1 Kings 8:41-43

Bible Comparative Verse Study Table: 1 Kings 8:41-43

Verse	Etymological Roots	Exegetical Commentary	Cross-References	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature
1 Kings 8:41a וְגַם אֶל־הַנָּכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא־מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא wə-ḡam ʾel-han-noḵrî ʾăšer lōʾ-mēʿamməḵā yiśrāʾēl hûʾ "And also to the foreigner who not of your people Israel he [is]"	נָּכְרִי (noḵrî - foreigner): From the root נכר (n-k-r), meaning "to recognize, acknowledge, but also to be strange, foreign." Derived words include hikkîr (he recognized), neḵār (foreign land), hitnakkēr (to act like a stranger). • Semitic Cognates: Akkadian nakru (enemy, strange); Ugaritic nkr (to be hostile, foreign); Aramaic nukrāyā (foreign). This root highlights someone recognized as an "other." עַם (ʿam - people): A common Semitic root. Derived words include ʿammî (my people), ʿam ha-ʾāreṣ (people of the land). • Semitic Cognates: Akkadian ummu (clan, group); Ugaritic ʿm (people); Arabic ʿamm (paternal uncle, tribe). Refers to a kin-group or nation.	Exegetical Commentary: Context and Redaction: This verse is part of Solomon's Temple dedication prayer, a central piece of the Deuteronomistic History (DH). Most scholars, following Martin Noth (The Deuteronomistic History, 1981), view this prayer as a composition of the Deuteronomist (Dtr) during the Babylonian exile (c. 560 BCE). The universalistic tone, particularly concerning the noḵrî (foreigner), is often attributed to a later exilic redactor (Dtr2, in the model of F.M. Cross, Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic, 1973), who grappled with Israel's fate among the nations. The text projects this advanced theology back onto Solomon. The Noḵrî vs. the Gēr: A crucial distinction exists between the noḵrî and the gēr (sojourner, resident alien). The gēr (e.g., Lev 19:34) lived among Israelites and had rights and protections under the Law. The noḵrî is a temporary visitor or traveler from a "distant land" (ʾereṣ rəḥôqâ, v. 41b), not a member of the community. This makes the petition for the noḵrî even more remarkable. Theological Interpretation: • Jewish Exegesis: Rashi (on 1 Kings 8:41) emphasizes that the foreigner comes specifically "for Your name's sake," not for personal gain, highlighting a genuine religious motive. S. D. Luzzatto argues the primary goal is not the foreigner's salvation but the glorification of God's name, which in turn strengthens Israel's faith (commentary on Isaiah, cf. this passage). • Christian Exegesis: Patristic writers like Origen saw the noḵrî as a prefiguration of the Gentiles who would come to faith in Christ (Homilies on Kings). John Calvin (Commentaries on the First Book of Kings) views this as evidence that the covenant, while nationally focused on Israel, always contained a universal promise, demonstrating "that the kingdom of God was not so enclosed within the boundaries of Judea, that he did not afford a taste of his goodness to other nations also." Modern Scholarship: Mordechai Cogan (I Kings, Anchor Yale Bible, 2001) notes that this petition is "unique in the royal prayers of the ancient Near East" in its concern for the individual, non-Israelite worshiper. The prayer frames the Temple not merely as a national shrine but as a nexus of YHWH's universal sovereignty.	Intra-Biblical: • Deuteronomy 23:3–6: "No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD... because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way...". This provides a stark contrast, representing a more exclusivist legal tradition against specific historical enemies, unlike the generic noḵrî here. • Isaiah 56:6–7: "And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD... these I will bring to my holy mountain... for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." This Isaianic prophecy directly echoes and expands the universalism of Solomon's prayer. • Ruth 1:16: "But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'" Ruth the Moabitess moves beyond the status of noḵrî to become part of the people of Israel through covenant loyalty, a narrative illustration of incorporation. Inter-Testamental (NT): • John 12:20: "Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks." These Gentile "God-fearers" coming to the Temple during Passion Week are seen by the evangelist as a fulfillment of OT prophecies like this one, signaling the hour of Jesus' glorification has come.	