. Radak: the verse contemplates those who *remain at home* praying in the Mikdash on behalf of those who went out to war.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
וְהוֹדוּ אֶת שְׁמֶךָ. שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה.
And praise Your Name. For a person is obliged to bless God for the bad.25Maseches Berachos 54a.

פסוק ל״ד · Verse 34

Hebrew:

וְאַתָּה֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְסָ֣לַחְתָּ֔ לְחַטַּ֖את עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָם֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תָּ לַאֲבוֹתָֽם׃ {ס}        

English:

oh, hear in heaven and pardon the sin of Your people Israel, and restore them to the land that You gave to their ancestors.

The petition for scenario 2: forgive, and *restore them to the land*. Metzudat David: 've-hashevotam' means that when they next go out to war they will no longer be defeated and led into captivity — they will return safely to their land. The petition links teshuva with national restoration: prayer in the Mikdash is the mechanism by which exiled or defeated Israel is returned home.

פסוק ל״ה · Verse 35

Hebrew:

בְּהֵעָצֵ֥ר שָׁמַ֛יִם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה מָטָ֖ר כִּ֣י יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֑ךְ וְהִֽתְפַּלְל֞וּ אֶל־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ וְהוֹד֣וּ אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וּמֵחַטָּאתָ֥ם יְשׁוּב֖וּן כ��ִ֥י תַעֲנֵֽם׃

English:

“Should the heavens be shut up and there be no rain, because they have sinned against You, and then they pray toward this place and acknowledge Your name and repent of their sins, when You answerianswer The Septuagint, with a different vocalization, reads “chastise.” them,

**Scenario 3: drought.** When the heavens are shut and no rain falls because of Israel's sin, and they pray toward this place, acknowledge Your name, and turn from their sin. Rashi parses '**ki ta'anem**' as 'because You will answer them' or 'so that You will answer them' (ki = asher). Metzudat David: they will turn from sin *in order that* You should answer — even motivated by the immediate need rather than pure love of God. Radak: 'ki torem' — You will *teach* them which sin caused the drought, prompting their teshuva.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כִּי תַעֲנֵם. לְמַעַן תַּעֲנֵם, 'כִּי' מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן 'אֲשֶׁר'.
For You to answer them. So that You may answer them; "כי" is an expression of "so that.""

פסוק ל״ו · Verse 36

Hebrew:

וְאַתָּ֣ה ׀ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְסָ֨לַחְתָּ֜ לְחַטַּ֤את עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י תוֹרֵ֛ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֥רֶךְ הַטּוֹבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽלְכוּ־בָ֑הּ וְנָתַתָּ֤ה מָטָר֙ עַֽל־אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לְעַמְּךָ֖ לְנַחֲלָֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

oh, hear in heaven and pardon the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, after You have shown them the proper way in which they are to walk; and send down rain upon the land that You gave to Your people as their heritage.

The petition: forgive, *teach them the good way*, and send rain on the land You gave Your people as inheritance. Metzudat David: even though they may not have repented from *love*, by sending rain You *teach them* the good way — to act from love next time, having seen Your chesed. The verse uniquely emphasizes that God's response itself becomes pedagogical: His forgiveness is a *form of teaching*.

פסוק ל״ז · Verse 37

Hebrew:

רָעָ֞ב כִּֽי־יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֗רֶץ דֶּ֣בֶר כִּֽי־יִֽ֠הְיֶ֠ה שִׁדָּפ֨וֹן יֵרָק֜וֹן אַרְבֶּ֤ה חָסִיל֙ כִּ֣י יִֽהְיֶ֔ה כִּ֧י יָֽצַר־ל֛וֹ אֹיְב֖וֹ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שְׁעָרָ֑יו כׇּל־נֶ֖גַע כׇּֽל־מַחֲלָֽה׃

English:

So, too, if there is a famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locusts or caterpillars, or if an enemy oppresses them in any of the settlements of the land.”In any plague and in any disease,

**Scenario 4: famine and plague and natural disaster.** A long catalogue of national disasters: rav, dever (pestilence), shidafon (blight), yerakon (mildew), arbeh (locust), chasil (locust-larva), and enemy siege of a city. Metzudat David: 'rav ki yihyeh' refers to famine from *causes other than* drought (since drought was scenario 3). Rashi: 'yerakon' is when wheat fails to develop ears on the stalk. Radak: 'kol nega kol machala' — *all afflictions* — extends the scenario to virtually any individual or national crisis.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
יֵרָקוֹן. שֶׁהַתְּבוּאָה אֵינָהּ עוֹלָה בַּקָּנֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת שִׁבֹּלֶת.
Rot. When the wheat does not grow up on the stalk to make an ear.26You will hear and answer them even though they did not repent wholeheartedly, i.e., their repentance was not out of love.—Metzudas Dovid

