Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 8:16
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
16. that my name might be therein ] The expression in the Pentateuch is constant about the place which is dedicated to the worship of God: ‘God records His name there’ (Exo 20:24); ‘God chooses it to put His name there’ (Deu 12:5); ‘God chooses it to cause His name to dwell there’ (Deu 12:11). In Exo 20:24 the phrase is ‘in all places,’ because by that code it was contemplated that the place set apart for worship would be changed from time to time, and before the one permanent place was fixed upon, there would be many places where God was worshipped. Deuteronomy represents the ideal to be aimed at when the people were established in Canaan.
but I chose David ] This is expanded in 2Ch 6:6 so as to include both the place and the person. ‘But I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ The LXX. also has the same clause. The language of this verse in Kings seems almost to imply some opposition (or difference in the way of choice) between the material structure and the person.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The marginal reference completes the sense of this verse here. The passage is in accordance with archaic modes of speech, and is probably the more verbally accurate of the two.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Since the day, c.] Mention is here made, says Dr. Kennicott, of some one place and some one person preferred before all others and the preference is that of Jerusalem to other places, and of David to other men. In consequence of this remark, we shall see the necessity of correcting this passage by its parallel in 2Ch 6:5-6, where the thirteen Hebrew words now lost in Kings are happily preserved. Let us compare the passages: –
K. Since to day that I brought forth my people
C. Since the day that I brought forth my people
K. Israel out of Egypt, I chose no CITY
C. out of the land of Egypt, I chose no CITY
K. out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house,
C. among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in,
K. that my name might be therein; * * *
C. that my name might be there; neither chose I
K. * * * * * * *
C. any MAN to be a ruler over my people Israel:
K. * * * * * * *
C. but I have chosen JERUSALEM, that my name
K. * * * but I chose David to be
C. might be there; and have chosen DAVID to be
K. over my people Israel.
C. over my people Israel.
I would just observe here, that I do not think these thirteen words ever made a part of Kings, and consequently, are not lost from it; nor do they exist here in any of the versions; but their being found in Chronicles helps to complete the sense.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, until Davids time; for then he did choose Jerusalem.
I chose no city, i.e. I did not declare my choice of it; for so choosing is used for declaring or executing ones choice, as Deu 12:1; 2Ch 6:5; Zec 2:12, and things are oft said to be done when they are only manifested or declared to be such; in which sense God is said to be justified, Psa 51:4, and men to be guilty, Hos 5:15. Otherwise, to speak properly, whatsoever God chooseth, he chooseth from eternity.
That my name might be therein; that my presence, and grace, and worship, and glory might be there.
I chose David, and in and with him the tribe of Judah, of which he was, and Jerusalem, where he dwelt; which is here implied by the opposition of this to the former part of the verse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt,…. Which was now about four hundred and eighty eight years ago; see 1Ki 6:1.
I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; he had chosen one in his mind from all eternity; but he had not made known this choice, nor the place he had chosen; he gave hints by Moses, that there was a place which he should choose, or declare he had chosen to put his name in, but did not express it, De 12:5 but now it was a clear case that he had chosen Jerusalem, and that was the city he always had in view, see 2Ch 6:6,
but I chose David to be over my people Israel; to be their king, and to him he gave the first hint of the place where the temple was to be built, 1Ch 22:1, and he chose no man, and his family with him, before him, to rule over Israel, and be concerned in such a work, see 2Ch 6:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) I chose no city.In this verse, as in some other cases, for coherence of idea, it seems necessary to correct from the fuller version in 2Ch. 6:5-6, by an addition after the word therein. It should run: Neither chose I any man to be ruler over my people, but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel. The parallel in the two points referred to is exact. As there were temporary resting places for the arksuch as Gilgal, Shiloh, Kirjathjearim, and Zionso there were rulers raised up successively for a time, and then removed. Now there was to be one fixed place as the Sanctuary of God, and one royal house of David to continue for ever.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“ ‘Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there, but I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ ”
Then he stressed the words of YHWH, words which are, however, as he cites them, nowhere previously recorded. They are therefore possibly a very free interpretation of 2Sa 7:6-7. But we should note that even there the emphasis was on ‘NOT dwelling in a house, but on living in a tent’, and certainly NOT on ‘choosing out a city’. And Solomon basically acknowledged this when he stressed that YHWH’s choice initially was not of a city but of a person.
We can gather from Chronicles, if Solomon’s words are to be taken literally as they stand and not as a paraphrase, that David had possibly received a later revelation from YHWH once his own insistence had persuaded YHWH to let a Temple be built. Yet even if that is so the continual emphasis was on YHWH’s choosing of David to be over His people Israel, and not on the building of a Temple. The Temple comes through as very much David’s idea. YHWH was concerned with establishing the house of David, and the promises relating to it of the everlasting kingdom.
The Chronicler adds the words, in the mouth of Solomon, ‘and I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there.’ But this would appear to be Solomon’s rather hopeful interpretation of what was said to David, when Solomon was seeking to establish his own view on the matter with the people. The writer of Kings gives no indication anywhere that YHWH spoke of choosing Jerusalem. (We must remember that while Solomon’s words are an inspired record of what he said, that inspiration does not guarantee that what he said was true, especially when he was citing someone else. His words can only be seen as ‘inspired’ when he was speaking in a genuinely prophetic role, e.g. possibly in his prayer).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 8:16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
Ver. 16. I brought forth Israel out of Egypt. ] This memorable mercy is often mentioned as a motive to real thankfulness. Deliverance commandeth obedience. But what was Egypt to hell? Pharaoh to the devil? &c. Oh, blessed be God for a Christ!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
therein = there, with Septuagint and 2Ch 6:5. The Septuagint adds after this word “and I have chosen Jerusalem that My Name might be there”. This is preserved in 2Ch 6:6. The scribe’s eye, in copying, went back to the next word, “I have chosen David”, and went on from there, omitting the sentence given above.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Since: 2Sa 7:6, 2Sa 7:7, 2Ch 6:5-11
I chose: 1Ch 17:5, 1Ch 17:6, Psa 132:13
my name: 1Ki 8:29, 1Ki 11:36, Deu 12:11, 2Ki 23:27, Neh 1:9, Jer 7:12
I chose David: 1Sa 16:1, 2Sa 7:8, 1Ch 28:4, Psa 78:70, Psa 89:19, Psa 89:20
Reciprocal: Deu 12:5 – But unto 2Sa 7:5 – Shalt 1Ki 8:44 – toward the city 1Ki 14:21 – the city 1Ch 13:6 – whose name 1Ch 22:7 – unto the name 2Ch 6:33 – this house 2Ch 7:16 – have I chosen 2Ch 21:3 – Jehoram Psa 89:3 – made