1 Kings 8:32

then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Solomon addresses God during the temple dedication, requesting divine intervention when a neighbor sins against another and takes an oath before the altar.

The words — תִּשְׁמַע (tish.ma) translates literally as "you will hear" and לְהַרְשִׁיעַ (le.har.shi.a) means "to condemn as guilty," grounding the prayer in divine perception and judicial verdict.

The thread — The verse’s judicial structure parallels Deuteronomy 25:1’s procedure for court judgment and Isaiah 3:10’s declaration that the righteous will reap the fruit of their labor.

Why it lands — The text states that God will judge servants by measuring the wicked against their own deeds and the righteous against their own righteousness, requiring readers to accept direct divine accountability without moral ambiguity.

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

וְאַתָּ֣ה׀ve./'a.Tahand/ you תִּשְׁמַ֣עtish.Ma'you will hear הַשָּׁמַ֗יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ve./'a.Si.taand/ you will act וְשָׁפַטְתָּ֣ve./sha.fa.Taand/ you will judge אֶת־'et-<obj.>עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ'a.va.Dei./khaservants/ your לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַle./har.Shi.a'to/ condemn as guilty רָשָׁ֔עra.Sha'a guilty [person]לָתֵ֥תla./Tetto/ requite דַּרְכּ֖וֹdar.K/oconduct/ his בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹbe./ro.Sh/oon/ own head/ his וּלְהַצְדִּ֣יקu./le./hatz.Dikand/ to/ declare righteous צַדִּ֔יקtza.Dika righteous [person]לָ֥תֶתLa./tetto/ giveל֖וֹl/oto/ himכְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃ סke./tzid.ka.T/oaccording to/ righteousness/ his

King James Version

Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 25:1 If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned.
Exodus 34:7 maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
Isaiah 3:10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Ezekiel 18:13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
Romans 2:6 God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”
Exodus 23:7 Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty.
Numbers 5:27 When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.
Proverbs 1:31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Proverbs 17:15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.