פסוק ל״ח · Verse 38

Hebrew:

כׇּל־תְּפִלָּ֣ה כׇל־תְּחִנָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּֽהְיֶה֙ לְכׇל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לְכֹ֖ל עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵדְע֗וּן אִ֚ישׁ נֶ֣גַע לְבָב֔וֹ וּפָרַ֥שׂ כַּפָּ֖יו אֶל־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

in any prayer or supplication offered by any person among all Your people Israel—each of whom knows their own affliction—when they spread their palms toward this House,

Within scenario 4: any prayer or supplication offered by *any individual* (le-kol ha-adam) or all of Israel — **each one knowing the affliction of his own heart** (nega levavo) — when they spread their palms toward this House. Radak: 'lev' here means private inner pain known only to the sufferer. Metzudat David: even hidden affliction whose cause is private wickedness. The universalism is striking: 'kol ha-adam' could include the individual sufferer regardless of station. The orientation toward the Bayit is the unifying gesture.

פסוק ל״ט · Verse 39

Hebrew:

וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה תִּשְׁמַ֨ע הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם מְכ֤��ֹן שִׁבְתֶּ֙ךָ֙ וְסָלַחְתָּ֣ וְעָשִׂ֔יתָ וְנָתַתָּ֤ לָאִישׁ֙ כְּכׇל־דְּרָכָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּדַ֖ע אֶת־לְבָב֑וֹ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ אֶת־לְבַ֖ב כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָֽם׃

English:

oh, hear in Your heavenly abode, and pardon and take action! Render to that individual according to their ways as You know their heart to be—for You alone know every human heart.

The petition: forgive and act — give to each person *according to all his ways*, **for You alone know the heart of every human**. Metzudat David: the verse emphasizes Hashem's unique knowledge of inner intention; the Mikdash-prayer is heard discerningly, with each individual judged by what He alone perceives. This is one of the great Tanakh formulations of divine omniscience over human interiority, anticipating Yirmiyahu 17:10 ('I, Hashem, search the heart').

פסוק מ׳ · Verse 40

Hebrew:

לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִרָא֔וּךָ כׇּ֨ל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תָּה לַאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ׃

English:

Thus may Your peoplejYour people Lit. “they.” revere You all the days that they live on the land that You gave to our ancestors.

The pedagogical purpose: '**so that they will fear You** all the days they live on the land You gave their fathers.' Metzudat David: when people see prayer and teshuva remove their troubles, they recognize *yad Hashem* and develop *yirat shamayim*. Radak: when they see that Hashem forgave them after returning, they realize that the affliction was *not random chance* but moral consequence — and this recognition is the seed of perpetual fear of Heaven.

פסוק מ״א · Verse 41

Hebrew:

וְגַם֙ אֶל־הַנׇּכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵעַמְּךָ֥ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ה֑וּא וּבָ֛א מֵאֶ֥רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֖ה לְמַ֥עַן שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

English:

“Or if a foreigner who is not of Your people Israel comes from a distant land for the sake of Your name—

**Scenario 5: the foreigner's prayer.** The most remarkable section of the entire prayer — Shlomo asks Hashem to hear the prayers of **'ha-nochri'** (the non-Israelite) who is not of Your people Israel, who comes from a *distant land* for the sake of Your name. Metzudat David: 'le-ma'an shemekha' — to spread/honor Your name. The verse anticipates spiritual seekers from all nations who, having heard of Hashem's reputation, travel to the Mikdash. The universalist scope of Shlomo's prayer is among the most theologically expansive moments in Tanakh.

פסוק מ״ב · Verse 42

Hebrew:

כִּ֤י יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֣ הַגָּד֔וֹל וְאֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ הַחֲזָקָ֔ה וּֽזְרֹעֲךָ֖ הַנְּטוּיָ֑ה וּבָ֥א וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

for they shall hear about Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm—and thus comes to pray toward this House,

פסוק מ״ג · Verse 43

Hebrew:

אַתָּ֞ה תִּשְׁמַ֤ע הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מְכ֣וֹן שִׁבְתֶּ֔ךָ וְעָשִׂ֕יתָ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֥א אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַנׇּכְרִ֑י לְמַ֣עַן יֵדְעוּן֩ כׇּל־עַמֵּ֨י הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־שְׁמֶ֗ךָ לְיִרְאָ֤ה אֹֽתְךָ֙ כְּעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלָדַ֕עַת כִּֽי־שִׁמְךָ֣ נִקְרָ֔א עַל־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃

English:

oh, hear in Your heavenly abode and grant all that the foreigner asks You for. Thus all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and revere You, as does Your people Israel; and they will recognize that Your name is attached to this House that I have built.

