The words that God speaks to Solomon in this second dream begin here in verse 3 and continue through the end of verse 9. Within this long quotation there are several embedded quotations (verses 5b, 8b, 9), which may be better translated as indirect discourse in the receptor language.

I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me: This is a reference to Solomon’s prayer in chapter 8, which was made after the Temple was built. God’s response here comes after Solomon had also completed building his palace, which means that at least thirteen years (1 Kgs 7.1) have passed since Solomon’s prayer! Regarding the two Hebrew nouns rendered prayer and supplication, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.28. The Hebrew verb rendered have made is from the same root as the noun for supplication and means “to plead for grace [or, pity].”

I have consecrated this house: For the verb consecrated, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.64. The form of the Hebrew verb here may be understood as referring to what God has already done (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) or to the present time (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Either understanding is grammatically acceptable.

Put my name there: See the comments on 1 Kgs 5.3.

My eyes and my heart will be there for all time: This is metaphorical language. Good News Translation restates this in nonmetaphorical language as “I will watch over it and protect it for all time,” but the Good News Translation rendering does not adequately express the meaning of my heart. Compare instead Bible en français courant: “I will watch over it, forever full of goodwill toward you [plural].” Another possible model is “I will never stop watching over it and thinking about it.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .