1 Kings 8:47
New International Version
and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’

New Living Translation
But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

English Standard Version
yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’

Berean Standard Bible
and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’

King James Bible
Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

New King James Version
yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’;

New American Standard Bible
if they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your favor in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;

NASB 1995
if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’

NASB 1977
if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to Thee in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’;

Legacy Standard Bible
and if they cause these things to return to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and return and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’;

Amplified Bible
if they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and they repent and pray to You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong and we have acted wickedly;’

Christian Standard Bible
and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition you in their captors’ land: “We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition You in their captors’ land:” We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,”

American Standard Version
yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captive, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly;

English Revised Version
yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captive, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they've done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, 'We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,'

Good News Translation
listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O LORD.

International Standard Version
if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you—even if they do so in the land of their captivity—confessing, 'We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,'

Majority Standard Bible
and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ?We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,?

NET Bible
When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, 'We have sinned and gone astray; we have done evil.'

New Heart English Bible
yet if they shall repent in the land where they are carried captive, and repent and make petition to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, 'We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;'

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent and make supplication to thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

World English Bible
yet if they repent in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly,’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they have turned [it] back to their heart in the land to where they have been taken captive, and have turned back, and made supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely—we have done wickedly;

Young's Literal Translation
and they have turned it back unto their heart in the land whither they have been taken captive, and have turned back, and made supplication unto Thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely -- we have done wickedly;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they turned back to their heart in the land which they were carried captive there, and they turned back and supplicated to thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We sinned and acted perversely, and did evil;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then if they do penance in their heart in the place of captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in their captivity, saying: We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have committed wickedness:

Catholic Public Domain Version
and if they do penance in their heart, in the place of captivity, and having been converted, make supplication to you in their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned; we acted unjustly; we committed impiety,’

New American Bible
and they have a change of heart in the land of their captivity and they turn and entreat you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked’;

New Revised Standard Version
yet if they come to their senses in the land to which they have been taken captive, and repent, and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned, and have done wrong; we have acted wickedly’;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet if they shall reckon it in their heart in the land to which they have been carried captives, and repent and make supplication to thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they will consider in their heart in the land where they were taken captive, and they will turn and they will beg of you in the land of their captivity, and they will say: “We have sinned, and we have gone astray and we have done evil”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn back, and make supplication unto Thee in the land of them that carried them captive, saying: We have sinned, and have done iniquitously, we have dealt wickedly;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and they shall turn their hearts in the land whither they have been carried captives, and turn in the land of their sojourning, and supplicate thee, saying, We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have transgressed,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
46When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near, 47and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ 48and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,…

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

Nehemiah 1:9
but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

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

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

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

Daniel 9:4-5
And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, / we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Psalm 106:6
We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

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

Hosea 14:1-2
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity. / Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

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

Jeremiah 3:12-14
Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever. / Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD. / “Return, O faithless children,” declares the LORD, “for I am your master, and I will take you—one from a city and two from a family—and bring you to Zion.

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

Luke 15:17-19
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death! / I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

Matthew 3:2
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”


Treasury of Scripture

Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land where they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication to you in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

Yet if they

Leviticus 26:4-45
Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit…

Deuteronomy 4:29-31
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul…

Deuteronomy 30:1,2
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, …

Ezra 9:6,7
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens…

Nehemiah 1:6
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

Nehemiah 9:26-30
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations…

done perversely

Job 33:27,28
He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; …

Jeremiah 31:18-20
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God…

Luke 15:18
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

Jump to Previous
Bethink Captive Captives Captors Carried Change Committed Dealt Iniquitously Lay Perversely Repent Sinned Supplication Themselves Thought Turn Whither Wickedly Wickedness
Jump to Next
Bethink Captive Captives Captors Carried Change Committed Dealt Iniquitously Lay Perversely Repent Sinned Supplication Themselves Thought Turn Whither Wickedly Wickedness
1 Kings 8
1. The feast of the temple
12. Solomon's blessing
22. Solomon's prayer
54. Solomon's blessing
62. His sacrifice of peace offerings














and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken
This phrase refers to the Israelites' realization of their sinfulness while in exile. The context is Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple, where he anticipates future disobedience leading to exile. The phrase "come to their senses" implies a moment of clarity and repentance, similar to the prodigal son in Luke 15:17. Historically, the Israelites experienced exile in Babylon, a significant event that fulfilled earlier warnings from prophets like Jeremiah. The land of their captors, Babylon, was a place of both punishment and reflection, where the Israelites were meant to remember their covenant with God.