The petition for the nochri: **grant *everything* he asks** — a striking contrast with verse 39 (which asked Hashem to grant each Israelite *according to his ways*). Rashi (citing Chazal) explains the asymmetry: Israel knows God and accepts that unanswered prayer reflects their own sin; but the nochri would conclude 'the famous House does nothing — its God is empty like idols.' To prevent kiddush ha-Shem from becoming chillul ha-Shem, the nochri's prayer must be answered fully. Radak: the goal is *kol amei ha-aretz yed'un et shemcha* — that all nations recognize Hashem and learn to fear Him as Israel does, and recognize that Hashem's name rests on this House.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי. וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹמֵר: וְנָתַתָּ לָאִישׁ כְּכָל דְּרָכָיו, לְפִי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַכִּיר בְּהַקָּבָּ"ה, וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ, וְאִם אֵין תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת, תּוֹלֶה אֶת הַדָּבָר בְּעַצְמוֹ וּבְחֶטְאוֹ, אֲבָל עוֹבֵד גִּלּוּלִים קוֹרֵא תִּגָּר, וְאוֹמֵר: בַּיִת שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ הוֹלֵךְ לְסוֹף הָעוֹלָם, נִתְיַגַּעְתִּי לְכַמָּה דְּרָכִים וּבָאתִי וְהִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ, וְלֹא מָצָאתִי בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מַמָּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת גִּלּוּלִים, לְפִיכָךְ כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם אַתָּה רוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁחִית בְּמָמוֹנוֹ אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, אַל תִּתֵּן לוֹ.
According to all that the stranger calls out to You. And relating to the Jew it states, "and give to each one according to all his ways,"27Alternatively, when the wheat does not reach its normal color but turns to a pale yellow.—Metzudas Tzion because the Jew recognizes the Holy One Blessed Is He, and he knows that He has the ability in His power [to answer]; and if his prayers are not heard, he will blame the matter on himself and an account of his sins. But the non-Jew complains and says, "a house [i.e., Beis Hamikdosh], whose fame reaches to the ends of the world, I have exhausted myself on many roads, and have come and prayed in it and found no substance in it, just as there is no substance in idol worship." Therefore, "according to all that the stranger calls out to You,"28Above v. 39. but a Jew, if You see that he uses his wealth to destroy his friend, do not give him.

פסוק מ״ד · Verse 44

Hebrew:

כִּֽי־יֵצֵ֨א עַמְּךָ֤ לַמִּלְחָמָה֙ עַל־אֹ֣יְב֔וֹ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁלָחֵ֑ם וְהִתְפַּלְל֣וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה דֶּ֤רֶךְ הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֣רְתָּ בָּ֔הּ וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנִ֥תִי לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃

English:

“When Your people take the field against their enemy by whatever way You send them, and they pray to GOD in the direction of the city that You have chosen, and of the House that I have built to Your name,

**Scenario 6: the army at war.** When Your people go out to war against their enemy along the path You have sent them — and they pray to Hashem *toward the city You chose and the House I built*. Rashi: 'derech ha-ir' = facing toward Yerushalayim. Metzudat David: since they cannot return to the Mikdash to pray during a campaign, they must direct their prayer toward Yerushalayim wherever they are. Radak: 'ba-derech asher tishlachem' refers to a war that *Hashem authorized* — through a navi, the Urim ve-Tumim, or by general divine sanction — not unauthorized military adventures.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
דֶּרֶךְ הָעִיר. פּוֹנִים לְצַד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם.
By way of the city. Facing towards Yerusholayim.

פסוק מ״ה · Verse 45

Hebrew:

וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃

English:

oh, hear in heaven their prayer and supplication and uphold their cause.

The petition for the army: hear their prayer and *do their justice* (mishpatam). Rashi: 'asita mishpatam' = take *vengeance against their enemies* on their behalf. Metzudat David: 'mishpatam' here means *the verdict of victory* — Hashem judges the case and rules in Israel's favor on the battlefield. The verse fuses prayer and military divine intervention.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
וְעָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטָם. נִקְמָתָם בְּאוֹיְבֵיהֶם.
And render their judgment. [I.e.,] their vengeance against their enemies.

פסוק מ״ו · Verse 46

Hebrew:

כִּ֣י יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֗ךְ כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין אָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יֶחֱטָ֔א וְאָנַפְתָּ֣ בָ֔ם וּנְתַתָּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וְשָׁב֤וּם שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הָאוֹיֵ֔ב רְחוֹקָ֖ה א֥וֹ קְרוֹבָֽה׃

English:

“When they sin against You—for there is no mortal who does not sin—and You are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to an enemy land, near or far;

**Scenario 7: the climactic and most somber petition — full exile.** When Israel sins (Shlomo concedes the universal premise: **'ein adam asher lo yecheta'** — *no human being does not sin*), and Hashem in anger delivers them to an enemy who carries them away to a captivity-land *near or far*. Metzudat David: 'ein adam asher lo yecheta' may mean that lacking even *one* tzaddik to shield the nation produces the catastrophe. Radak: this verse anticipates exactly the future galut — and Daniel's practice of praying with open windows facing Yerushalayim from Bavel (Daniel 6:11) is the post-Mikdash fulfillment of this very verse.

