Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 5:2
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion.
2 10 (= 1Ki 8:1-9). The Ark brought into the Sanctuary
This section is taken almost verbatim from 1 Kings.
2. Then Solomon assembled ] The same verb in the Hebrew as in 1Ch 15:3 (see note there) and in 1Ch 28:1.
the chief of the fathers ] R.V. the princes of the fathers’ houses.
the city of David ] See 1Ch 11:5, note on the castle of Zion.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2Ch 5:2-10
To bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
The removal of the ark
I. The time of its removal.
1. Remarkable in itself. The building finished in November was not dedicated until the October of the following year. Feast of Tabernacles most suitable time to dedicate temple.
2. Remarkable in its influence. The magnitude of the event is marked by the fact that now for the first time since the Exodus we have the year and month recorded (Stanley)
.
II. The method of its removal. Similar to the ceremony of removing from the house of Obed-edom.
III. The ceremonies which accompanied its removal.
IV. The solemn deposit in its resting-place. (J. Wolfendale.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Of this and the following verses, See Poole “1Ki 8:1“, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2, 3. Then Solomon assembled . . .in the feast which was in the seventh monthThe feast of thededication of the temple was on the eighth day of that month. This isrelated, word for word, the same as in 1Ki8:1-10.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[See comments on 2Ch 5:1].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The first part of the celebration was the transfer of the ark from Mount Zion to the temple (2Ch 5:2-14), and in connection with this we have the words in which Solomon celebrates the entry of the Lord into the new temple (2Ch 6:1-11). This section has been already commented on in the remarks on 1 Kings 8:1-21, and we have here, consequently, only to set down briefly those discrepancies between our account and that other, which have any influence upon the meaning. – In 2Ch 5:3 the name of the month, (1Ki 8:2), with which the supplementary clause, “that is the seventh month,” is there connected, is omitted, so that we must either change into , or supply the name of the month; for the festival is not the seventh month, but was held in that month.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
See note on 1Ki 8:1
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4. DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE (2Ch. 5:2 to 2Ch. 7:22)
TEXT
2Ch. 5:2. Thus all the work that Solomon wrought for the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
2. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers houses of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. 4. And all the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark; 5. and they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests the Levites bring up. 6. And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. 7. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. 8. For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 9. And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there it is unto this day. 1O. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
11. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place (for all the priests that were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their courses; 12. also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brethren, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets); 13. it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Jehovah; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Jehovah, saying, For he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Jehovah, 14. so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of God.
2Ch. 6:1. Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 2. But I have built thee a house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in for ever. 3. And the king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.
4. And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hands fulfilled it, saying, 5. Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel: 6. but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there, and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. 7. Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. 8. But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart: 9. nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. 10. And Jehovah hath performed his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. 11. And have I set the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with the children of Israel.
12. And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands. 13. (for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven); 14. and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven, or on earth; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart; 15. who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day. 16. Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me. 17. Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.
18. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded! 19. Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee; 20. that thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place. 21. And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
22. If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this house; 23. then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
24. And if thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house; 25. then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
26. When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them: 27. then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
28. If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities: whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness there be; 29. what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house: 30. then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men); 31. that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
32. Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for thy great names sake, and thy mighty hand, and thine outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house: 33. then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.
34. If thy people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatsoever way thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; 35. then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication and maintain their cause.
36. If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive unto a land far off or near; 37. yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly; 38. if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: 39. then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee.
40. Now, O my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place. 41. Now therefore arise, O Jehovah God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. 42. O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember thy loving-kindnesses to David thy servant.
2Ch. 7:1. Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Jehovah filled the house. 2. And the priests could not enter into the house of Jehovah, because the glory of Jehovah filled Jehovahs house. 3. And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto Jehovah, saying, For he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
4. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. 5. And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6. And the priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of Jehovah, which David the king had made to give thanks unto Jehovah (for his lovingkindness endureth for ever), when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood. 7. Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah; for there he offered the burnt-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat.
8. So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hammath unto the brook of Egypt. 9. And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and feast seven days. 10. And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away unto their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
11. Thus Solomon finished the house of Jehovah, and the kings house: and all that came into Solomons heart to make in the house of Jehovah, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12. And Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. 13. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14. if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16. For now have I chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 17. And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances; 18. then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19. But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20. then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21. And this house, which is so high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why hath Jehovah done thus unto this land, and to this house? 22. And they shall answer, Because they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
PARAPHRASE
2Ch. 5:2. Solomon now summoned to Jerusalem all of the leaders of Israelthe heads of the tribes and clansfor the ceremony of transferring the Ark from the (Tabernacle in the) City of David, also known as Zion, (to its new home in the Temple). 3. This celebration took place in October at the annual Festival of Tabernacles.
4. 5. As the leaders of Israel watched, the Levites lifted the Ark and carried it out of the Tabernacle, along with all the other sacred vessels. 6. King Solomon and the others sacrificed sheep and oxen before the Ark in such numbers that no one tried to keep count! 7, 8. Then the priest carried the Ark into the inner room of the Templethe Holy of Holiesand placed it beneath the angels wings; their wings spread over the Ark and its carrying poles. 9. These carrying poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the outer room, but not from the outside doorway. The Ark is still there at the time of this writing. 10. Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Mount Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were leaving Egypt.
