20 And the LORD H3068 hath performed H6965 his word H1697 that he spake, H1696 and I am risen up H6965 in the room of David H1732 my father, H1 and sit H3427 on the throne H3678 of Israel, H3478 as the LORD H3068 promised, H1696 and have built H1129 an house H1004 for the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
And of all my sons, H1121 (for the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 me many H7227 sons,) H1121 he hath chosen H977 Solomon H8010 my son H1121 to sit H3427 upon the throne H3678 of the kingdom H4438 of the LORD H3068 over Israel. H3478 And he said H559 unto me, Solomon H8010 thy son, H1121 he shall build H1129 my house H1004 and my courts: H2691 for I have chosen H977 him to be my son, H1121 and I will be his father. H1
And he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 which spake H1696 with his mouth H6310 unto David H1732 my father, H1 and hath with his hand H3027 fulfilled H4390 it, saying, H559
And foundest H4672 his heart H3824 faithful H539 before H6440 thee, and madest H3772 a covenant H1285 with him to give H5414 the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 the Hittites, H2850 the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Jebusites, H2983 and the Girgashites, H1622 to give H5414 it, I say, to his seed, H2233 and hast performed H6965 thy words; H1697 for thou art righteous: H6662
Of the increase H4766 of his government H4951 and peace H7965 there shall be no end, H7093 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 and upon his kingdom, H4467 to order H3559 it, and to establish H5582 it with judgment H4941 and with justice H6666 from henceforth even for H5704 ever. H5769 The zeal H7068 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 will perform H6213 this.
For thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 That after H6310 seventy H7657 years H8141 be accomplished H4390 at Babylon H894 I will visit H6485 you, and perform H6965 my good H2896 word H1697 toward you, in causing you to return H7725 to this place. H4725 For I know H3045 the thoughts H4284 that I think H2803 toward you, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 thoughts H4284 of peace, H7965 and not of evil, H7451 to give H5414 you an expected H8615 end. H319
For I am the LORD: H3068 I will speak, H1696 and the word H1697 that I shall speak H1696 shall come to pass; H6213 it shall be no more prolonged: H4900 for in your days, H3117 O rebellious H4805 house, H1004 will I say H1696 the word, H1697 and will perform H6213 it, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
And shall put H5414 my spirit H7307 in you, and ye shall live, H2421 and I shall place H3240 you in your own land: H127 then shall ye know H3045 that I the LORD H3068 have spoken H1696 it, and performed H6213 it, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 8
Commentary on 1 Kings 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
The building and furniture of the temple were very glorious, but the dedication of it exceeds in glory as much as prayer and praise, the work of saints, exceed the casting of metal and the graving of stones, the work of the craftsman. The temple was designed for the keeping up of the correspondence between God and his people; and here we have an account of the solemnity of their first meeting there.
1Ki 8:1-11
The temple, though richly beautified, yet while it was without the ark was like a body without a soul, or a candlestick without a candle, or (to speak more properly) a house without an inhabitant. All the cost and pains bestowed on this stately structure are lost if God do not accept them; and, unless he please to own it as the place where he will record his name, it is after all but a ruinous heap. When therefore all the work is ended (ch. 7:51), the one thing needful is yet behind, and that is the bringing in of the ark. This therefore is the end which must crown the work, and which here we have an account of the doing of with great solemnity.
1Ki 8:12-21
Here,
1Ki 8:22-53
Solomon having made a general surrender of this house to God, which God had signified his acceptance of by taking possession, next follows Solomon's prayer, in which he makes a more particular declaration of the uses of that surrender, with all humility and reverence, desiring that God would agree thereto. In short, it is his request that this temple may be deemed and taken, not only for a house of sacrifice (no mention is made of that in all this prayer, that was taken for granted), but a house of prayer for all people; and herein it was a type of the gospel church; see Isa. 56:7, compared with Mt. 21:13. Therefore Solomon opened this house, not only with an extraordinary sacrifice, but with an extraordinary prayer.
1Ki 8:54-61
Solomon, after his sermon in Ecclesiastes, gives us the conclusion of the whole matter; so he does here, after this long prayer; it is called his blessing the people, v. 55. He pronounced it standing, that he might be the better heard, and because he blessed as one having authority. Never were words more fitly spoken, nor more pertinently. Never was congregation dismissed with that which was more likely to affect them and abide with them.
1Ki 8:62-66
We read before that Judah and Israel were eating and drinking, and very cheerful under their own vines and fig-trees; here we have them so in God's courts. Now they found Solomon's words true concerning Wisdom's ways, that they are ways of pleasantness.