פסוק מ״ז · Verse 47

Hebrew:

וְהֵשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ אֶל־לִבָּ֔ם בָּאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבּוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְשָׁ֣בוּ ׀ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּאֶ֤רֶץ שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חָטָ֥אנוּ וְהֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃

English:

and then they take it to heart in the land to which they have been carried off, and they repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying: ‘We have sinned, we have acted perversely, we have acted wickedly,‘

פסוק מ״ח · Verse 48

Hebrew:

וְשָׁ֣בוּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבָם֙ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁב֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם וְהִתְפַּלְל֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ דֶּ֤רֶךְ אַרְצָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה לַאֲבוֹתָ֔ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתָּ וְהַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־[בָּנִ֥יתִי] (בנית) לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃

English:

and they turn back to You with all their heart and soul, in the land of the enemies who have carried them off, and they pray to You in the direction of their land that You gave to their ancestors, of the city that You have chosen, and of the House that I have built to Your name—

Within scenario 7: the exiles return to You **be-khol levavam u-ve-khol nafsham** (with all their heart and soul — the Shema-language of perfect teshuva) and pray *toward their land, the city You chose, and the House I built*. Metzudat David: in exile they cannot reach the Bayit physically, so they direct their prayer through the geography — across the path that ascends toward Yerushalayim. This is the textual source for the practice (codified in halakha; Berachot 30a) of praying toward Eretz Yisrael, toward Yerushalayim, toward the Mikdash, toward the Kodesh Kodashim.

פסוק מ״ט · Verse 49

Hebrew:

וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מְכ֣וֹן שִׁבְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָ֖ם וְאֶת־תְּחִנָּתָ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ מִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃

English:

oh, give heed in Your heavenly abode to their prayer and supplication, uphold their cause,

The petition for scenario 7: hear from Your heavenly seat and 'do their judgment' (asita mishpatam). Metzudat David: 'mishpatam' here means *avenge them against their oppressors* so that the captors recognize Hashem's displeasure with the heaviness of their yoke on Israel. Radak: more — even arouse the captors' own *compassion* toward the exiles, so they release them and let them return — as Koresh would later do with the Bavli exile. The prayer anticipates not just punishment but moral transformation of the captor nations.

פסוק נ׳ · Verse 50

Hebrew:

וְסָלַחְתָּ֤ לְעַמְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְאוּ־לָ֔ךְ וּלְכׇל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּשְׁעוּ־בָ֑ךְ וּנְתַתָּ֧ם לְרַחֲמִ֛ים לִפְנֵ֥י שֹׁבֵיהֶ֖ם וְרִחֲמֽוּם׃

English:

and pardon Your people who have sinned against You for all the transgressions that they have committed against You. Grant them mercy in the sight of their captors that they may be merciful to them.

The exile-petition concludes with two interlocked requests: (1) **forgive** Your people for their sins and pesha'im; (2) **grant them mercy before their captors that the captors should be merciful**. Metzudat David: the captors will see Your vengeance and recognize they should pity Israel — and they will. The verse anticipates the gradual softening of host-empires toward exilic Israel (the model of which would be Koresh, then later Cyrus and Darius, and across history many a foreign sovereign who showed Israel chesed).

פסוק נ״א · Verse 51

Hebrew:

כִּֽי־עַמְּךָ֥ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ֖ הֵ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם מִתּ֖וֹךְ כּ֥וּר הַבַּרְזֶֽל׃

English:

For they are Your very own people that You freed from Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace.

Shlomo's grounding rationale: *they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Mitzrayim from the **kur ha-barzel** (iron furnace)*. Rashi: 'kur' is the earthenware refining-pot used for purifying gold of impurities ('iron' describes its function, not its material). Metzudat David: a metaphor for the *crushing servitude* — as if Israel were placed in an iron furnace over fire. Radak: just as silver and gold are refined in the kur, Israel was *refined* through the harsh labor of Egypt. The Exodus thus established Israel as Hashem's refined treasured possession — grounding the petition that He should forgive.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל. הַחֶרֶס שֶׁמְּזַקְּקִין בּוֹ זָהָב, קָרוּי כּוּר.
The smelting pot of iron. The earthenware29Alternatively, give a non-Jew anything he asks for, as incentive that he turn to God with his prayers, and to publicize God's Presence in the Beis Hamikdosh.—Ralbag utensils used to purify gold of its impurities is called כור.30The phrase "of iron" refers to the purpose of the pot, not the material of which it is made. The pot itself is earthenware.

