OET interlinear 1 KI 8:13

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בָּנֹ֥ה בָנִ֛יתִי בֵּ֥ית זְבֻ֖ל לָ֑⁠ךְ מָכ֥וֹן לְ⁠שִׁבְתְּ⁠ךָ֖ עוֹלָמִֽים

(Some words not found in UHB: to_build I_built house_of exalted to/for=you(fs) place you,to,dwell_in forever )

After speaking to the people, Solomon is now speaking to Yahweh. He could be saying: (1) that Yahweh’s appearance in a cloud in the temple confirms that Yahweh will indeed dwell in this temple. Alternate translation: [So it is clear that you are going to dwell in this house that I have built for you to live in] or (2) that while Yahweh said he would live in a cloud, Solomon has instead built him a splendid temple to live in. (The word translated as habitation might also mean [exaltation.]) Alternate translation: [But I have built a splendid temple for you in which you can always dwell]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

בָּנֹ֥ה בָנִ֛יתִי

(Some words not found in UHB: to_build I_built house_of exalted to/for=you(fs) place you,to,dwell_in forever )

Solomon is repeating forms of the verb “build” in order to intensify his expression of the idea that it conveys. If your language can repeat words for intensification, it would be appropriate to do that here in your translation. If not, your language may have another way of expressing the intensification. Alternate translation: [I have indeed built]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

בֵּ֥ית זְבֻ֖ל לָ֑⁠ךְ מָכ֥וֹן לְ⁠שִׁבְתְּ⁠ךָ֖ עוֹלָמִֽים

(Some words not found in UHB: to_build I_built house_of exalted to/for=you(fs) place you,to,dwell_in forever )

The terms house of habitation and place for your dwelling mean similar things. Solomon is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [a house that can always be your dwelling]

Note 4 topic: translate-plural

עוֹלָמִֽים

forever

Solomon is using the plural ages where Hebrew speakers commonly used a singular form and said “to forever” (as Bathsheba does in 1:31, for example). This suggests that he is using the plural form to emphasize that he hopes that Yahweh will be present in this temple not just for as long as anyone in the present age can imagine but for all ages to come. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a singular form and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [for an immeasurable span of time]