11. 12. When the priests had undergone the purification rites for themselves, they all took part in the ceremonies without regard to their normal duties. And how the Levites were praising the Lord as the priests came out of the Holy of Holies! The singers were Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and all their sons and brothers, dressed in finespun linen robes and standing at the east side of the altar. The choir was accompanied by 120 priests who were trumpeters, while others played the cymbals, lyres, and harps. 13, 14. The band and chorus united as one to praise and thank the Lord; their selections were interspersed with trumpet obbligatos, the clashing of cymbals, and the loud playing of other musical instrumentsall praising and thanking the Lord. Their theme was He is so good! His lovingkindness lasts forever! And at that moment the glory of the Lord, coming as a bright cloud, filled the Temple so that the priests could not continue their work.
2Ch. 6:1. This the prayer prayed by Solomon on that occasion: The Lord has said that he would live in the thick darkness, But I have made a Temple for you, O Lord, to live in forever! 3. Then the king turned around to the people and they stood to receive his blessing:
4. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, he said to them, the God who talked personally to my father David and has now fulfilled the promise he made to him. For he told him, 5, 6. I have never before, since bringing my people from the land of Egypt, chosen a city anywhere in Israel as the location of my Temple where my name will be glorified; and never before have I chosen a king for my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as that city, and David as that king. 7. My father David wanted to build this Temple, 8. but the Lord said not to. It was good to have the desire, the Lord told him, 9. but he was not the one to build it: his son was chosen for that task. 10. And now the Lord has done what he promised, for I have become king in my fathers place, and I have built the Temple for the Name of the Lord God of Israel, 11. and placed the Ark there. And in the Ark is the Covenant between the Lord and his people Israel.
12, 13. As he spoke, Solomon was standing before the people on a platform in the center of the outer court, in front of the altar of the Lord. The platform was made of bronze, 7 feet square and 4 feet high. Now, as all the people watched, he knelt down, reached out his arms toward heaven, and prayed this prayer: 14. O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You are the God who keeps his kind promises to all those who obey you, and who are anxious to do your will. 15. And you have kept your promise to my father David, as is evident today. 16. And now, O God of Israel, carry out your further promise to him that your descendants shall always reign over Israel if they will obey my laws as you have. 17. Yes, Lord God of Israel, please fulfill this promise too.
18. But will God really live upon the earth with men? Why, even the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain youhow much less this Temple which I have built! 19. How I pray that you will heed my prayers, O Lord my God! Listen to my prayer that I am praying to you now! 20, 21. Look down with favor day and night upon this Templeupon this place where you have said that you would put your name. May you always hear and answer the prayers I will pray to you as I face toward this place. Listen to my prayers and to those of your people Israel when they pray toward this Temple; yes, hear us from heaven, and when you hear, forgive.
22. Whenever someone commits a crime, and is required to swear to his innocence before this altar, 23. then hear from heaven and punish him if he is lying, or else declare him innocent.
24. If your people Israel are destroyed before their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and call themselves your people, and pray to you here in this Temple. 25. then listen to them from heaven and forgive their sins and give them back this land you gave to their fathers.
26. When the skies are shut and there is no rain because of our sins, and then we pray toward this Temple and claim you as our God and turn from our sins because you have punished us, 27. then listen from heaven and forgive the sins of your people, and teach them what is right; and send rain upon this land which you have given to your people as their own property.
28. If there is a famine in the land, or plagues, or crop disease, or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your peoples enemies are in the land besieging our citieswhatever the trouble is29. listen to every individuals prayer concerning his private sorrow, as well as all the public prayers. 30. Hear from heaven where you live, and forgive, and give each one whatever he deserves, for you know the hearts of all mankind. 31. Then they will reverence you forever, and will continually walk where you tell them to go.
32. And when foreigners hear of your power, and come from distant lands to worship your great name, and to pray toward this Temple, 33. hear them from heaven where you live, and do what they request of you. Then all the people of the earth will hear of your fame and will reverence you, just as your people Israel do; and they too will know that this Temple I have built is truly yours.
34. If your people go out at your command to fight their enemies, and they pray toward this city of Jerusalem which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for your name, 35. then hear their prayers from heaven and give them success.
36. If they sin against you (and who has never sinned?) and you become angry with them, and you let their enemies defeat them and take them away as captives to some foreign nation near or far, 37, 38. and if in that land of exile they turn to you again, and face toward this land you gave their fathers, and this city and your Temple I have built, and plead with you with all their hearts to forgive them, 39. then hear from heaven where you live and help them and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40. Yes, O my God, be wide awake and attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place. 41. And now, O Lord God, arise and enter this resting place of yours where the Ark of your strength has been placed. Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in your kind deeds. 42. O Lord God, do not ignore medo not turn your face away from me, your anointed one. Oh, remember your love for David and your kindness to him.
2Ch. 7:1. As Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices! And the glory of the Lord filled the Temple, so that the priests couldnt enter! 3. All the people had been watching and now they fell flat on the pavement, and worshipped and thanked the Lord. How good he is! they exclaimed. He is always so loving and kind.
4, 5. Then the king and all the people dedicated the Temple by sacrificing burnt offerings to the Lord. King Solomons contribution for this purpose was 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. 6. The priests were standing at their posts of duty, and the Levites were playing their thanksgiving song, His Loving-kindness Is Forever, using the musical instruments that King David himself had made and had used to praise the Lord. Then, when the priests blew the trumpets, all the people stood again. 7. Solomon consecrated the inner court of the Temple for use that day as a place of sacrifices for the bronze altar to accommodate.
8. For the next seven days, they celebrated the Tabernacle Festival, with large crowds coming in from all over Israel; they arrived from as far away as Hamath at one end of the country to the brook of Egypt at the other. 9. A final religious service was held on the eighth day. 10. Then, on October 7, he sent the people home, joyful and happy because the Lord had been so good to David and Solomon and to his people Israel.
