1 Kings · Chapter 8 · God's Love
1 Kings 8:23 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;"
KJV · King James Version
"And he said559, LORD3068 God430 of Israel3478, there is no God430 like thee, in heaven8064 above4605, or on earth776 beneath, who keepest8104 covenant1285 and mercy2617 with thy servants5650 that walk1980 before6440 thee with all their heart3820:"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses lord, thee, keepest, mercy, while the WEB renders these as yahweh, the, you, keeps. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
1 Kings 8:23 in 1 Kings 8
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 1 Kings 8:23 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 1 Kings 8. Read the full chapter →
- v.21 There I have set a place for the ark, in which is Yahweh’s covenant, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
- v.22 Solomon stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;
- v.23 and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
- v.24 who has kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.
- v.25 Now therefore, may Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, ‘There shall not fail from you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’
Book background
About the Book of 1 Kings
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Historical narrative
- Author
- Unknown (traditionally Jeremiah)
- Date written
- c. 561–538 BC
- Audience
- Jews in Babylonian exile
- Chapters
- 22
1 Kings opens with Solomon's wisdom, wealth, and the building of the Jerusalem temple. After his idolatrous decline, the kingdom split: Israel in the north under Jeroboam, Judah in the south under Rehoboam. The second half follows the prophets Elijah and Elisha confronting Ahab, Jezebel, and the worship of Baal.
Setting: From Solomon's reign through the divided kingdom to mid-9th century.
Key themes: wisdom · temple · division · idolatry · prophecy
Memorisation aid
How to memorise 1 Kings 8:23
1 Kings 8:23 contains 38 words in 8 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
and he said
AHS
- 2
“Yahweh
Y
- 3
the God of Israel
TGOI
- 4
there is no God like you
TINGLY
- 5
in heaven above
IHA
- 6
or on earth beneath
OOEB
- 7
who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants
WKCALK
- 8
who walk before you with all their heart;
WWBYWA
Frequently asked
FAQ about 1 Kings 8:23
What does 1 Kings 8:23 say?
1 Kings 8:23 reads: "and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;" — from the Old Testament, 1 Kings (Historical narrative). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is 1 Kings 8:23 in?
1 Kings 8:23 is in the book of 1 Kings, traditionally attributed to Unknown (traditionally Jeremiah) and written around c. 561–538 BC. 1 Kings is historical narrative in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Jews in Babylonian exile. Best known for Solomon's wisdom and Elijah versus the prophets of Baal.
What is 1 Kings 8:23 about?
1 Kings 8:23 is primarily a Bible verse about God's Love. Within 1 Kings, 1 Kings opens with Solomon's wisdom, wealth, and the building of the Jerusalem temple. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between 1 Kings 8:23 in WEB and KJV?
1 Kings 8:23 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And he said559, LORD3068 God430 of Israel3478, there is no God430 like thee, in heaven8064 above4605, or on earth776 beneath, who keepest8104 covenant1285 and mercy2617 with thy servants5650 that walk1980 before6440 thee with all their heart3820:". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is 1 Kings 8:23?
1 Kings 8:23 is 38 words in the WEB translation (205 characters), broken into 8 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 11 seconds.
How can I memorise 1 Kings 8:23?
To memorise 1 Kings 8:23, split it into its 8 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does 1 Kings 8:23 matter in 1 Kings?
1 Kings opens with Solomon's wisdom, wealth, and the building of the Jerusalem temple. After his idolatrous decline, the kingdom split: Israel in the north under Jeroboam, Judah in the south under Rehoboam. The second half follows the prophets Elijah and Elisha confronting Ahab, Jezebel, and the worship of Baal. 1 Kings 8:23 sits within this larger story — 1 Kings as a whole emphasises wisdom, temple, division.
How can I apply 1 Kings 8:23 today?
Many readers use 1 Kings 8:23 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download 1 Kings 8:23 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Lamentations 3:22-23
“It is because of Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn't fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithf…”
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1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”
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Psalms 139:14
“I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.”
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Lamentations 3:23
“They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
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Romans 8:38
“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,”
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Isaiah 40:28
“Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding i…”
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Jeremiah 31:3
“Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.”
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