1 Kings 9:8-9

9:8 This temple will become a heap of ruins; ¹  everyone who passes by it will be shocked and will hiss out their scorn, ²  saying, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 9:9 Others will then answer, ³  ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who led their ancestors ⁴  out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served. ⁵  That is why the Lord has brought all this disaster down on them.’”

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¹ tn Heb “and this house will be high [or elevated].” The statement makes little sense in this context, which predicts the desolation that judgment will bring. Some treat the clause as concessive, “Even though this temple is lofty [now].” Others, following the lead of several ancient versions, emend the text to, “this temple will become a heap of ruins.”

² tn Heb “hiss,” or perhaps “whistle.” This refers to a derisive sound one would make when taunting an object of ridicule.

³ tn Heb “and they will say.”

⁴ tn Heb “fathers.”

⁵ tn Heb “and they took hold of other gods and bowed down to them and served them.”