11. So Solomon finished building the Temple as well as his own palace. He completed what he had planned to do. 12. One night the Lord appeared to Solomon and told him, I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place where I want you to sacrifice to me. 13. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust swarms to eat up all of your crops, or if I send an epidemic among you, 14. then if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. 15. I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place. 16. For I have chosen this Temple and sanctified it to be my home forever; my eyes and my heart shall always be here. 17. As for yourself, if you follow me as your father David did, 18. then I will see to it that you and your descendants will always be the kings of Israel;
19. but if you dont follow me, if you refuse the laws I have given you, and worship idols, 20. then I will destroy my people from this land of mine which I have given them, and this Temple shall be destroyed even though I have sanctified it for myself. Instead, I will make it a public horror and disgrace. 21. Instead of its being famous, all who pass by will be incredulous. Why had the Lord done such a terrible thing to this land and to this Temple? they will ask. 22. And the answer will be, Because his people abandoned the Lord God of their fathers, the God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they worshipped other gods instead. That is why he has done all this to me.
COMMENTARY
This was one of those high moments in the history of Gods people. Priests, Levites, musicians, singers all joined their voices in the praise of Jehovah. There were twenty-four courses of priests. All of these were represented on this occasion. All of the instrumentalists and the singers along with one hundred and twenty trumpeters shared in this glad service. They praised Jehovah for His goodness and lovingkindness (Psa. 136:1). He had done His religious duty toward Israel. The prospects for His continued blessings were wonderful. In some respects what happened here causes us to think about what was to take place in Jerusalem on another day when the people were all of one mind and the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 2). Jehovah came down to His people when the Temple was finished and He filled the House with His glory. It was a day to be long remembered in Israels history.
Solomon was equal to the circumstances of this grand occasion. In chapter 2Ch. 6:1-11 he spoke to the people. He made reference to the thick darkness because the cloud filled the Temple. No man could look on the full glory of Jehovah and live. The darkness itself added to the mystery of the one true God. The king knew that no man could build a house which would contain Jehovah, yet he and Israel had built a House for their God. The time had arrived when an official presentation of this Temple to Jehovah should be made. So he blessed Jehovah, the God of Israel. He reviewed the fact that Jehovah had been content to have the Tabernacle represent His habitation among His people. In the later revelation of His will Jehovah chose David to be king and chose Jerusalem to be the capital city. Solomon reminded the people of Davids desire to build the Temple and of Jehovahs restraint in this matter. As Davids son, by divine appointment, Solomon had built the house and set the ark in its proper place.
Solomon had built a platform and a pulpit near the great altar of brass in the court of the priests. In his address to the people and in his prayer to Jehovah he was fully motivated. He spread forth his hands or kneeled down upon his knees as the mood dictated. His prayer of dedication is a model prayer. His attitude toward the people, his humility in Jehovahs presence, his seriousness as he considered the implications of these relationships all deserve careful study. Solomons God was incomparable. He was the covenant God. Jehovahs promise to David (2 Samuel 7) was often on Solomons mind. One of Davids line was always to be on the throne of Israel. Jehovah could not be contained in any house. The whole universe is His House. Nevertheless, Solomon and Israel had built a beautiful Temple for their God. In putting Jehovahs name in that place, Solomon considered the total character of God. The Temple would represent to the Hebrews all that Jehovah had ever revealed concerning Himself as far as this could be made known through a building. The Temple would be the only Holy Place in all the world for Gods people. Wherever His people might be when they prayed toward this place, when they considered the power and mercy of their God and called on Him for help, they could expect Him to hear and answer.
Various circumstances out of which Jehovahs people might need to call upon Him are now previewed. A man might have some goods left with him by a neighbor. When the neighbor returned to claim it, his friend might tell him the goods had been stolen. The neighbor could demand that his friend take an oath in Jehovahs name swearing that he was truthful. Solomons prayer was that the wicked would be condemned and the righteous justified. If Israel should sin and for this reason suffer at the hands of enemies, Solomon prayed that Jehovah would intervene if the Israelites in question would repent. There would be times when Jehovah might send drought and famine because of sin. Solomons prayer was that if there was recognition of sin, genuine sorrow for sin, and prayer toward the House, Jehovah would hear and forgive. He realized that Jehovah could send pestilence, blasting, mildew, locusts, many kinds of plagues. Solomon never asked Jehovah to cease being God. He only asked that in keeping with His mercy He would answer genuine repentance. One of the most remarkable aspects of Solomons prayer has to do with the foreigners (2Ch. 6:32). Solomon previewed the times when proselytes would join themselves to the Hebrew people. If the foreigner would be willing to come on Jehovahs terms, Solomon asks that Jehovah will receive him. This is the basic principle that provided the Apostle Paul his defense for his ministry. When Israel would go to war in Jehovahs name or when any Hebrew might be taken captive by an enemy because he had sinned, if he prays toward this House, Solomon plead for Gods help. So Solomon committed his trust and the confidence of his people to Jehovah, their God. The Temple, the ark, the king, the priests, the people all waited in Jehovahs presence.
Jehovah was ready with the answer to Solomons prayer. While the king was praying, the sacrifices were burning on the altar. With regard to fire coming down from heaven, we are reminded of the miraculous fire descending on the altar in the Tabernacle when the services were inaugurated (Lev. 9:24).[50] We are also reminded of Jehovahs answer to Elijahs prayer on Mount Carmel (1Ki. 18:38).[51] The glory (or brightness) of Jehovah filled the Temple to such an extent that the priests had to withdraw. The priests stood in awe of the whole experience much as Israel had done at Mount Sinai. It was a day of worship never to be forgotten by those who saw Jehovahs glory. What could the people say in such circumstances? Jehovah is good; for His lovingkindness endureth forever.