and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors
Repentance is a central theme in the Bible, emphasizing a return to God with a contrite heart. In the context of exile, repentance involves acknowledging sin and seeking God's forgiveness. The act of pleading suggests earnest prayer and supplication, a common practice among the Israelites during times of distress. This mirrors the call to repentance found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, where God promises to hear from heaven and heal the land if His people humble themselves and pray. The land of their captors serves as a backdrop for this spiritual renewal, highlighting God's willingness to forgive even in foreign lands.

saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’
This confession acknowledges the gravity of their actions, using a threefold expression of sinfulness. The language reflects a deep understanding of their moral failure, similar to the confessions found in Daniel 9:5 and Nehemiah 1:6-7. The repetition underscores the seriousness of their transgressions and the need for divine mercy. This pattern of confession and repentance is a precursor to the New Testament message of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, who calls sinners to repentance and offers redemption. The acknowledgment of sin is the first step toward reconciliation with God, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
The king of Israel who is offering a prayer of dedication for the newly built temple in Jerusalem. He is interceding for the people of Israel, foreseeing a time when they might be exiled due to their sins.

2. Israelites
The people of God who are the primary focus of Solomon's prayer. They are envisioned as being in a foreign land due to their disobedience.

3. Land of Captivity
The foreign land where the Israelites might be taken as captives due to their sins. This represents a place of reflection and potential repentance.

4. Repentance
A key theme in this verse, highlighting the turning back to God with a contrite heart and acknowledgment of sin.

5. Temple in Jerusalem
The physical location where Solomon is praying, symbolizing God's presence among His people and the place towards which they would pray in times of distress.
Teaching Points
The Necessity of Repentance
True repentance involves a heartfelt acknowledgment of sin and a sincere turning back to God. It is not merely feeling sorry but involves a change of heart and direction.

God's Readiness to Forgive
God is always ready to forgive those who genuinely repent. His mercy is abundant, and He desires restoration and reconciliation with His people.

The Role of Intercession
Like Solomon, believers are called to intercede for others, praying for their repentance and restoration. Intercessory prayer is a powerful tool in the life of a believer.

Reflection in Times of Distress
Difficult circumstances can serve as a catalyst for self-examination and repentance. In times of trouble, turning to God and acknowledging our need for Him is crucial.

The Importance of Community
Repentance and restoration often happen within the context of community. The Israelites' collective acknowledgment of sin and turning back to God highlights the importance of communal faith and accountability.Verse 47. - Yet if they shall bethink themselves [Heb. as marg., bring back to their heart. Same phrase, Deuteronomy 4:39; Deuteronomy 30:1. The latter passage, it should be noticed, treats of the captivity, so that Solomon, consciously or unconsciously, employs some of the very words used by Moses in contemplating this contingency. These repeated coincidences lead to the belief that the prayer was based upon and compiled from the Pentateuch] in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have Committed wickedness. [This verse is full of paronomasia, שבו נשבו השיבו, etc. Words almost identical with this confession were used (Daniel 9:5; Psalm 106:6) by the Jews in their captivity at Babylon, from which it has been concluded that this part of the prayer must belong to the time of the captivity. But surely it is, to say the least, just as likely that the Jews, when the captivity of which Solomon spoke befel them, borrowed the phrase in which their great king by anticipation expressed their penitence. Seeing in the captivity a fulfilment of his prediction, they would naturally see in this formula, which no doubt had been preserved in the writings of the prophets, a confession specially appropriate to their case, and indeed provided for their use.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

their senses
לִבָּ֔ם (lib·bām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

in the land
בָּאָ֖רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

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

they were taken,
נִשְׁבּוּ־ (niš·bū-)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7617: To transport into captivity

and they repent
וְהֵשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ (wə·hê·šî·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and plead
וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֣וּ (wə·hiṯ·ḥan·nə·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2603: To bend, stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, to implore

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

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

of their captors,
שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ (šō·ḇê·hem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7617: To transport into captivity

saying,
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘We have sinned
חָטָ֥אנוּ (ḥā·ṭā·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

and done wrong;
וְהֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ (wə·he·‘ĕ·wî·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 5753: To bend, twist

we have acted wickedly,’
רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ (rā·šā·‘ə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 7561: To be, wrong, to disturb, violate


Links
1 Kings 8:47 NIV
1 Kings 8:47 NLT
1 Kings 8:47 ESV
1 Kings 8:47 NASB
1 Kings 8:47 KJV

1 Kings 8:47 BibleApps.com
1 Kings 8:47 Biblia Paralela
1 Kings 8:47 Chinese Bible
1 Kings 8:47 French Bible
1 Kings 8:47 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Kings 8:47 Yet if they shall repent themselves (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 8:46
Top of Page
Top of Page