39 Then hear H8085 thou in heaven H8064 thy dwelling H3427 place, H4349 and forgive, H5545 and do, H6213 and give H5414 to every man H376 according to his ways, H1870 whose heart H3824 thou knowest; H3045 (for thou, even thou only, knowest H3045 the hearts H3824 of all the children H1121 of men;) H120
And thou, Solomon H8010 my son, H1121 know H3045 thou the God H430 of thy father, H1 and serve H5647 him with a perfect H8003 heart H3820 and with a willing H2655 mind: H5315 for the LORD H3068 searcheth H1875 all hearts, H3824 and understandeth H995 all the imaginations H3336 of the thoughts: H4284 if thou seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of thee; but if thou forsake H5800 him, he will cast thee off H2186 for ever. H5703
But the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Look H5027 not on his countenance, H4758 or on the height H1364 of his stature; H6967 because I have refused H3988 him: for the LORD seeth not as man H120 seeth; H7200 for man H120 looketh H7200 on the outward appearance, H5869 but the LORD H3068 looketh H7200 on the heart. H3824
But G1161 Jesus G2424 G846 did G4100 not G3756 commit G4100 himself G1438 unto them, G846 because G1223 he G846 knew G1097 all G3956 men, And G2532 G3754 needed G5532 G2192 not G3756 that G2443 any G5100 should testify G3140 of G4012 man: G444 for G1063 he G846 knew G1097 what G5101 was G2258 in G1722 man. G444
And G2532 I will kill G615 her G846 children G5043 with G1722 death; G2288 and G2532 all G3956 the churches G1577 shall know G1097 that G3754 I G1473 am G1510 he which G3588 searcheth G2045 the reins G3510 and G2532 hearts: G2588 and G2532 I will give G1325 unto every one G1538 of you G5213 according to G2596 your G5216 works. G2041
For G1063 the word G3056 of God G2316 is quick, G2198 and G2532 powerful, G1756 and G2532 sharper G5114 than G5228 any G3956 twoedged G1366 sword, G3162 piercing G1338 even to G891 the dividing asunder G3311 of soul G5590 and G5037 G2532 spirit, G4151 and G5037 G2532 of the joints G719 and G2532 marrow, G3452 and G2532 is a discerner G2924 of the thoughts G1761 and G2532 intents G1771 of the heart. G2588 Neither G2532 G3756 is there G2076 any creature G2937 that is not manifest G852 in his G846 sight: G1799 but G1161 all things G3956 are naked G1131 and G2532 opened G5136 unto the eyes G3788 of him G846 with G4314 whom G3739 we have G2254 to do. G3056
He saith G3004 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 Peter G4074 was grieved G3076 because G3754 he said G2036 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 all things; G3956 thou G4771 knowest G1097 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 sheep. G4263
Then hear H8085 thou in heaven, H8064 and do, H6213 and judge H8199 thy servants, H5650 condemning H7561 the wicked, H7563 to bring H5414 his way H1870 upon his head; H7218 and justifying H6663 the righteous, H6662 to give H5414 him according to his righteousness. H6666
Therefore I will judge H8199 you, O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 every one H376 according to his ways, H1870 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Repent, H7725 and turn H7725 yourselves from all your transgressions; H6588 so iniquity H5771 shall not be your ruin. H4383
Give H5414 them according to their deeds, H6467 and according to the wickedness H7455 of their endeavours: H4611 give H5414 them after the work H4639 of their hands; H3027 render H7725 to them their desert. H1576
The LORD H3068 rewarded H1580 me according to my righteousness; H6664 according to the cleanness H1252 of my hands H3027 hath he recompensed H7725 me. For I have kept H8104 the ways H1870 of the LORD, H3068 and have not wickedly departed H7561 from my God. H430 For all his judgments H4941 were before me, and I did not put away H5493 his statutes H2708 from me. I was also upright H8549 before him, and I kept H8104 myself from mine iniquity. H5771 Therefore hath the LORD H3068 recompensed H7725 me according to my righteousness, H6664 according to the cleanness H1252 of my hands H3027 in his eyesight. H5869 With the merciful H2623 thou wilt shew thyself merciful; H2616 with an upright H8549 man H1399 thou wilt shew thyself upright; H8552 With the pure H1305 thou wilt shew thyself pure; H1305 and with the froward H6141 thou wilt shew thyself froward. H6617
