Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 7:51
So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; [even] the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
51. So was ended, &c.] The changes of order and words in this verse made by R.V. ( viz. Thus all the work that king Solomon wrought in the house of the Lord was finished.) are such as to bring as nearly as possible this passage and 2Ch 5:1 into accord. Where the Hebrew words are the same there seems a gain in representing them in such a recital as the present by the same translation. On ‘in the house of the Lord,’ cf. above on 1Ki 7:45.
among the treasures ] R.V. ‘in the treasuries.’ The word is used rather of the place than of the things kept in it. Thus Joe 1:17, it is rendered ‘garners,’ and in 1Ch 27:25 ‘storehouses,’ and two verses later in the same chapter ‘cellars’ for wine. It is noteworthy that in Kings nothing is said of the treasures amassed by David, while in Chronicles (1Ch 29:1-8) they are dwelt on at some length.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The things which David had dedicated – Not only the things described in 1Ch 28:14-18, but also the spoil of the nations which he had subdued (margin reference), and also the vessels of gold, silver, and brass, sent him by Toi king of Hamath, on his victory over Hadadezer. Solomon now brought these into the temple treasury. A sacred treasury had been established at least as early as the time of Saul, to which Saul himself, Abner, Joab, and others, had contributed 1Ch 26:28.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 51. Solomon brought in the things] It has been a question whether Solomon, in the structure of the temple, used any of the gold and silver which David had provided? And here it seems answered in the negative; for after the house was finished, with all its utensils and ornaments, with its immense profusion of gold, it is here said that Solomon brought in the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, which David his father had dedicated. It appears therefore that Solomon had employed four years to make preparation for the work before it was begun. During the whole time of the building, he was no doubt still appropriating a part of the public revenue for this purpose; and the provision made by his father he placed among the treasures of the house; but the temple was truly Solomon’s, as he had provided all its materials, and borne every expense.
As the temple was built in some measure on the model of the tabernacle, and dedicated to the same use, I wish to refer the reader to the description of the former, in Exod. 25-27, and 35-39, and the notes there.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The silver and the gold; either, first, all of it; and so Solomon built it wholly at his own charge; or, secondly, so much of it its was left.
The vessels; those which David had dedicated, and with them the altar of Moses, and some other of the old utensils which were now laid aside, far better being put in the room of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
So was ended all the work that King Solomon made for the house of the Lord,…. Which he ordered to be made to be put into it, either for the ornament of it, or for the use and service of it; all was completely finished in the space of seven years:
and Solomon had brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; had laid up for, and devoted to the building of the temple, and for the service of it; not all, but what was left; what was over and above there was a need of; though the Jews commonly say, that he made use of none of his father’s, but built it and furnished it at his own expense; for which reason he did not begin to build as soon as he came to the throne, they suppose, but waited four years, until he had laid up a sufficiency of his own to defray the expense of it; but it is certain he made use of the brass his father reserved for this work, see 1Ch 18:8 and which, perhaps it may be said, is the reason it is not mentioned here as laid up: even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord; he did not convert them to his own use, but laid them up in the treasury of the sanctuary, for the purchase of sacrifices, the repair of the house in future times, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(51) The things which David his father had dedicated.For the account of the dedication of various treasures, by David and by the princes of Israel, for the House of the Lord, see 1Ch. 18:8; 1Ch. 18:10-11; 1Ch. 22:3-5; 1Ch. 22:14-16; 1Ch. 28:14-18; 1Ch. 29:2-5. The accumulation was enormous. It had evidently been the work of years to gather it out of the spoils of many victories, offered in that spirit of thankful devotion which is expressed in Davids own words: Both riches and honour come of thee . . . and of thine own have we given unto thee (1Ch. 29:12; 1Ch. 29:14). The words used in the text seem to indicate that besides the vessels of gold, silver, and brass, gold and silver, in money or in ingots, were brought into the sacred treasury.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 7:51. So was ended all the work Concerning this temple, we may observe upon the whole, that the glory of it did not consist in its bulk or largeness, (for in itself it was but a small pile of building; no more than 150 feet in length, and 105 in breadth, taking the whole together, and is exceeded by many of our parish churches,) but its chief grandeur and excellency lay in its out-buildings and ornaments, in its workmanship, which was every where very curious, and in its overlayings, which were vast and prodigious. The overlaying of the Holy of Holies only, which was a room but thirty feet square, and twenty high, amounted to six hundred talents of gold, which comes to four millions three hundred and twenty thousand pounds of our sterling money. “The whole frame,” says Josephus, “was raised upon stones, polished to the highest degree of perfection, and so artificially put together, that there was no joint to be discerned, no sign of any working tools having been upon them; but the whole looked more like the work of Providence and nature, than the product of art and human invention. And, as to the inside, what carving, gilding, embroidery, rich silks, and fine linen could do, of these there was the greatest profusion. The very floor of the temple was overlaid with beaten gold, the doors were large, and proportioned to the height of the walls, twenty cubits broad, and still gold upon gold.” Antiq. lib. 8: chap. 2. In a word, it was gold all over, and nothing was wanting either within or without, that might contribute to the glory and magnificence of the work.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
MAY we not gather instruction from the view of Solomon’s house, and the house of the forest of Lebanon, and from the riches with which he adorned the temple! Surely the house and the forest, may serve to teach us how Jesus and his people dwell together. Here Jesus certainly visits them. Here he secures and defends them! And as the windows are both ornamental and useful; is it not through these that that holy, that fair one, looketh forth at the windows, and showeth himself through the lattice? And as Jesus looketh in upon our house through the windows of ordinances, and through the lattices of his kind means of grace; do we not look in also, through the same, to him? Reader! do you not know what that means, when the soul is going out after him in desires, when in reading his precious word, singing his praises, attending at the service of ordinances, we send forth the soft, but earnest breathing of the soul, that we love him, long to see him, be with him, and like children at the windows of a prince, look in to catch if it be but a glimpse of the king in his beauty! Oh! dearest Lord! what a gracious Sovereign art thou! Thy wonderful condescension, is not barely manifested in sending out thy servants at supper time to call us, from the mere looking in at the windows, to come in and to sit down with thee; but thou comest even to the door of our hearts, and there invitest thyself in, to sup with us, and we with thee. Come then, Lord Jesus, refresh my soul continually with thyself; thy love is better than wine.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 7:51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; [even] the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.
Ver. 51. So was ended all the work. ] Solomon’s temple was finished in the year of the world three thousand. Hence some gather that the spiritual temple shall be consummated in three thousand more. Christ was born in the four thousandth year of the world. The temple was destroyed together with the city by the Romans, in the year of the world exactly four thousand and seventy-three. a
The things which David his father had dedicated.
a Ussher.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the things which David his father had dedicated = the holy things of David. Hebrew. kodesh. See note on Exo 3:5
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
was ended: Exo 40:33, Ezr 6:15, Zec 4:9
Solomon brought: It appears, therefore, that Solomon did not use any of the gold and silver in the structure of the temple which his father had provided.
things which David his father had dedicated: Heb. holy things of David, 2Sa 8:7-11, 1Ch 18:7, 1Ch 18:8, 1Ch 18:10, 1Ch 18:11, 1Ch 26:26-28, 1Ch 28:11-18, 1Ch 29:2-8, 2Ch 5:1
Reciprocal: Jos 6:19 – the treasury 2Sa 8:11 – Which 1Ki 9:1 – it came 1Ki 10:4 – the house 1Ki 14:26 – he took away 1Ki 15:15 – he brought 2Ki 14:14 – all the gold 1Ch 6:10 – Solomon 1Ch 26:20 – dedicated things 2Ch 8:15 – the treasures 2Ch 9:3 – the house 2Ch 15:18 – brought Ezr 2:69 – the treasure Ezr 5:11 – which a great
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 7:51. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated The silver and gold, and other things which David had provided for erecting this temple, and which had not been expended in the house itself, or its furniture, Solomon laid up in the treasury belonging to it, for repairs, exigences, and the constant charge of the temple-service. Although this splendid edifice had cost him immense sums, besides what David had prepared for building it, he would not repay himself in any degree by diverting from their intended purpose, and transferring to his own secular use, these devoted, or, as they are termed in the margin, holy things of David. What parents have dedicated to God, says Henry, here, the children ought by no means to alienate or recall; but cheerfully confirm what was intended for pious and charitable uses, that they may with their estates inherit the blessing. And the vessels did he put among the treasures of, &c. With those which David had dedicated, he laid up the altar of Moses, and some other of the old utensils which belonged to the tabernacle, as being of no further use, far better being provided in their room. Indeed, the tabernacle itself was thus laid up, for which, as the temple was now built, there was no further occasion; and yet it was proper to preserve the parts of so sacred a structure, which had been formed, in all respects, by divine direction, and had long been holy to the Lord.
