1 Kings 8:37 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 8:37 mean?

1 Kings 8:37 lists crises that might strike Israel, from failed harvests and disease to an enemy attack. Solomon includes these situations in his prayer at the temple, setting out the kinds of trouble in which people might turn to God.

Solomon is speaking to God in front of the gathered Israelites. His list moves from dangers affecting food and health to an enemy surrounding cities. The sentence continues into verses 38–39, where Solomon speaks of people praying about their troubles and asks God to hear them.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 8:37

• “blasting” — שִׁדָּפוֹן (shiddafon): This refers to the scorching or withering of crops. The word helps explain why “blasting” appears among threats to the land’s food supply.
• “caterpiller” — חָסִיל (ḥasil): This is often understood as a kind of crop-devouring locust. The KJV word “caterpiller” may suggest a different insect to a modern reader.

Why 1 Kings 8:37 matters

• The list covers both shared and personal distress. Verse 37 names troubles that can affect the whole land, while verse 38 goes on to speak of each person knowing “the plague of his own heart.”
• The final phrase leaves the list open. “Whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness” extends Solomon’s prayer beyond the specific disasters he has named.