The LORD H3068 is in his holy H6944 temple, H1964 the LORD'S H3068 throne H3678 is in heaven: H8064 his eyes H5869 behold, H2372 his eyelids H6079 try, H974 the children H1121 of men. H120 The LORD H3068 trieth H974 the righteous: H6662 but the wicked H7563 and him that loveth H157 violence H2555 his soul H5315 hateth. H8130
Then hear H8085 thou from heaven H8064 thy dwelling H3427 place, H4349 and forgive, H5545 and render H5414 unto every man H376 according unto all his ways, H1870 whose heart H3824 thou knowest; H3045 (for thou only knowest H3045 the hearts H3824 of the children H1121 of men:) H120
Then hear H8085 thou in heaven, H8064 and forgive H5545 the sin H2403 of thy servants, H5650 and of thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 that thou teach H3384 them the good H2896 way H1870 wherein they should walk, H3212 and give H5414 rain H4306 upon thy land, H776 which thou hast given H5414 to thy people H5971 for an inheritance. H5159
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 8
Commentary on 1 Kings 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
1Ki 8:1-12. The Dedication of the Temple.
2-6. at the feast in the month Ethanim—The public and formal inauguration of this national place of worship did not take place till eleven months after the completion of the edifice. The delay, most probably, originated in Solomon's wish to choose the most fitting opportunity when there should be a general rendezvous of the people in Jerusalem (1Ki 8:2); and that was not till the next year. That was a jubilee year, and he resolved on commencing the solemn ceremonial a few days before the feast of tabernacles, which was the most appropriate of all seasons. That annual festival had been instituted in commemoration of the Israelites dwelling in booths during their stay in the wilderness, as well as of the tabernacle, which was then erected, in which God promised to meet and dwell with His people, sanctifying it with His glory. As the tabernacle was to be superseded by the temple, there was admirable propriety in choosing the feast of tabernacles as the period for dedicating the new place of worship, and praying that the same distinguished privileges might be continued to it in the manifestation of the divine presence and glory. At the time appointed for the inauguration, the king issued orders for all the heads and representatives of the nation to repair to Jerusalem and take part in the august procession [1Ki 8:1]. The lead was taken by the king and elders of the people, whose march must have been slow, as priests were stationed to offer an immense number of sacrifices at various points in the line of road through which the procession was to go. Then came the priests bearing the ark and the tabernacle—the old Mosaic tabernacle which was brought from Gibeon. Lastly, the Levites followed, carrying the vessels and ornaments belonging to the old, for lodgment in the new, house of the Lord. There was a slight deviation in this procedure from the order of march established in the wilderness (Nu 3:31; 4:15); but the spirit of the arrangement was duly observed. The ark was deposited in the oracle; that is, the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim—not the Mosaic cherubim, which were firmly attached to the ark (Ex 37:7, 8), but those made by Solomon, which were far larger and more expanded.
8. they drew out the staves—a little way, so as to project (see on Ex 25:15; Nu 4:6); and they were left in that position. The object was, that these projecting staves might serve as a guide to the high priest, in conducting him to that place where, once a year, he went to officiate before the ark; otherwise he might miss his way in the dark, the ark being wholly overshadowed by the wings of the cherubim.
9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone—Nothing else was ever in the ark, the articles mentioned (Heb 9:4) being not in, but by it, being laid in the most holy place before the testimony (Ex 16:33; Nu 17:10).