[50] Spence, H. D. M., The Pulpit Commentary, II Chronicles, p. 83
[51] Schaff, Philip, Langes Commentary, Chronicles, p. 178
The dedication of the Temple coincided with the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. Under ordinary conditions more offerings were presented at this time than at any other time during the year. Since this was such a special occasion, all of the facilities for worship were taxed to the limit. Offerings of dedication included twenty two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. The sacrificing and feasting continued throughout the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles. Since all of the offerings could not be accommodated at the altar of burnt offering, a special dispensation permitted the hallowing of the middle of the court so that many offerings could be made at one time. The priest directed the worship. Some worked with the animal sacrifices, while others directed the music and singing. There had never been a day like this in Jerusalem. The total time involved in the celebration covered fourteen days. Seven days had been required for the dedication of the altar and seven days for the Feast of Tabernacles. The great assembly of Israelites had come to Jerusalem from the length and breadth of the land. Hammath was on the Orontes River about two hundred and fifty miles north of Jerusalem. The brook of Egypt flowed into the Mediterranean Sea about forty miles south of Gaza. On the day following the two weeks of celebration there was one final holy convocation from which the people were sent on their way rejoicing. The Temple was finished when it became a house of sacrifice. Solomon was able to do every good thing he desired for the Temple and for the kingdom.
The account of Jehovahs appearing to Solomon by night (2Ch. 5:12) reminds us of His appearance to Solomon at Gibeon when the young king made his choice of wisdom. We are not told how long after the dedication of the Temple this appearance took place. Jehovah plainly declared that He was pleased with the Temple. The Temple was not a monument or a memorial. It was a house of sacrifice where Jehovahs people could give vital expression to their living faith in God. In direct answer to Solomons prayer, Jehovah recognized that His people might sin and thus He would be forced to judge them by famine, locusts, or pestilence. Jehovahs character remained constant. Sin must be judged. However, He would temper judgment with mercy provided His people would confess their sin, repent, and commit themselves to do His will. The Temple was a house of prayer. The eyes of Jehovah would ever be upon the Temple and upon those who would seek Jehovahs face through worship at the Temple and the daily practice of the revealed religion. Jehovah renewed His promise to Solomon. If Solomon would be like David and if he obeyed Jehovah, his kingdom would be established and through him Jehovah would begin to keep His promise to David. However, if Solomon should forget God and turn to idols, both king and people would be plucked up by the roots (completely destroyed). Solomon was advised by direct revelation that the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem did not guarantee the safety of king and people. The Temple could be described as a high house, but if Israel sinned, Jehovah would destroy Temple, city, king, and people. Instead of being a messenger of Jehovah to the nations, Israel would then become a by-word or a song of derision. The alternatives were laid very plainly before the king. If he should turn away from Jehovah, he had no excuse.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(2) The chief of the fathers.Rather, the chiefs of the clans (father-houses). Vulg., capita familiarum; LXX., .
Elders . . . heads.Or, sheikhs . . . ameers.
Zion.Syr. and Arab., Hebron.
In the feast which was in the seventh month.Heb., in the feast; that (is) the seventh month. The words in the month of Ethanim (Kings) have been accidentally omitted before the expression rendered in the feast. The Authorised version suggests another mode of emending the text. (Comp. Neh. 8:14.) Syr., in the month of the fruits (ebb) of the feast of Tabernacles; that is the seventh month. The LXX. had the present faulty Hebrew.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
This assembly beautifully illustrates how all Israel is concerned in what concerned the ark. And how more beautiful still to consider, how all the redeemed of the Lord are concerned in what belongs to Jesus, whom that ark typified. Here let all be convened – our little ones, and even they that suck the breast!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
XXIX
DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE
1Ki 8:1-10:29
This discussion begins on page 178 of the Harmony, and relates to the dedication of the Temple. We have already shown that the building of the Temple was the greatest work of Solomon; that it made the greatest impression upon the world’s mind of any structure that had ever been erected in human history. The importance of the Temple was to insure a central place of worship, or of sacrifice, rather. The object of it was to bring about unity of faith, and national unity among the people. The idea comes from the following legislation by Moses: “When you shall obtain possession of the land and have become established, then you shall have one place in which to appear before the Lord.” In brief, the purposes of the Temple were these:
1. To provide a fixed habitation for Jehovah.
2. To provide a central place of worship where the tribes might assemble at the three great annual festivals and thus preserve the unity of the nation, Jehovah being the center of unity. In other words, as we explained on Leviticus, there must be: (a) A place to meet Jehovah on the throne of grace. (b) Sacrifices, or means of propitiation, (c) Priests, or Intermediaries between Jehovah and the people, (d) Times in which to approach him, that is, with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual offerings, (e) A ritual, telling how to approach him.
3. To prefigure the more glorious building, the church of our Lord. A magnificent building, with an imposing ritual, and with fixed times of gathering the whole nation together, would bring about this unity of faith and unity of national life. The building having been completed, Solomon now proposes publicly and formally to dedicate it to the service of God. God had told him when he commenced the building that he would inhabit the house built for him, and now Solomon proposes, by a very solemn national service, to consecrate this house to the Lord. I do not suppose that from any other one source, indeed from all other sources put together, we get the idea of dedication services so much as from this. The house could not be dedicated as soon as it was finished. It was several months from the time it was finished until it was dedicated. There had to be an appropriate time. It must be on the occasion of one of the great national feasts; so it was probably several months after the house was completed before the dedication services took place.
