16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
And the LORD 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 for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
When heaven is 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 afflictest them:
And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 7
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 7 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 7
In this chapter is an account of the Lord's acceptance of the sacrifices offered at the dedication of the temple by fire, to the great surprise and encouragement of the people, 2 Chronicles 7:1, and of the feast kept on that account, and the feast of tabernacles, 2 Chronicles 7:8, and of the Lord's appearance to Solomon, giving an answer to his prayer, 2 Chronicles 7:13.
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,.... The prayer recorded in the preceding chapter:
the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; which was the token God gave of his acceptance of them, of which there had been several instances before, Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38,
and the glory of the Lord filled the house; the glory of the Shechinah of the Lord, as the Targum, see 1 Kings 8:11.
And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord,.... They went in to carry the ark thither, but not being able to stand to minister, they came out, and could not reenter:
because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house; both the holy place, and the holy of holies, see 1 Kings 8:10.
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.
Then the king and all the people,.... Of these two verses; see Gill on 1 Kings 8:62; see Gill on 1 Kings 8:63.
And the priests waited on their offices,.... Performed them, some in offering sacrifices, others in blowing trumpets, as it may be explained from the latter part of the verse:
the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord; under a divine direction, on which the Levites played to the songs of praise offered to the Lord, and by which they made music sacred to him:
because his mercy endureth for ever; which, as it was the close of their songs of praise, was the cause of them:
when David praised by their ministry; the songs sung being composed by him, and the instruments they played upon being of his invention, and used by his order:
and the priests sounded trumpets before them; or rather over against them, that is, over against the Levites, as they were singing and playing on the instruments of music:
and all Israel stood; while this sacred and delightful service was performing, they both stood up, and stood by the priests and Levites, and joined with them in praising the Lord.
Moreover, Solomon hallowed the middle of the court,.... From hence, to the end of 2 Chronicles 7:10 is the same with 1 Kings 8:64. See Gill on 1 Kings 8:64, 1 Kings 8:65, 1 Kings 8:66, only mention is made in 2 Chronicles 7:9 of the dedication of the altar, as if distinct from the dedication of the house, and hallowing the middle of the court, see Numbers 7:10 in imitation of which the Heathens dedicated their altars, in which they used ashes and water, as PausaniasF25Eliac, 1. sive, l. 5. p. 312. relates, and had also feasts, as here, at the dedication of their templesF26Plin. Ep. l. 4. ep. 1. , in which they have been imitated by Christians; and many of our country feasts, as they are called, were first kept at the dedication of churches to such and such a saint.
Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord,.... With which begins 1 Kings 11:1; see Gill on 1 Kings 11:1.
And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night,.... From hence, to the end of the chapter, much the same things are related as in 1 Kings 9:2. See Gill on 1 Kings 9:2, 1 Kings 9:3, 1 Kings 9:4, 1 Kings 9:5, 1 Kings 9:6, 1 Kings 9:7, 1 Kings 9:8, 1 Kings 9:9, excepting 2 Chronicles 7:13 which contain an answer to the particular requests made by Solomon in case of a famine or pestilence, that when the people of Israel should humble themselves in prayer and supplication, the Lord would be attentive to them, and forgive them, 2 Chronicles 6:26 and which is given as a specimen, and as encouragement to expect the same treatment in all other cases mentioned in Solomon's prayer, they so behaving.