פסוק נ״ב · Verse 52

Hebrew:

לִהְי֨וֹת עֵינֶ֤יךָ פְתֻחֹת֙ אֶל־תְּחִנַּ֣ת עַבְדְּךָ֔ וְאֶל־תְּחִנַּ֖ת עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם בְּכֹ֖ל קׇרְאָ֥ם אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

English:

May Your eyes be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, and may You heed them whenever they call upon You.

A summary petition closing the seven scenarios: may Your eyes be open to the supplications of Your servant (Shlomo) and Your people Israel, to hear them **be-khol kor'am elekha** — *whenever they call to You*. Metzudat David: the very purpose of the Exodus itself was to establish a people whose prayer Hashem would hear — both individual and collective. Radak: 'be-khol kor'am' = whenever they call from any distress, in teshuva. The verse anchors prayer-attentiveness as the defining covenant-relationship.

פסוק נ״ג · Verse 53

Hebrew:

כִּֽי־אַתָּ֞ה הִבְדַּלְתָּ֤ם לְךָ֙ לְֽנַחֲלָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֜רְתָּ בְּיַ֣ד ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֗ךָ בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ֧ אֶת־אֲבֹתֵ֛ינוּ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}

English:

For You, O Sovereign GOD, have set them apart for Yourself from all the peoples of the earth as Your very own, as You promised through Moses Your servant when You freed our ancestors from Egypt.”

The prayer's grand closing argument: **'You have separated them for Yourself as Your inheritance from all the nations of the earth'** — as You spoke through Moshe Your servant at the Exodus. Metzudat David: because You separated Israel as Your unique possession, it is fitting that You hear them whenever they call. The chosenness-petition closes the entire 32-verse prayer (22-53), pivoting back to the Exodus framing that opened the historical retrospective.

פסוק נ״ד · Verse 54

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּכַלּ֣וֹת שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת כׇּל־הַתְּפִלָּ֥ה וְהַתְּחִנָּ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את קָ֞ם מִלִּפְנֵ֨י מִזְבַּ֤ח יְהֹוָה֙ מִכְּרֹ֣עַ עַל־בִּרְכָּ֔יו וְכַפָּ֖יו פְּרֻשׂ֥וֹת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

English:

When Solomon finished offering to GOD all this prayer and supplication, he rose from where he had been kneeling, in front of the altar of GOD, his hands spread out toward heaven.

The prayer concludes. Shlomo *rises from his kneeling* before the mizbe'ach, hands still spread heavenward. Metzudat David: 'mi-kero'a' — he had been kneeling on his knees throughout the prayer; now he stands. The transition from kneeling to standing marks the shift from prayer (kero'a, the posture of supplication) to public blessing of the people (the posture of authority and benediction, verses 55-61).

פסוק נ״ה · Verse 55

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲמֹ֕ד וַיְבָ֕רֶךְ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־קְהַ֣ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ק֥וֹל גָּד֖וֹל לֵאמֹֽר׃

English:

He stood, and in a loud voice blessed the whole congregation of Israel:

פסוק נ״ו · Verse 56

Hebrew:

בָּר֣וּךְ יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן מְנוּחָה֙ לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּ֑ר לֹֽא־נָפַ֞ל דָּבָ֣ר אֶחָ֗ד מִכֹּל֙ דְּבָר֣וֹ הַטּ֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃

English:

“Praised be GOD who has granted a haven to Israel—God’s people—just as promised; not a single word has failed of all the gracious promises that were made through God’s servant Moses.

The closing blessing opens with the **same baruch-Hashem** formula as the opening (verse 15). Hashem has given Israel **menuchah** — rest from her enemies — just as He promised. Rashi (citing Devarim 12:10): 'He will give you rest from all your enemies around.' Metzudat David: Shlomo blesses Hashem before blessing the people. 'Lo nafal davar echad' — *not a single word* of all Hashem's good word through Moshe has fallen. The blessing celebrates divine fidelity to *every* element of the Mosaic promise.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר. וְהֵיכָן דִּבֵּר: וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִכָּל אוֹיְבֵיכֶם.
Like all that He had said. And where did He speak? "And He will grant you rest from all your enemies."31A crucible used for melting gold.—Metzudas Tzion The oppression suffered by the Bnei Yisroel in Egypt is likened to a furnace which purifies metal, because Bnei Yisroel underwent a process of spiritual purification.

פסוק נ״ז · Verse 57

Hebrew:

יְהִ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ עִמָּ֔נוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה עִם־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ אַל־יַעַזְבֵ֖נוּ וְאַֽל־יִטְּשֵֽׁנוּ׃

English:

May the ETERNAL our God be with us, as was the case with our ancestors. May we never be abandoned or forsaken.

