Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 7:3
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshiped, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] forever.
3. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down ] R.V. And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down.
praised the Lord ] R.V. gave thanks unto the LORD; cp. 2Ch 5:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The cloud first came down upon the house, and then entered into the house, and was seen both within it by the priests, and without it by the people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. all the children of Israel . . .bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon thepavementThis form of prostration (that of lying on one’s kneeswith the forehead touching the earth), is the manner in which theHebrews, and Orientals in general, express the most profoundsentiments of reverence and humility. The courts of the temple weredensely crowded on the occasion, and the immense multitude threwthemselves on the ground. What led the Israelites suddenly to assumethat prostrate attitude on the occasion referred to, was thespectacle of the symbolical cloud slowly and majestically descendingupon the temple, and then entering it.
2Ch7:4-11. SOLOMON’SSACRIFICES.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,…. From heaven upon the sacrifice, and consumed it, which was all visible to the eye; or it may be this was a distinct fire from the former, since it seems to have come down upon the house, and so may denote a bright, shining, glorious light; the same with what follows:
and the glory of the Lord upon the house; for not only the house was filled with the glory, but there was a bright stream of light and glory over it, very dazzling and surprising:
they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement; of the great court, where they were assembled:
and worshipped and praised the Lord: worshipped him by praising him:
saying, for he is good; in his nature, promises, and blessings; is good, and does good:
for his mercy endureth for ever; this was the close of their song of praise.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Upon the pavement.Riph; rendered by the LXX. , which is the word used in Joh. 19:13; Vulg., pavimentum stratum lapide. (Comp. Eze. 40:17-18; Est. 1:6, a tesselated pavement.)
And praised.Gave thanks to Jehovah. The infinitive is here used for the finite form of the verb, as elsewhere.
For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.See 1Ch. 16:34-41; 1Ch. 23:30; 2Ch. 5:13; 2Ch. 20:21. The Syriac and Arabic paraphrase, and they said one to another: Give thanks to the Lord, &c. There is hardly anything in the section, except this last phrase, which can be said to be characteristic of the style of the chronicler.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 7:3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
Ver. 3. Saw how the fire came down. ] Though the Lord do not now thus sensibly answer prayers by fire from heaven, or by shaking the house, as Act 4:31 , yet by faith we are assured, and by experience confirmed, that they are graciously accepted.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
children = sons.
mercy = grace.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they bowed: Exo 4:31, Lev 9:24, Num 14:5, Num 16:22, 1Ki 18:39, 1Ch 29:20, Psa 95:6
For he is: 2Ch 5:13, 2Ch 20:21, 1Ch 16:41, Ezr 3:11, Psa 103:17, Psa 136:1-26, Isa 63:7, Jer 33:11, Heb 7:24, Heb 7:25, Luk 1:50
Reciprocal: 1Ki 18:24 – answereth by fire 1Ch 16:34 – give thanks 2Ch 7:6 – because his mercy 2Ch 20:18 – bowed his head 2Ch 29:27 – the song Job 1:20 – fell Psa 107:1 – Give Isa 64:11 – where Eze 42:3 – the pavement Mar 14:35 – and fell Rev 4:10 – worship
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 7:3. The glory of the Lord upon the house The cloud first came down upon the house, and then entered into the house, and was seen both within it by the priests, and without it by the people; who by this evident token of the divine presence, and the sudden and miraculous descent of the fire, were fully satisfied that it was Gods house, and that he would accept their sacrifices offered there, hear their prayers, and bestow his blessings upon them. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement Fell prostrate upon the ground, thus expressing their awful dread of the divine majesty, their cheerful submission to the divine authority, and the sense they had of their utter unworthiness to enter into his presence. And worshipped and praised the Lord As they had great reason to do, having seen such manifest tokens of his presence among them. Saying, For he is good, &c. Thus using the same words in which the priests had just before praised him: a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should never be out of tune.