Bible Strands
1 Kings 6:13
And I will dwell among the Israelites and will not abandon My people Israel.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Solomon during the temple construction, extending the conditional promise from the previous verse. The speaker identifies Himself as the one who will take up residence among the nation while the building project proceeds.
The words — The Hebrew verb שָׁכַנְתִּי (Sha.khan.Ti) literally means "I will dwell," coupled with בְּתוֹךְ (be.Tokh), "in the midst of." These terms denote God's active presence within the community rather than distant observation.
The thread — The pattern of God dwelling among His people appears in Exodus 25:8 and Leviticus 26:11, whereas Deuteronomy 31:6 applies comparable language to describe God accompanying Israel in battle without forsaking them.
Why it lands — The text states that God will permanently reside among Israel and will not abandon His people as a direct result of covenant obedience. It requires the reader to link divine presence to faithful adherence to God's statutes rather than to human architectural effort.
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
And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Exodus 25:8 And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.
- Leviticus 26:11 And I will make My dwelling place among you, and My soul will not despise you.
- Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.
- Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
- Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- 1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- Joshua 1:5 No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- 1 Samuel 12:22 Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.