1 Kings 8:17 (GNV)

Passage

And it was in ye heart of Dauid my father to builde an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

1 Kings 8:16 Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no citie of all the tribes of Israel, to builde an house that my name might be there: but I haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israel.

1 Kings 8:17 And it was in ye heart of Dauid my father to builde an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.

1 Kings 8:18 And the Lord said vnto Dauid my father, Where as it was in thine heart to build an house vnto my Name, thou diddest well, that thou wast so minded:

1 Kings 8:19 Neuerthelesse thou shalt not builde the house, but thy sonne that shall come out of thy loynes, he shall builde the house vnto my Name.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heart", "dauid", "father", "builde", "house", "name", "lord", and "israel". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heart" and "dauid", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Since the day that I brought my..." into verse 18's "And the Lord said vnto Dauid my...", so "heart" and "dauid" 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 "heart" and "dauid" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.