The petition that opens the blessing-section: **may Hashem be with us as He was with our fathers** — may He neither *abandon* nor *forsake* us. Metzudat David: 'avoteinu' = the wilderness generation, who had the Shechina dwelling among them continuously. Shlomo asks that the Mikdash continue what the Mishkan began — uninterrupted divine presence. The two negatives (al ya'azvenu, al yiteshenu) are emphatic and seem to anticipate the future tragic possibility of being abandoned.

פסוק נ״ח · Verse 58

Hebrew:

לְהַטּ֥וֹת לְבָבֵ֖נוּ אֵלָ֑יו לָלֶ֣כֶת בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָ֗יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֨ר מִצְוֺתָ֤יו וְחֻקָּיו֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה אֶת־אֲבֹתֵֽינוּ׃

English:

May our hearts be inclined to [God], that we may walk in all God’s ways and keep the commandments, the laws, and the rules that were enjoined upon our ancestors.

The petition continues with a profound spiritual request: **incline our hearts to Him** — that we may walk in all His ways and keep His mitzvot, chukim, and mishpatim. Metzudat David: as Hashem inclined the hearts of our fathers (who had direct prophetic communication) — so He should incline ours. Radak (grammatical note): 'le-hatot' continues from verse 57, syntactically subordinate to 'yehi Hashem Elokeinu imanu' — *may Hashem be with us **to** incline our hearts toward Him*.

פסוק נ״ט · Verse 59

Hebrew:

וְיִֽהְי֨וּ דְבָרַ֜י אֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְחַנַּ֙נְתִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה קְרֹבִ֛ים אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת ׀ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט עַבְדּ֗וֹ וּמִשְׁפַּ֛ט עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃

English:

And may these words of mine, which I have offered in supplication before GOD, be close to the ETERNAL our God day and night, that God’s servant and this covenanted people Israel may be provided for, according to each day’s needs—

**'May these words of mine which I have prayed be close to Hashem day and night'** — a remarkable self-referential petition that *this very prayer* remain perpetually before Hashem. Rashi: 'mishpat avdo u-mishpat amo' = avenging their humiliation from their enemies. Metzudat David: 'mishpat' here means *the necessary thing* — to fulfill whatever is needed, for individual or community, **devar yom be-yomo** (each day's needs on that day). The verse establishes Shlomo's prayer as the *permanent ongoing prayer of the Mikdash* — heard daily throughout history.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפַּט עַבְדּוֹ וּמִשְׁפַּט עַמּוֹ. לִתְבֹּעַ עֶלְבּוֹנָם מִיַּד הָאוֹיֵב.
To do justice to His servant and the justice of His people. To avenge their humiliation from their enemy.32Devarim 12:10.

פסוק ס׳ · Verse 60

Hebrew:

לְמַ֗עַן דַּ֚עַת כׇּל־עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֖ין עֽוֹד׃

English:

to the end that all the peoples of the earth may know that the ETERNAL alone is God, there is no other.

The universal goal: **'so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is God — there is no other.'** Metzudat David: when the nations see Hashem's wondrous providence over His people, they will recognize that He alone is the true God. This eight-word declaration (ki Hashem hu ha-Elokim ein od) is integrated into Tefilat Aleinu and Yom Kippur Ne'ila — the chapter's universalist climax embedded in liturgy.

פסוק ס״א · Verse 61

Hebrew:

וְהָיָ֤ה לְבַבְכֶם֙ שָׁלֵ֔ם עִ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לָלֶ֧כֶת בְּחֻקָּ֛יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְוֺתָ֖יו כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

English:

And may you be wholehearted with the ETERNAL our God, to walk in God’s ways and keep God’s commandments, even as now.”

The blessing's closing condition: **'May your heart be wholeheartedly with Hashem our God'** — to walk in His chukim and keep His mitzvot **as on this day**. Metzudat David: implicitly conditional — *all* the previous petitions (that Hashem hear, forgive, restore) depend on Israel's wholeheartedness. The prayer is no magic; it functions only when paired with sincere covenantal fidelity. 'Ka-yom ha-zeh' marks the present moment of unified, faithful national assembly as the *standard* against which future generations will be measured.

פסוק ס״ב · Verse 62

Hebrew:

וְֽהַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עִמּ֑וֹ זֹבְחִ֥ים זֶ֖בַח לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

The king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before GOD.

פסוק ס״ג · Verse 63

Hebrew:

וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אֵ֣ת זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָבַ֣ח לַיהֹוָה֒ בָּקָ֗ר עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְצֹ֕אן מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָ֑לֶף וַֽיַּחְנְכוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְכׇל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

Solomon offered 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep as sacrifices of well-being to GOD. Thus the king and all the Israelites dedicated the House of GOD.