The first thing was to secure a great convocation of the people, and it is repeatedly stated that from Hamath on the north, or from the Euphrates River, unto the river of Egypt on the south, throughout the length and breadth of the land the princes, the rulers of the people, the representative men, were all commanded to be present. So it was a very great national convocation. The next step was to bring into this house all of the sacred things that survived from Moses’ time, and including those that had been prepared by David. So with great ceremony the old tent that Moses built, the brazen altar of burnt offerings, the table for the shewbread and the golden candlestick, were all brought and put in this Temple. Those of them no longer usable, for instance the tent, and a great many of the old-time utensils, were stored away and preserved as relics, including the brazen serpent Moses had made. We hear of that in a later reign and find out the last disposition of it. Then the ark itself was brought from the tent in which David had placed it, and it was put in its place in the most holy place. It was necessary to make a new lid for it, or mercy seat. A long time had elapsed, nearly 500 years, since it was made, and when they opened it there was found in it nothing but the two tables of stone upon which God had inscribed the decalogue. From the Pentateuch we know that other things had been put there. For instance, Aaron’s rod that budded, the pot of manna, and quite a number of things were put by the side of the ark, but when they brought that ark in that is all there was in it. Probably at the time it was captured by the Philistines come of these things were taken out.
The preliminary steps of the dedication were: (1) Placing in the treasury of the house all the things dedicated by David. (2) Placing all the sacred vessels and furniture in proper position. (3) The offering of multitudinous sacrifices. (4) The priests carrying into the most holy place the ark of the covenant. (5) As the priest issues from the most holy place, and the one hundred and twenty other priests standing east of the altar blow their trumpets, and the great Levite-choir bursts into a song of praise and thanksgiving, with cymbals and other instruments, saying, “For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.” (6) Then the cloud, symbol of divine presence and glory, filled all the house.
So it had been when Moses finished the tabernacle, and so it was at Pentecost, after the Lord had built his church) that the Holy Spirit came down in consecrating, attesting power.
Now, having all the sacred things in place, Solomon had a platform of brass erected, about seven feet square, for himself, a kind of pulpit, so that he would be sufficiently lifted up above the people to be seen as well as heard, and we now note a singular fact, viz.: that Solomon acted as both king and high priest, a royal priest, a priest on a throne, and all through his life, he seems not only to perform the functions of the high priest, but he keeps the entire priesthood subject to his immediate control. Nothing is more evident in the study of his life than that the throne, in this case the civil power, kept the priesthood, the religious power, in subservience.
Solomon’s posture in this dedication was standing at the introduction, standing when he goes to pronounce the benediction, but in offering prayer, he kneels, and that is the first place in the Bible where kneeling for prayer is mentioned. You read in the Bible about standing to pray and sitting to pray, and here we have kneeling to pray, showing that the posture is not essential to the act. One can pray lying down, but kneeling is very reverential, and congregations should observe one form.
Standing up before the people, his opening address reverts to the fact of God’s promise to David that a son should succeed him, and that this son should build him a house, and God’s promise to live in the house when it was built. He then commences his prayer, and it is a very remarkable one. His first petition is that the Lord would accept and continually look toward this structure, really inhabit and be present in it. The other elements of the petition are clearly set forth in the text here. Look on page 180 of the Harmony. First, the position with reference to the making of an oath where there is an issue between neighbors, and the difficulty cannot be settled by outside testimony, then all oaths shall be made before God. A man, as in the presence of God, shall solemnly swear that what he says is the correct version of the case. That is called an appeal to the judgment of God. It was a favorite method of settling matters throughout the middle ages. For instance, a nobleman might testify about a case, another challenge his testimony, and they would agree to refer it to the arbitrament of God, as decided in battle, and the two knights would come out and fight in the presence of many witnesses with judges governing all the forms of it, and trusting to God that the right should triumph in that fight.
In Ivanhoe , you have an account of an appeal to the judgment of God in the fight between Ivanhoe and Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert in order to settle a charge against the Jewess, Rebecca. She appealed to the trial by combat and said let God say if she was a witch, as they charged, and so the case was fought out. Hundreds of instances are noticed in history, romance, and poetry of this appeal to God. Another method of appeal, mentioned also by Sir Walter Scott, is that when one was found to have died by violence, all of those whose circumstances made it possible that they might have participated in that murder were required to come up before the judge and with the murdered man’s body shrouded in a white sheet, put their finger on the dead man and swear that they had nothing to do with that murder, and the legend taught that if the real murderer did come and put his hand on the man, then blood would flow out from the wound and thus convict him. Now Solomon prayed that in any case of issue between two neighbors, where there were no means of settling it by outside testimony, and they come before God, that God would decide the case so as to justify the innocent and condemn the guilty.
His second petition is with reference to defeat in battle. This people is a glorious people. War will doubtless arise, and they that go out may be defeated. If they be defeated, he says it will be on account of their sins, and, convicted of sin by public defeat, if they there on that battlefield turn toward the Temple and pray God to forgive the sin, then Solomon asks that their national sin be forgiven.
He next considers the case of droughts. That whole country is subject to drought, and it is easy for all the sources of life to be dried up in severe drought. Drought in the Bible is represented as serving Jehovah; that it comes from him. Elijah prayed that it might not rain for three years and six months, and it didn’t rain, and he prayed that it might rain, and it rained. Now he says, “when a time of drought comes on this land on account of sin, if this people pray toward this Temple, asking God to open the windows of heaven and send rain upon the land, then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin and send rain.” You notice how he is connecting the Temple with all the great vicissitudes of life.
