1 Kings 8:13 (KJV)

Passage

I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

1 Kings 8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

1 Kings 8:13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.

1 Kings 8:14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)

1 Kings 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "surely", "built", "thee", "house", "dwell", "settled", and "place". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "surely" and "built", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Then spake Solomon The LORD said that..." into verse 14's "And the king turned his face about...", so "surely" and "built" belong inside that flow. In 1 Kings context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "surely" and "built" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.