פסוק ס״ד · Verse 64

Hebrew:

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא קִדַּ֨שׁ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־תּ֣וֹךְ הֶחָצֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י בֵית־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּי־עָ֣שָׂה שָׁ֗ם אֶת־הָֽעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת חֶלְבֵ֣י הַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים כִּֽי־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה קָטֹ֗ן מֵֽהָכִיל֙ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֣ה וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת חֶלְבֵ֥י הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃

English:

That day the king consecrated the center of the court that was in front of the House of GOD. For it was there that he presented the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat parts of the offerings of well-being, because the bronze altar that was before GOD was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat parts of the offerings of well-being.

Because the sheer volume of korbanot exceeds what the bronze mizbe'ach could hold, Shlomo **sanctifies the middle of the courtyard** to function as an extended altar-space for that day. Rashi (citing the machloket of R' Yehuda and R' Yose in Zevachim 59a-b): R' Yehuda — Shlomo gave the courtyard floor itself temporary altar-status. R' Yose computes that Shlomo's new altar (20 × 20 cubits) was 576 times larger than Moshe's (1 × 1 cubit *sacrificial-area*), so it couldn't have been physically too small — rather, 'sanctifies' means he installed the stone mizbe'ach into a fixed position. Radak: ultimately, the sheer count (22,000 cattle, 120,000 sheep) overwhelmed even Shlomo's huge mizbe'ach.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אֶת תּוֹךְ הֶחָצֵר. דְּבָרִים כִּכְתָבָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. קִדֵּשׁ אֶת רִצְפַּת הָעֲזָרָה בִּקְדֻשַּׁת מִזְבֵּחַ, לְהַקְטִיר עַל הָרִצְפָּה. כִּי מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת. מִזְבַּח הָאֲבָנִים שֶׁעָשָׂה תַּחַת מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת. קָטֹן מֵהָכִיל אֶת הָעוֹלָה וְאֶת הַמִּנְחָה. שֶׁהִרְבּוּ לְהָבִיא. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹסִי: וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר: אֶלֶף עוֹלוֹת יַעֲלֶה שְׁלֹמֹה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁעָשָׂה משֶׁה, וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מַגִּיעַ לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן אַמּוֹת וּלְמִנְיַן עוֹלוֹת, זֶה שֶׁל אֲבָנִים גָּדוֹל מִשֶּׁל משֶׁה, שֶׁמִּזְבַּח משֶׁה מְקוֹם מַעֲרַכְתּוֹ אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה, וְזֶהוּ הָיָה מְקוֹם מַעֲרַכְתּוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע עַל עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, הֲרֵי שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וְשֵׁשׁ כְּשֶׁל משֶׁה, אִם כֵּן מַהוּ: קִדַּשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת תּוֹךְ הֶחָצֵר, שֶׁקָּבַע בּוֹ מִזְבֵּחַ שֶׁל אֲבָנִים מְחֻבָּר בָּרִצְפָּה. קָטֹן מֵהָכִיל. בְּשֶׁל משֶׁה הוּא אוֹמֵר, כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ: נַנָּס פְּלוֹנִי וּפָסוּל לַעֲבוֹדָה.
The inside of the Courtyard. These words are to be taken literally, according to Rabbi Yehudah; [i.e.,] he hallowed the floor of the court with the [same] sanctity of the Altar, [enabling one] to offer sacrifices on the floor.33Alternatively, משפט means "needs," and the translation of the verse is, "to provide the needs of His servant and the needs of His people."—Metzudas Tzion For the copper altar. The stone altar that he [Shlomo] constructed in lieu of the copper altar.34Maseches Zevochim 59a. Too small to contain the burnt-offerings and the meal offerings. For they brought many. Rabbi Yose said to him [Rabbi Yehudah], "Is it not already written, 'Shlomo offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon that altar,'35According to Ralbag, the copper was primarily made of stone but was plated with copper. which Moshe had made," and when you compute the number of amohs and the number of burnt offerings, this one of stones was larger than Moshe's, for on Moshe's altar the place used for the sacrifice, was one amoh by one amoh, but this one's place used for the sacrifice was twenty-four [amohs] by twenty-four [amohs]. Therefore Shlomo's [altar] was 576 times as large as Moshe's.36I Melochim 3:4. If so, what is the meaning of, "the king sanctified the middle of the Courtyard?" [It means] that he set the stone altar into it, firmly connected to the floor.37See Maseches Zevochim 59b. Was too small to contain. He is referring to Moshe's [altar], like a person says to his friend, "So and so is a dwarf," [i.e.,] he is disqualified to perform the service.38Ibid.