Following that come famines and pestilences. Famines may result from wars, in destroying the products of the land, or they may result from plagues, as of locusts. Now, when a famine or a pestilence, or a contagious or epidemic disease, comes and the whole country was subject to them, as we would have here in this country, if there should come the Asiatic cholera, or the yellow fever then let the people pray, and his petition is that when these displays of divine wrath against the sins of men are made, that they will remember that here at Jerusalem in the Temple is a throne of grace unto which any man may come boldly in time of need and ask divine interposition and pardon. We will find numerous examples of all these in the history as we go on.
He then takes the case of a stranger. This is a beautiful thought. Some stranger from a foreign country, not one of the chosen people of Israel, may be in exile, banished from his own land, no light from heaven, seemingly, by the selection of Israel barred from the commonwealth of God, yet if this stranger comes to that Temple and lifts up his heart to God, then Solomon prays that the Lord will hear that stranger. That gets to be a very big item of the New Testament gospel. You remember Paul says to the Ephesians, “Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.” In this prayer of Solomon is a forecast of the abrogation of the middle wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile. All peoples, all races, tribes, tongues, and kindreds may come before the Lord. Paul enunciated it in Mars’ Hill when he said, “God made of one blood all nations of men that inhabit the face of the earth, and appointed their seasons and their boundaries with a view that they might seek after him and find him.” Now if a stranger comes to this house of God and honestly seeks a blessing from God, he may find it. That is a good thought. While our houses of worship are not temples, yet they ought to be places attractive to strangers. “Here the people of God are meeting and I am an outsider. Will I be welcome? Is there anything here for me? Will anyone speak a word of comfort or peace to my soul?”
When I was pastor of the First Church in Waco, two deacons had a special duty. Every Sunday morning, as soon as the bell tapped to call the Sunday school together for its final exercises, these two deacons arose and went down on the streets of Waco and spent the time till the opening song of the church service inviting strangers on the streets to come to church. One notable incident occurred. They brought a man in that way one day and he was converted. I think I never heard anything more touching than his relation of the fact that a very gentlemanly old man saw him on the street where he was wandering without money, no place to go, without a friend in the world, and asked him to come to church, which led to his salvation.
Solomon then takes up the case of battle. This is before the battle is joined. Is there such a thing as the decision of battle by the Almighty? Infidels adopt the theory of the French Marshal that God favors the heaviest battalions in the fight. But the battle is not always to the strong. Patrick Henry insisted upon that in his speech before the House of Burgesses. Solomon wanted that thought fixed in the very hearts of his people, that before they fought they should pray. At the great battle of Agincourt, when a very small English army was surrounded by an enormous French army, say 25,000 against 100,000, just before the fight the English army prayed that the French king says, “Are they prostrating themselves in homage to us already? Do they acknowledge their defeat?” One who knew them replied to the king, “No, sire. They are taking their case to their God, and they will fight the better for it when they get up off their knees.” One of the soldiers, in the English civil war, remarked to Prince Rupert that he feared Cromwell’s Ironsides when they knelt and prayed just before a fight and rose singing, “Let God arise and his enemies be scattered.” In the book of the Maccabees there is a marvelous illustration of this, when Judas Maccabaeus with 10,000 men defeated 100,000, having made a solemn appeal to the God of battles before the issue was joined.
It is related as an incident of colonial history that in the war between France and England, with the battlefield over in this country, that the French at a serious crisis dispatched a great fleet with 3,000 soldiers and 40,000 stands of arms to turn the scale, and as that armament approached this continent, the colonists felt that if it arrived safely they were lost, and so the preachers gathered the people for prayer that God might save them from this armament, and even as they prayed a storm came and scattered the fleet, wrecking many of the vessels, drowning most of the soldiers, and sinking most of their munitions of war.
The climax of Solomon’s prayer anticipates a time when his people, on account of very grievous sin, shall be carried into captivity, their city taken, and over there in a land of exile they should become slaves of a foreign power. In this dire disaster, if they should repent and remember and look back toward Jerusalem and to this house, then might the Lord forgive them there and restore them to their land. We see Daniel carrying out this thought, as every day he would open his window and look toward Jerusalem and pray, doing just what this prayer suggests. Against the royal edict he would turn toward the Temple and pray. In Dan 9:19 we find a famous prayer confessing the sins of the people and repeating the promise in the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years of captivity is nearly out, and crying out, “Oh Lord, hear! Oh Lord, forgive,” and even while he is praying an angel comes, touches him and tells him that his prayer is heard and shows him that not only will they be restored at that time, but unveils the prophecy concerning the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem and the length of time to elapse between that event and the birth of the long-looked-for Messiah, as you will find in the conclusion of Dan 9 .
Having offered this great prayer, Solomon arose and pronounced the benediction. As soon as this prayer ended, confirmation came in a very remarkable way. Fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been placed upon the altar, and not only that, but God appears to Solomon as he had appeared to him at Gibeon, and uses this language, which Spurgeon makes the text of one of his great sermons: “And Jehovah said unto him) I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me! I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built to put my name there forever.” On the next page it says, “Now I have chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there forever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.” In another place he says, “My hands shall be there.” Now Spurgeon takes for a text: “My name shall be there, my eyes shall be there, my heart shall be there, my hands shall be there.” “Whoever comes to that place of worship, I see him. Whoever prays, I hear him. Whoever pleads, I love him and I save him by my hand.” Spurgeon makes a great sermon out of it, and I suggest it as a good text.