10, 11. the cloud filled the house of the Lord—The cloud was the visible symbol of the divine presence, and its occupation of the sanctuary was a testimony of God's gracious acceptance of the temple as of the tabernacle (Ex 40:34). The dazzling brightness, or rather, perhaps, the dense portentous darkness of the cloud, struck the minds of the priests, as it formerly had done Moses, which such astonishment and terror (Le 16:2-13; De 4:24; Ex 40:35) that they could not remain. Thus the temple became the place where the divine glory was revealed, and the king of Israel established his royal residence.
1Ki 8:12-21. Solomon's Blessing.
12. Then spake Solomon—For the reassurance of the priests and people, the king reminded them that the cloud, instead of being a sign ominous of evil, was a token of approval.
The Lord said—not in express terms, but by a continuous course of action (Ex 13:21; 24:16; Nu 9:15).
13. I have surely built thee an house—This is an apostrophe to God, as perceiving His approach by the cloud, and welcoming Him to enter as guest or inhabitant of the fixed and permanent dwelling-place, which, at His command, had been prepared for His reception.
14. the king turned his face about—From the temple, where he had been watching the movement of the mystic cloud, and while the people were standing, partly as the attitude of devotion, partly out of respect to royalty, the king gave a fervent expression of praise to God for the fulfilment of His promise (2Sa 7:6-16).
1Ki 8:22-61. His Prayer.
22. Solomon stood before the altar—This position was in the court of the people, on a brazen scaffold erected for the occasion (2Ch 6:13), fronting the altar of burnt offering, and surrounded by a mighty concourse of people. Assuming the attitude of a suppliant, kneeling (1Ki 8:54; compare 2Ch 6:24) and with uplifted hands, he performed the solemn act of consecration—an act remarkable, among other circumstances, for this, that it was done, not by the high priest or any member of the Aaronic family, but by the king in person, who might minister about, though not in, holy things. This sublime prayer [1Ki 8:22-35], which breathes sentiments of the loftiest piety blended with the deepest humility, naturally bore a reference to the national blessing and curse contained in the law—and the burden of it—after an ascription of praise to the Lord for the bestowment of the former, was an earnest supplication for deliverance from the latter. He specifies seven cases in which the merciful interposition of God would be required; and he earnestly bespeaks it on the condition of people praying towards that holy place. The blessing addressed to the people at the close is substantially a brief recapitulation of the preceding prayer [1Ki 8:56-61].
1Ki 8:62-64. His Sacrifice of Peace Offering.
62. the king, and all Israel … offered sacrifice before the Lord—This was a burnt offering with its accompaniments, and being the first laid on the altar of the temple, was, as in the analogous case of the tabernacle, consumed by miraculous fire from heaven (see 2Ch 7:1). On remarkable occasions, the heathens sacrificed hecatombs (a hundred animals), and even chiliombs (a thousand animals), but the public sacrifices offered by Solomon on this occasion surpassed all the other oblations on record, without taking into account those presented by private individuals, which, doubtless, amounted to a large additional number. The large proportion of the sacrifices were peace offerings, which afforded the people an opportunity of festive enjoyment.
63. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord—The dedication was not a ceremony ordained by the law, but it was done in accordance with the sentiments of reverence naturally associated with edifices appropriated to divine worship. [See on 2Ch 7:5.]
64. The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court—that is, the whole extent of the priests' court—the altar of burnt offerings, though large (2Ch 4:1), being totally inadequate for the vast number of sacrifices that distinguished this occasion. It was only a temporary erection to meet the demands of an extraordinary season, in aid of the established altar, and removed at the conclusion of the sacred festival. [See on 2Ch 7:7.]
1Ki 8:65. The People Joyful.
65. from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt—that is, from one extremity of the kingdom to the other. The people flocked from all quarters.
seven days and seven days, even fourteen days—The first seven were occupied with the dedication, and the other seven devoted to the feast of tabernacles (2Ch 7:9). The particular form of expression indicates that the fourteen days were not continuous. Some interval occurred in consequence of the great day of atonement falling on the tenth of the seventh month (1Ki 8:2), and the last day of the feast of tabernacles was on the twenty-third (2Ch 7:10), when the people returned to their homes with feelings of the greatest joy and gratitude "for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people."