פסוק ס״ה · Verse 65

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בָעֵת־הַהִ֣יא ׀ אֶת־הֶחָ֡ג וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עִמּוֹ֩ קָהָ֨ל גָּד֜וֹל מִלְּב֥וֹא חֲמָ֣ת ׀ עַד־נַ֣חַל מִצְרַ֗יִם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר יֽוֹם׃

English:

So Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assemblage, [coming] from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egyptkfrom Lebo-hamath to … Egypt I.e., from one end of the country to the other.—observed the Feastlthe Feast See note at v. 2. at that time before the ETERNAL our God, seven days and again seven days, fourteen days in all.

The chag stretches **fourteen days**: seven for the chanukat ha-bayit, seven for the regular Sukkot. Rashi: 'seven and seven days' — chanukah first, then chag. The dramatic implication: **they ate and drank on Yom Kippur** (which fell during the chanukah-week). Radak elaborates extensively — a Chazal-machloket whether they actually ate on Yom Kippur or merely set aside the korbanot for later eating; the resolution (kol shemcha mezuminim le-chayyei olam ha-ba) is the bat-kol they heard. The geographic extent of the gathering — *mi-levo Chamat ad nachal Mitzrayim* — describes all Eretz Yisrael, from far-north (entrance to Chamat) to far-south (the Egyptian wadi).
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
מִלְּבוֹא חֲמָת. שֶׁהִיא בִּצְפוֹנָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. עַד נַחַל מִצְרַיִם. שֶׁהִיא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בִּדְרוֹמָהּ, בְּאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים. שֶׁל חִנּוּךְ. וְשִׁבְעַת יָמִים. חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת, נִמְצָא שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים.
[Stretching] from the entrance of Chamos. Located in the north of Eretz Yisroel. To the Brook of Egypt. Which is opposite it, in the south, [as is delineated] in [the section entitled], "These are the travels."39See Bamidbar 34:5, 8. There, Targum Yonoson Ben Uziel identifies the "Brook of Egypt" [מצרים נחלה] as the Nile River. Seven days. Of inauguration. And seven [more] days. Of Succos.40The Rabbis in Maseches Mo'ed Katan 9a, deduce from the redundancy of this phrase ["seven days and seven more days"], that one is not permitted to combine one שמחה with another, e.g., one is not allowed to celebrate a wedding on Chol Hamoed. It is found that they ate and drank on Yom Kippur.41See Maseches Mo'ed Katan 9a and Rashi there.42They began to celebrate on the eighth of Tishrei and continued for the next fourteen days. Thus, the third day of the dedication was Yom Kippur, the tenth of Tishrei.

פסוק ס״ו · Verse 66

Hebrew:

בַּיּ֤וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי֙ שִׁלַּ֣ח אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַֽיְבָרְכ֖וּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ לְאׇהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם שְׂמֵחִים֙ וְט֣וֹבֵי לֵ֔ב עַ֣ל כׇּל־הַטּוֹבָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לְדָוִ֣ד עַבְדּ֔וֹ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּֽוֹ׃

English:

On the eighth daymOn the eighth day Of the second seven-day feast; cf. 2 Chron. 7.8–10. he let the people go. They bade the king good-bye and went to their homes, joyful and glad of heart over all the goodness that GOD had shown to God’s servant David and to Israel—God’s people.

On the eighth day (Shemini Atzeret), Shlomo dismisses the people. They bless the king and go home **semechim ve-tovei lev** — joyful and good of heart — over all the goodness Hashem had done for David His servant and for Israel His people. Rashi (Mo'ed Katan 9a): 'for David' = Hashem forgave David's sins (proven when Shlomo invoked David's chesed to open the gates of the Devir, as the gates initially refused). 'For Israel' = Hashem forgave the *Yom Kippur eating* — a bat-kol declared 'all of you are prepared for olam ha-ba.' Metzudat David: by 23 Tishrei (per II Divrei Hayomim 7:10) they actually departed, having returned to Shlomo on the day after Shemini Atzeret to take final leave. The chapter ends on the unparalleled emotional peak of Tanakh.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
לְדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ. לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁמָּחַל לוֹ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמוֹעֵד קָטָן: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה לְהַכְנִיס הָאָרוֹן לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, דָּבְקוּ שְׁעָרִים זֶה בָּזֶה. וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ. שֶׁמָּחַל לָהֶם עַל עֲוֹן יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, וְיָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: כֻלְּכֶם מְזֻמָּנִים לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
For Dovid His servant. To make known that He forgave them their sins, as we find in [Maseches] Mo'ed Katan.43 9a. When Shlomo wished to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies, the gates clung to one another. And for Yisroel His people. That He forgave them the sin of Yom Kippur,44I.e., for having eaten on Yom Kippur. and a Bas Kol emanated and declared, "All of you are prepared for the life of the World to Come."45Maseches Mo'ed Katan 9a.

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