Bible Strands
1 Kings 5:3
“As you are well aware, due to the wars waged on all sides against my father David, he could not build a house for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD had put his enemies under his feet.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Solomon addresses Hiram of Tyre while initiating temple preparations, explaining that David could not build a house for the LORD because continuous warfare surrounded him on all sides.
The words — The Hebrew יָדַ֜עְתָּ (ya.Da'.ta, "you know") and יָכֹל֙ (ya.Khol, "he was able") establish the verse's structural contrast between Hiram's prior awareness and David's enforced inability.
The thread — God's explicit prohibition against David building appears in 1 Chronicles 28:3 and 1 Chronicles 22:8, citing David's role as a warrior who shed blood. The motif of enemies being subdued underfoot parallels Psalm 110:1.
Why it lands — The text records that David's inability was strictly circumstantial, not divine rejection, and that temple construction required God's prior provision of regional peace. It requires the reader to recognize that sacred work depends on divine rest rather than human capability alone.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 28:3 but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a man of war who has shed blood.’
- 1 Chronicles 22:8 but this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My Name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before Me.
- Psalms 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
- 1 Chronicles 22:4 and more cedar logs than could be counted; for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large quantity of cedar logs to David.
- Psalms 8:6 You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet:
- 1 Corinthians 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
- Joshua 10:24 When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
- 2 Samuel 7:5 “Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in?
- 2 Chronicles 6:6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- Malachi 4:3 Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts.