“If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Notice how Solomon, in his prayer of dedication, immediately acknowledges that everyone will sin. This isn't a hypothetical, but a certainty, underscoring the constant need for God's forgiveness and the reality of human frailty even in the holiest of places.
“If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Solomon has just dedicated the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, a place where God's presence would dwell among His people. In his prayer, he anticipates that the Israelites, despite this sacred space and God's covenant, will inevitably sin and face consequences like exile. This verse sets up Solomon's plea for God to hear prayers even from distant lands of captivity, emphasizing God's willingness to forgive if His people repent.
Solomon is about to dedicate the magnificent Temple, a place meant for God's presence and sacrifice. But before the cheers, he drops a truth bomb about human nature.
The Universal Struggle
Solomon doesn't tiptoe around it. He states plainly, 'there is no one who does not sin.' This isn't a theological debate; it's a raw observation of reality. Every single person, regardless of their status, wisdom, or piety, is susceptible to sin.
This acknowledgment is crucial for several reasons:
The verse doesn't just acknowledge sin; it connects it to God's anger and a harsh, tangible consequence: exile.
The Gravity of Sin
Solomon links human sin directly to God's response: anger. This isn't petty frustration, but the righteous displeasure of a holy God against rebellion.
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The result of this anger is devastating: being given over to an enemy and taken captive. This wasn't just a military defeat; it was a spiritual and national calamity. Exile meant:
This highlights that sin isn't a victimless crime. It has profound, far-reaching consequences, affecting not just individuals but entire communities.
Understand the original words
chata · Hebrew Verb
The act of missing the mark of God's standard, a failure to conform to His moral law in thought, word, or deed. It represents a state of rebellion or estrangement from God that is universal to the human condition.
anaph · Hebrew Verb
Divine displeasure or righteous judgment expressed toward rebellion against His holiness. It is not an irrational emotion but a settled, holy reaction of God against everything that contradicts His nature.
shebiy · Hebrew Noun
To be taken prisoner or subdued by an adversary; often used in the context of divine judgment where God allows His people to be brought under the control of foreign nations due to covenant unfaithfulness.
This passage was spoken by Solomon at the dedication of the Temple, but its profound truth about sin, judgment, and exile would echo powerfully in the lives of the people when these very events unfolded in the centuries that followed.
c. 970 BC
Reign of Solomon and Temple Dedication
King Solomon completes and dedicates the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, a central place for worship and sacrifice.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them among their vast empire.
c. 622 BC
Josiah's Reforms
King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law in the Temple and initiates sweeping religious reforms in Judah, emphasizing adherence to God's commands.
605 BC— this verse
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invades Judah, taking the first wave of exiles, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Jerusalem is besieged again, and more of the population, including the prophet Ezekiel, is exiled to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, carrying away the remaining people into exile in Babylon.
This passage is essentially the same prayer, showing the continuity of Solomon's understanding of sin and God's justice in the temple dedication.
Nehemiah 1:6-7Nehemiah echoes this understanding of sin, exile, and confession, demonstrating how this concept of collective sin and consequences continued to resonate with God's people centuries later.
Psalm 130:3This psalm directly addresses the impossibility of standing before God without sin, reflecting the same sentiment that 'there is no one who does not sin' found in 1 Kings 8:46.
Romans 3:23Paul directly states the universal nature of sin, 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,' which perfectly aligns with the foundational acknowledgment in 1 Kings 8:46 that 'no one does not sin.'
Notice how Solomon, in his prayer of dedication, immediately acknowledges that everyone will sin. This isn't a hypothetical, but a certainty, underscoring the constant need for God's forgiveness and the reality of human frailty even in the holiest of places.
Solomon has just dedicated the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, a place where God's presence would dwell among His people. In his prayer, he anticipates that the Israelites, despite this sacred space and God's covenant, will inevitably sin and face consequences like exile. This verse sets up Solomon's plea for God to hear prayers even from distant lands of captivity, emphasizing God's willingness to forgive if His people repent.
Solomon has just dedicated the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, a place where God's presence would dwell among His people. In his prayer, he anticipates that the Israelites, despite this sacred space and God's covenant, will inevitably sin and face consequences like exile. This verse sets up Solomon's plea for God to hear prayers even from distant lands of captivity, emphasizing God's willingness to forgive if His people repent.
"“If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near," — Notice how Solomon, in his prayer of dedication, immediately acknowledges that everyone will sin. This isn't a hypothetical, but a certainty, underscoring the constant need for God's forgiveness an…
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Last reviewed October 2026