We note the permanent use of the Temple: “Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch even as the duty of every day required.” That is the daily sacrifice, offering according to the commandment of Moses on the sabbaths, then there are the weekly sacrifices, and on the new moons, which are the monthly sacrifices; and then on the great feast days three times in the year. There you have the whole cycle of the sacrifices to be offered in the Temple. Moses provided for morning and evening sacrifices in the tabernacle. Perhaps you have read The Prince of the House of David by Ingraham, an Episcopalian preacher. He represents the young Jewish lady that came from Alexandria on a visit to Jerusalem as being waked up just as the dawn flushed the eastern sky; the silver trumpets began to blow, and as those trumpets were blown everybody rushed to the housetops, and while they were looking at the Temple a great white cloud of incense rose up over the Temple and ascended to heaven, representing the morning prayers of the people, and they on the housetops prostrated themselves at the time of the incense and offered their morning prayers. That occurred every evening also, and it could be seen by everybody in the city, the going up of that great cloud of incense. They could hear the sound of those trumpets calling to prayer morning and evening. Solomon provided according to the ritual of Moses and David that these daily sacrifices should never be neglected in that Temple, nor the sabbatical, or weekly, nor the monthly, nor the annual sacrifices in the times of the great feasts.
I will devote the rest of the chapter to the glory of Solomon. You will note these words: “And the King made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland for abundance. So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart, and they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.” Again, “And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought him presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”
As a sample of the glory of Solomon, we have the visit of the Queen of Sheba, who came, as our Lord said, from the uttermost parts of the earth. Commentators are divided as to whether she was a queen over, that best watered and most fertile part of southern Arabia, or whether she was the Queen of Abyssinia just across the dividing water in Africa. Most modern commentators make her the queen of what is called “Arabia Felix,” but my own judgment is that she was the queen of Abyssinia. The tradition of her reign lingers there where recently King Menelik defeated the Italian armies, and where they still keep up certain forms of the Christian religion, whence also in New Testament times came the Ethiopian eunuch whom Philip led to Christ. By combining 1Ki 10:1-13 with Mat 12:42 you may make a great sermon with these heads: (1) She heard a rumor that there was a wise man who could answer any question. (2) She had hard questions knocking at the door of her heart, as every woman has. She determined, at any cost, to have these problems solved, so she makes this great journey, and when she gets there and he answers all of her questions and she sees his glory, his Temple, the way by which he went up into the Temple, the apparel of his servants, there was no more breath in her, that is, she fainted. You know some people are so finely strung that they will faint when looking at a great picture, or on being stirred by great music. From her words, “The half was not told me,” we get our hymn, “The half has never yet been told.”
My own sermon on Mat 12:42 had these heads: (1) There shall be a resurrection of the dead. (2) It will be a general resurrection, (3) followed by a general judgment, (4) whose determining principle shall be: Men are judged according to their light. We may close this discussion with a brief account of Solomon’s relations with other governments.
1. Phoenicia. He inherited from his father a most valuable alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, whose fleets controlled the Mediterranean Sea.
2. Egypt. His marriage with Pharaoh’s daughter held the friendship of the ruling dynasty in Egypt.
3. Friendly alliance with the Queen of Sheba.
4. In David’s time the Hittite nation at Hamath paid tribute. Solomon conquered the country.
5. By intermarriage he secured friendly relations with many countries, as most of his marriages were political.
6. By commerce through the Mediterranean he held friendly relations with the nations on its shores as far as Spain.
7. By commerce with the archipelagoes of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, he held friendly relations with the Orient, and Africa.
8. By land-traffic he held friendly relations with Arabia, Mesopotamia, and the nations around the Caspian Sea.
QUESTIONS
1. What promise of Jehovah was made to Solomon when he commenced to build the Temple?
2. What command of Jehovah, through Moses, was fulfilled in the building of the Temple?
3. When then, in brief, were the purposes of the Temple?
4. What effect has this dedication on all subsequent dedications of buildings?
5. At what annual festival was the Temple dedicated?
6. What are the steps of offering the house, and how the divine acceptance signified?
7. What similar event occurred in Moses’ day, and what greater event in the New Testament day?
8. Describe the platform occupied by Solomon, and his posture in the several parts of the dedication.
9. In what double capacity does he act?
10. What were the salient points of his opening address?
11. The salient points of his prayer?
12. What evidence in later days that in accord with Solomon’s petition his people prayed toward Jerusalem?
13. In what signal way did confirmation come from heaven, that his prayer was answered?
14. Distinguish between the two manifestations of the glory of the Cloud, 2Ch 5:13 ; 2Ch 7:1-3 .
15. What says the text of the glory of Solomon, and the extent of his kingdom? (See 1Ki 4:20-25 ; 1Ki 10:18-25 .)
16. What our Lord’s reference to Solomon’s glory?
17. Recite the story of the Queen of Sheba. Where her country? What our Lord’s reference to it, and what the sermon outline on Mat 12:42 ?
18. What was Solomon’s relations to foreign nations?
19. When and why Jehovah’s second appearance to Solomon?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
2Ch 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion.
Ver. 2. Then Solomon assembled, &c. ] See for this whole chapter following, 1Ki 8:1-12 . See Trapp on “ 1Ki 8:1 “ &c
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Then Solomon. Compare 1Ki 8:1-11.
children = sons.
the ark. See notes on 1Ch 13:3 and Exo 25:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ch 5:2-10
2Ch 5:2-10
THE ARK BROUGHT INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES
“Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the children of Israel assembled themselves unto the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark; and they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests the Levites bring up. And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, went before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there it is unto this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables that Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.”
“All of 2 Chronicles 5,2 Chronicles 6,2 Chronicles 7 is virtually identical with 1Ki 8:1 to 1Ki 9:9, the few additions giving mainly liturgical information.” Our Commentary on 1Kings has our discussion of what is contained in this section.