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature: Mesopotamia: The Cyrus Cylinder (c. 539 BCE) presents the Persian king Cyrus as a benevolent ruler chosen by Marduk to restore order. It states, "I returned to [the] sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris, the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time, the images which (used) to live therein... I (also) gathered all their (former) inhabitants and returned (to them) their habitations." While this concerns returning displaced peoples and their cults, it reflects an imperial ideology of universal benevolence that provides a conceptual parallel to accommodating foreign worship. There is no direct analogue of a foreigner praying to the chief state god in his central temple for personal petitions. Egypt: The Great Hymn to the Aten (c. 1350 BCE) from the Amarna period portrays the sun-disk Aten as a universal creator: "You created the world according to your desire... peoples, herds and flocks... You set every man in his place... Their tongues are separate in speech, And their characters as well; Their skins are distinguished, For you distinguished the peoples." This shows a clear concept of a single god creating and caring for all humanity, but it was a short-lived theological revolution and did not typically extend to welcoming foreign worshipers into Egyptian temples, which remained highly exclusive. (Translation by M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. II).
1 Kings 8:41b-42a וּבָא מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ׃ כִּי יִשְׁמְעוּן אֶת־שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְאֶת־יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה וּזְרֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה û-ḇāʾ mē-ʾereṣ rəḥôqāh ləmaʿan šəmeḵā: kî yišməʿûn ʾeṯ-šimḵā hag-gāḏôl wə-ʾeṯ-yāḏḵā ha-ḥăzāqāh û-zrōʿăḵā han-nəṭûyāh "and he comes from a land distant for the sake of your name. For they will hear of your name the great, and of your hand the strong, and your arm the outstretched"	שֵׁם (šēm - name): Represents not just a label but the essence, reputation, and power of a being. • Semitic Cognates: Akkadian šumu (name, fame); Ugaritic šm (name); Aramaic šum; Arabic ism. The concept of God's "name" dwelling in the Temple is central to Deuteronomistic theology. יָד (yāḏ - hand) and זְרוֹעַ (zərôaʿ - arm): Anthropomorphic terms for God's power and action in the world. "Strong hand and outstretched arm" is a classic Deuteronomistic phrase describing the Exodus. • Cognates: yād: Ugaritic yd, Arabic yad. zərôaʿ: Akkadian zurû (upper arm?), Arabic ḏirāʿ (forearm).	Exegetical Commentary: Deuteronomistic Theology: The phrase "for your name's sake" (ləmaʿan šəmeḵā) is quintessentially Deuteronomistic. It reflects the theology that YHWH does not physically dwell in the Temple, but His "Name" (a representation of His presence and power) does (cf. Deut 12:5, 11). This resolved the theological problem of a transcendent God having a localized dwelling. The foreigner is attracted not by the Temple's architecture but by the reputation (šēm) of YHWH. The Exodus Formula: The triad of "great name," "mighty hand," and "outstretched arm" is a direct echo of the language used to describe the Exodus from Egypt (e.g., Deut 4:34, 5:15). Peter Altmann (Royal Prayer and the Power of YHWH's Name, 2018) argues that this formula shows the foreigner is drawn by YHWH's foundational saving act for Israel. The implication is that YHWH's power, demonstrated in the Exodus, has universal implications and can be accessed by non-Israelites. Textual Criticism: The parallel in 2 Chronicles 6:32 is nearly identical, showing stability in this tradition. Some LXX manuscripts add "out of Egypt," explicitly linking the fame to the Exodus, though this is likely a clarifying addition and not original to the Hebrew. Historical Perspective: In the ancient world, the fame of a nation's god was tied to the military and political success of that nation. The prayer imagines that Israel's history, particularly its miraculous founding, serves as international testimony to YHWH's unrivaled power. This is a form of passive mission; Israel's history is the proclamation.	Intra-Biblical: • Exodus 15:14-15 (Song of the Sea): "The peoples have heard, they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab." This depicts the immediate aftermath of the Exodus, where foreign nations hear of YHWH's power and are filled with fear. 1 Kings 8 shows this fear turning into attraction for some. • Joshua 2:10–11 (Rahab's Confession): "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt... for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath." This narrative provides a concrete example of a foreigner hearing of YHWH's acts and making a faith confession. • Psalm 136:12: "...with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever." This liturgical refrain celebrates the Exodus using the same formula, embedding it in Israel's worship. Inter-Testamental (NT): • Acts 2:5-11: At Pentecost, "devout men from every nation under heaven" hear the apostles speaking of "the mighty works of God" in their own tongues. This is a dramatic fulfillment, where the news of God's deeds in Christ is miraculously broadcast to a multinational audience in Jerusalem, near the Temple site.	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature: Hittite: The Apology of Hattusili III (c. 1267 BCE) is a royal text where the king justifies his seizure of the throne by claiming the favor of the goddess Ishtar of Samuha. He recounts her mighty deeds on his behalf, which established his reputation and legitimized his rule. While an internal political document, it shares the pattern of a ruler broadcasting the power of their patron deity as demonstrated through historical acts. (See Trevor Bryce, The Kingdom of the Hittites, 2005). Greco-Roman: The fame of certain gods and their sanctuaries spread far. Herodotus (Histories, Book 1) describes how King Croesus of Lydia tested oracles throughout the known world, including Delphi in Greece, sending emissaries from a "distant land" (Asia Minor) to learn of the god's power. The reputation (kléos) of a god was proven by powerful deeds and accurate prophecy, which in turn attracted foreign tribute and worshipers. Dead Sea Scrolls: The War Scroll (1QM) speaks of God's power being known among the nations, but through their eschatological destruction: "For this is a time of distress for Israel... But for all the nations there shall be eternal destruction" (1QM 1:5). This presents a starkly contrasting theology where God's fame is established not by attracting foreigners to worship but by annihilating them in a final holy war.
1 Kings 8:42b-43a וּבָא וְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה׃ וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם מְכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ û-ḇāʾ wə-hiṯpallēl ʾel-hab-bayiṯ haz-zeh: wə-ʾattāh tišmaʿ haš-šāmayim məḵôn šiḇteḵā "and he comes and prays toward this house: then you, you must hear in the heavens, the established place of your dwelling"	פָּלַל (pālal - to pray): The root p-l-l likely means "to intervene, intercede, judge." The Hithpael stem (hiṯpallēl) is the common verb for praying, suggesting a self-evaluation or plea for intervention. • Derived Words: təp̄illāh (prayer), pəlîlîm (judges). שָׁמַיִם (šāmayim - heavens, sky): A plural noun, perhaps from an unused root meaning "to be lofty." It denotes the celestial realm, God's abode. • Cognates: Akkadian šamû; Ugaritic šmm; Arabic samāʾ. מָכוֹן (māḵôn - fixed place, foundation): From the root כון (k-w-n), "to be firm, established." • Cognates: Ugaritic mkn (to dwell); Phoenician mkn (place).	Exegetical Commentary: Prayer Orientation: The act of praying "toward this house" (ʾel-hab-bayiṯ haz-zeh) establishes the Jerusalem Temple as the geographical and spiritual center for all who would worship YHWH, including foreigners. This practice is later mirrored in Daniel 6:10 (Daniel praying toward Jerusalem from Babylon) and becomes standard in Judaism and Islam (the qibla). God's Dwelling: The text carefully balances the immanence of God's Name in the Temple with His transcendence. The prayer is directed toward the earthly house, but the hearing happens "in the heavens, the established place of your dwelling." This is a key Deuteronomistic concept, articulated repeatedly in this prayer (cf. 8:30, 39, 49). God is not contained by the structure Solomon built. As Augustine noted (On the Trinity, Book III), "He is not so in heaven as not to be on earth," but heaven is presented as His proper throne. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiae, I, Q.52, Art.3) discusses God's omnipresence, explaining that being "in a place" for God means to fill that place with His power and essence, not to be contained by it. Scholarly Views: Jon D. Levenson (Sinai and Zion, 1985) highlights the tension between the Priestly theology of God's "glory" (kāvôd) literally filling a sanctuary and the Deuteronomistic theology of the transcendent God whose "Name" alone dwells there. This verse perfectly encapsulates the Dtr viewpoint: the Temple is a focal point for prayer, but God's true abode is celestial.	Intra-Biblical: • Daniel 6:10: "When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously." This shows the practice of praying toward Jerusalem from exile, directly applying the principle from Solomon's prayer. • Psalm 5:7: "But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you." This shows a native Israelite also practicing prayer oriented toward the Temple. • 2 Chronicles 6:20: "[may You] hear the prayer that your servant offers toward this place." The parallel account reinforces the directional nature of prayer. Inter-Testamental (NT): • John 4:21-23: Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, "the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father... the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth." This is often seen as a radical reinterpretation or fulfillment of the Temple's role. The physical location becomes secondary to the disposition of the heart, a theological development that moves beyond the localized focus of 1 Kings 8.	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature: Mesopotamia: Temple dedication texts, like those of Gudea of Lagash (c. 2125 BCE), describe the god taking up residence in the newly built temple. "In the house he has built for him, Gudea had Ningirsu, his king, take up residence." However, major gods like Enlil or Marduk were also understood to have celestial abodes. The prayer to the god was often mediated through the cult statue in the temple, which was seen as a physical manifestation of the deity. The careful distinction in the biblical text between the focal point of prayer (Temple) and the location of hearing (heaven) is a more pronounced theological abstraction. (Translation from The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature). Islam: The concept of the qibla, the direction of prayer, is a direct and defining parallel. Initially, Muslims prayed toward Jerusalem, in continuity with Jewish practice. The Quran (2:144) later changed the qibla to the Kaaba in Mecca: "So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it." This established a new focal point for a universal community of faith, mirroring the function of the Jerusalem Temple in 1 Kings 8. Hinduism: In Vedic and later Hindu traditions, temples (mandir) are considered the earthly dwelling place (devasthana) of a deity. The central shrine (garbhagriha) houses the murti (icon), which is not merely a symbol but is consecrated to embody the divine presence. While gods also have celestial abodes, the temple is the primary point of contact. The idea of praying toward a distant temple is less central than visiting it for darshan (seeing the deity).
1 Kings 8:43b וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּן כָּל־עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ לְיִרְאָה אֹתְךָ כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל wə-ʿāśîṯā kə-ḵōl ʾăšer-yiqrāʾ ʾēleḵā han-noḵrî ləmaʿan yēḏəʿûn kāl-ʿammê hā-ʾāreṣ ʾeṯ-šəmeḵā lə-yirʾāh ʾōṯəḵā kə-ʿamməḵā yiśrāʾēl "and you must do according to all that calls to you the foreigner, in order that may know all the peoples of the earth your name, to fear you like your people Israel"	עָשָׂה (ʿāśāh - to do, make): A general verb for action. Here it means to grant the foreigner's request. יָדַע (yāḏaʿ - to know): More than intellectual knowledge; it implies recognition, experience, and relationship. God "knowing" people implies election; people "knowing" God implies allegiance. יָרֵא (yārēʾ - to fear): Denotes awe, reverence, and worship, not just terror. "Fear of the LORD" is a synonym for true religion. • Cognates: Ugaritic yrʾ (to fear); possibly related to Akkadian palāḫu (to fear, revere).	Exegetical Commentary: The Ultimate Purpose: The prayer's climax reveals its ultimate motive: universal recognition of YHWH. God should answer the foreigner's prayer so that (ləmaʿan) "all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you." The foreigner's personal need is subordinate to this grand missionary and doxological goal. The answered prayer serves as a public demonstration of YHWH's power and benevolence, a sign to the nations. Equality in Worship: The phrase "to fear you, as do your people Israel" (kə-ʿamməḵā yiśrāʾēl) is astounding in its context. It suggests a potential spiritual parity between Israel and the nations. While Israel remains distinct as "your people," the possibility is raised for foreigners to attain the same quality of reverence and relationship with YHWH. This moves beyond mere monotheism (one God exists) to a form of ethical monotheism with universal accessibility. Denominational Views: • Catholic/Orthodox: This verse is seen as a clear Old Testament antecedent to the universal mission of the Church. The Temple foreshadows the Church as the place where all nations are invited to worship God. • Protestant: Martin Luther stressed that this shows God's concern for all, but that true "fear" is only possible through the revelation that comes through His Word, making Israel's role as custodian of revelation essential. More recent missiological interpretations see this as a charter for world mission. Critical Scholarship: Christopher J. H. Wright (The Mission of God, 2006) argues this is not "mission" in the active sense but "attractional" or "centripetal" mission. The world is drawn to God by what He does in and through Israel. The Temple is the magnet, and answered prayer is the proof.	Intra-Biblical: • Psalm 67:1-2: "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations." This Psalm explicitly states that God's blessing on Israel is for the purpose of revealing His salvation to the world. • Zechariah 8:22–23: "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD... 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" This post-exilic prophecy provides a vivid picture of the fulfillment of Solomon's prayer. • Malachi 1:11: "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering." A prophecy of universal worship of YHWH. Inter-Testamental (NT): • Revelation 15:4: "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." This eschatological hymn in Revelation provides a final, apocalyptic vision of the theme, where all nations worship God because His judgments and saving acts are made manifest.	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature: Zoroastrianism: The teachings of Zoroaster (c. 1200-600 BCE) in the Gathas present a universal ethical dualism. He calls on all people to choose between Truth (Asha) and the Lie (Druj). Ahura Mazda is presented as the one wise Lord, creator of all. The invitation is universal: "Hear with your ears the best things; look upon them with clear-seeing thought, for decision between the two Beliefs, each man for himself before the great consummation" (Yasna 30.2). The parallel lies in the universal call to recognize a single high god and a universal ethical standard, though the mechanism is personal choice rather than attraction to a central sanctuary. Buddhist Scriptures: In the Pali Canon, the Buddha sends out his first disciples with the instruction: "Go forth, O bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world... Proclaim the Dhamma... There are beings with little dust in their eyes who will be lost if they do not hear the Dhamma" (Mahavagga, Vinaya Pitaka). The motivation is compassion for all beings, and the goal is universal liberation from suffering. This is an active, centrifugal mission, contrasting with the centripetal, attractional model in 1 Kings. The goal is not that others would "fear" a deity, but that they would understand a universal truth (Dhamma) for their own release. Gnostic Texts: The Gnostic worldview, found in texts like the Apocryphon of John (Nag Hammadi Library), posits a radical dualism between a remote, transcendent True God and a lower, ignorant creator-god (the Demiurge, often identified with the God of the Old Testament). "Knowledge" (gnosis) is the key to salvation, but it is an esoteric knowledge available only to a spiritual elite, not a public knowledge for "all the peoples of the earth." This provides a strong ideological counterpoint to the public, exoteric theology of 1 Kings.
1 Kings 8:43c וּלְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ כִּי־שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי׃ û-ləmaʿan yēdəʿû kî-šimḵā niqrāʾ ʿal-hab-bayiṯ haz-zeh ʾăšer bānîṯî. "and in order that they may know that your name is called upon this house that I have built."	קָרָא (qārāʾ - to call, proclaim): The phrase "your name is called upon X" (šimḵā niqrāʾ ʿal) is an idiom for ownership and association. It signifies that the Temple belongs to YHWH and is under His special protection and authority. בָּנָה (bānāh - to build): The root b-n-h is related to bēn (son), perhaps from an idea of "building up" a family. Here, it refers to the physical construction of the Temple by Solomon.	Exegetical Commentary: The Concluding Rationale: This final clause brings the focus back to the Temple itself. The universal knowledge of YHWH is inextricably linked to the recognition that this specific house is the designated place of His name. It reaffirms the centrality of the Jerusalem cult, even within a universalistic framework. The nations are not invited to worship YHWH in any way they choose, but to recognize Him through the institution Solomon has established. Sitz im Leben ("Setting in Life"): For the exilic community that likely produced the final form of this text, this verse would have carried a poignant weight. With the Temple destroyed, the prayer becomes a statement of hope and a theological foundation for its eventual rebuilding. It asserts that despite its destruction, the site remains holy and is the place upon which YHWH's name was, and will again be, invoked. Literary Structure: The petition for the foreigner is framed by two purpose clauses (ləmaʿan), both emphasizing knowledge. The first (v. 43b) is about knowing God's name and fearing Him; the second (v. 43c) is about knowing that the Temple is the locus of that name. This structure underscores the dual message: YHWH is universal, but His authorized point of access on earth is Zion. Iain Provan (1 and 2 Kings, NIBC, 1995) comments that this prayer "radically redefines the nature of the people of God... in terms of faith in the God of Israel rather than simply in terms of ethnic identity." Yet, it does not dissolve the particularity of Israel or its cultic center, but rather makes them the vehicle for this universal faith.	Intra-Biblical: • Jeremiah 7:10-11: "...and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?" Jeremiah uses the same phrase ("house which is called by my name") to condemn the people's presumption that the Temple's sanctity grants them immunity from judgment. • Deuteronomy 28:10: "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you." Here, the name is called upon the people of Israel, signifying them as God's possession. 1 Kings 8 extends this concept of ownership to the Temple building. Inter-Testamental (NT): • Mark 11:17: "And he was teaching them and saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations"? But you have made it a den of robbers.'" Jesus' cleansing of the Temple directly cites Isaiah 56:7, which itself builds on the theology of 1 Kings 8. He acts to restore the Temple to its true purpose as a place for all nations, protesting its corruption which hinders this function. • Ephesians 2:19-22: Paul describes the church as a new temple: "...you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." The concept of a house "called by his name" is transferred from the physical building in Jerusalem to the multi-ethnic community of believers.	Parallels and Analogues in Ancient Literature: Ancient Near East General: Kings throughout the ANE regularly built temples and dedicated them to their patron gods, naming them in inscriptions. The Esarhaddon Chronicle, for example, records the rebuilding of Babylon: "He rebuilt Esagil [and] Babylon, completed the statues of the great gods." Naming the temple (e.g., Etemenanki, "House of the foundation of heaven and earth") and dedicating it asserted both divine ownership and royal piety. The biblical idiom "name is called upon" is a unique Hebrew expression for this common concept of divine ownership of a sanctuary. Phoenician: The Karatepe Inscription of King Azatiwada (c. 8th century BCE) states, "I have built this fortress, and I have given it the name Azatiwadaya... so that this city may be a possession of the god Ba'al-KRNTRYŠ and of the house of Mopsos." The king names the city after himself but explicitly dedicates it to the patron god, linking the structure to a divine owner. This parallels the dual claim in 1 Kings 8:43c: "the house that I have built" but upon which "your name is called." (Translation by K. Lawson Younger Jr., A Political History of the Arameans, 2016). Roman: The Pantheon in Rome, rebuilt by Hadrian (c. 126 CE), was dedicated to "all the gods" (pan-theon). The inscription on the front, however, attributes its original construction to Marcus Agrippa. This reflects a similar pattern of acknowledging the human builder while dedicating the structure to divine beings. The Pantheon served as a symbol of Roman imperial power and its claimed dominion over all peoples and their gods, a political parallel to the theological universalism expressed for YHWH's temple.