1 Kings 8:31
If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
This petition belongs to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. It was his most remarkable prayer for the temple he was employed to build, offered as he entered upon his work after remarkable manifestations of divine power. When one accused of wrong against a neighbor is laid under an oath to swear, and the oath comes before the altar in the house, the case is brought before God for judgment, and Solomon asks God to hear from heaven, to condemn the wicked according to his conduct and to declare the righteous just according to his righteousness.
The temple was the house dedicated to God's worship where the people met to worship Him, showing Israel's dependence on God, and those who worshiped sincerely received His blessing. God meets His people by His Spirit when they gather at the house dedicated to His worship, though He is not confined to a temple and His people may worship Him wherever they are. At the dedication Solomon knew God and felt his need of divine power, and the prayer gave precious views of the divine character. That light did not save him, for corrupting influences afterward led him away from God and temple worship to forsake the very temple for worship in idol groves. Although God had honored Solomon and entrusted him with the temple, he turned from obedience and built high places for his idolatrous wives.