So was ended all the work Concerning this temple, we may observe, upon the whole, that the glory of it did not consist in its bulk or largeness, (for in itself it was but a small pile of building, no more than one hundred and fifty feet in length, and one hundred and five in breadth, taking the whole together, and is exceeded by many of our parish churches,) but its chief grandeur and excellence lay in its out-buildings and ornaments, in its workmanship, which was everywhere very curious, and in its overlayings, which were vast and prodigious. The overlaying of the holy of holies only, which was a room but thirty feet square and twenty high, amounted to six hundred talents of gold, which comes to four millions three hundred and twenty thousand pounds of our sterling money. The whole frame, says Josephus, was raised upon stones, polished to the highest degree of perfection, and so artificially put together, that there was no joint to be discerned, no sign of any working-tools having been upon them, but the whole looked more like the work of providence and nature, than the product of art and human invention. And as for the inside, what carving, gilding, embroidery, rich silks, and fine linen could do, of these there was the greatest profusion. The very floor of the temple was overlaid with beaten gold; the doors were large, and proportioned to the height of the walls, twenty cubits broad, and still gold upon gold. Antiq., lib. 8. chap. 2. In a word, it was gold all over, and nothing was wanting, either within or without, that might contribute to the glory and magnificence of the work. Dr. Dodd. Some have intimated, that one principal reason why Solomon bestowed all this outward splendour and glory on the temple of the one living and true God, probably was that he might keep the people from idolatry, knowing how much they were taken with such things. Certainly none of the idol temples were to be compared to it for riches and magnificence. Indeed, there was nothing like it in the whole world. But if this were any part of his design, the event showed how far it was from being answered thereby, and how little the expedient availed. Multitudes of the Israelites, and those not only of the more distant tribes, but even of the tribe of Judah itself, in the very midst of whom this most splendid and sumptuous fabric stood, soon relapsed into that most unreasonable and stupid of all sins. Nearly the whole Hebrew nation, even, became idolatrous. Nay, what is more astonishing, Solomon himself, who erected this most costly and superb edifice, was drawn away from the worship of that God to whose honour he had raised it, and was turned in his heart after other gods, 1Ki 11:4; so true it is, that nothing merely external, whether in the place or ceremonies of Gods worship, however sumptuous or dazzling, can engage or secure the attachment of fallen man to him and his service. An acquaintance with his spiritual and holy nature and infinite perfections, and his love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us, can only effect this; which blessings if we would receive and retain, we must keep our hearts with all diligence, and not suffer their desires to wander after vain things, which cannot profit. Had Solomon continued to attend to this, his own advice, the glory of his youth would not have suffered so dreadful an eclipse in his declining years; but the bright example of his wisdom and piety would have continued to shine with undiminished, nay, with increasing lustre, to the credit of the true religion, and the edification of millions, while he himself, in soul and body would have remained a temple of the living God, a habitation of Jehovah through the Spirit, a fabric unspeakably more glorious than that which, with such immense expense of treasure, time, and labour, he had erected in Jerusalem.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
David’s accessories 7:51
The priests probably placed the treasures David had collected in the rooms of the structure that surrounded the temple (1Ki 6:5-6) for use in Israel’s worship as needed. The temple, then, became the treasury of Israel in that it housed the nation’s greatest treasures.
The writer gave us extensive information about the temple furnishings to increase our awe, not only of the temple itself, but also of Yahweh’s greatness. The temple and all it contained reflected the God who abode there.