“The city of David, which is Zion” (2Ch 5:2). Zion was the old citadel and stronghold of the Jebusites which David captured. The temple was located north of Zion on the elevation known as Moriah.
“And there it is unto this day” (2Ch 5:9). These words are from the ancient source quoted by the Chronicler (Ezra); because the temple no longer stood when Chronicles was written.
E.M. Zerr:
2Ch 5:2. The transfer of the ark was to be an event of much importance. The sacred vessel had been separated from its proper place since the early days of Saul. (1 Samuel 4). David had secured royal possession of it and housed it in a tent devoted to its exclusive use, located in Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Solomon called for this representative gathering of great men to witness the event.
2Ch 5:3. Feast . . seventh month. This was the feast of atonement. (Lev 16:29-30.) It was the time when the high priest went into the Most Holy place in the tabernacle, where the ark had formerly been kept.
2Ch 5:4-5. All the elders of Israel, meaning the more experienced and influential men had a part in this great movement. There were some things, however, that none but Levites were allowed to do, hence they are mentioned in connection with the elders. Brought up the ark and the tabernacle. This sounds as if the transaction was one and the same as to location. Such was not the case, though, for the ark was right there in Jerusalem, while the tabernacle and the other articles of service were at Gibeon. It was not destined ever to be used again in the service, but was brought to the capital city and stored out of due respect.
2Ch 5:6. This great sacrifice was a sort of celebration or rededication of the ark, which was the most exclusive piece of furniture in the tabernacle or temple.
2Ch 5:7-8. The priests were the proper ones to have charge of the ark. Oracle and most holy place were names for corresponding rooms. The latter was what it was called in the tabernacle, and the other in the temple. They were alike in that no one but a priest had any right to go into them while they were in service. (Heb 9:7.)
2Ch 5:9. This strange verse is explained in my comments on 1Ki 8:8.
2Ch 5:10. Nothing in the ark save, etc. Heb 9:4 names the three things that had been put into the ark, and Exo 16:33-34; Num 17:10, and Exo 25:16 gives the account of their being put there. I can find no information as to how or when two of them came to be missing when Solomon moved the ark into the temple.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Then Solomon
(See Scofield “1Ki 8:1”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Then Solomon: 2Ch 5:1, 2Ch 5:12, 1Ki 8:1-11, 1Ch 28:1
the chief: 1Ch 15:12, 1Ch 24:6, 1Ch 24:31, 1Ch 26:26
the ark: Num 10:33, Num 10:36
out: 2Ch 1:4, 2Sa 6:12, 1Ch 16:1
the city: 2Sa 5:7
which is Zion: Psa 2:6, Psa 87:2, Psa 132:13-17
Reciprocal: Lev 8:3 – General Lev 9:5 – and all the congregation 1Ch 11:5 – the castle Neh 12:31 – the princes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 5:2 to 2Ch 7:10. The Dedication of the Temple (see notes on 1 Kings 8).The chief points of difference between the Chroniclers account and 1 Kings 8 are: (a) that in 2Ch 5:4 the Levites are the bearers of the Ark (cf. 1Ch 15:2; 1Ch 15:26 f.) instead of the priests as in 1Ki 8:3; (b) that in 2Ch 5:5 and is omitted between the priests the Levites, the two being thus identified; the omission may, however, be merely a textual error; (c) further, the words for all the priests . . . for his mercy endureth for ever (2Ch 7:11 b 2Ch 7:13 a) are not found in 1 K.; they are from the Chronicler, or possibly the addition of a later editor. These three variations illustrate the ecclesiastical standpoint of the Chronicler and the school of thought to which he belonged, (d) In 2Ch 6:41 f. there is a prayer, made up of Psa 130:2; Psa 132:1; Psa 132:8-10, in place of the conclusion to Solomons prayer given in 1Ki 8:53. (e) In 2Ch 7:1 the mention of fire coming down from heaven (cf. 1Ch 21:26) is not found in 1Ki 8:54. () A comparison between 2Ch 7:8 f. and 1Ki 8:65 f. well illustrates the way in which the later usage of the Chroniclers times was read into that of earlier days.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the {a} city of David, which [is] Zion.
(a) Read 2Sa 6:12.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
1. The installation of the ark 5:2-14
Solomon dedicated the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles (2Ch 5:3). The priests brought the ark and the utensils, that had been in the tent David had pitched for the ark, into the temple. The temple site was north of, and higher than, the "city of David" where the Jerusalemites lived. Sacrifices of worship accompanied the installation. The descent of the cloud (shekinah) signified that God’s presence now abode in the most holy place in a localized sense (cf. Exo 40:34-35). From then on God dwelt there among His people until the Babylonians destroyed the temple in 586 B.C. (cf. Ezekiel 10). His presence was the basis for Solomon’s address to the people and his prayer that followed.
The statement in 2Ch 5:9 that the poles of the ark were visible "to this day" suggests that someone wrote Chronicles before the destruction of the temple. However, most scholars believe the evidence for a postexilic date of composition is overwhelming, and that this reference is a copyist’s mistake. Probably it came into this text from 1Ki 8:8. [Note: See Payne, p. 460; and C. F. Keil, The Books of the Chronicles, p. 324.] Evidently the veil did not extend the full width of the sanctuary.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
C. The Dedication of the Temple 5:2-7:10
The dedication ceremony consisted of four parts: the installation of the ark, Solomon’s address to the people, Solomon’s prayer, and the celebration of the people.
"There can be little doubt that this ceremony, together with God’s response which immediately follows it, marks one of the major climaxes in the Chronicler’s presentation." [Note: H. G. M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles, p. 213.]