48 And so return H7725 unto thee with all their heart, H3824 and with all their soul, H5315 in the land H776 of their enemies, H341 which led them away captive, H7617 and pray H6419 unto thee toward H1870 their land, H776 which thou gavest H5414 unto their fathers, H1 the city H5892 which thou hast chosen, H977 and the house H1004 which I have built H1129 for thy name: H8034
Then shall ye call H7121 upon me, and ye shall go H1980 and pray H6419 unto me, and I will hearken H8085 unto you. And ye shall seek H1245 me, and find H4672 me, when ye shall search H1875 for me with all your heart. H3824 And I will be found H4672 of you, saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 and I will turn away H7725 your captivity, H7622 H7622 and I will gather H6908 you from all the nations, H1471 and from all the places H4725 whither I have driven H5080 you, saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 and I will bring you again H7725 into the place H4725 whence I caused you to be carried away captive. H1540
And Samuel H8050 spake H559 unto all the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 If ye do return H7725 unto the LORD H3068 with all your hearts, H3824 then put away H5493 the strange H5236 gods H430 and Ashtaroth H6252 from among H8432 you, and prepare H3559 your hearts H3824 unto the LORD, H3068 and serve H5647 him only: and he will deliver H5337 you out of the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430 Then the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did put away H5493 Baalim H1168 and Ashtaroth, H6252 and served H5647 the LORD H3068 only.
O Israel, H3478 return H7725 unto the LORD H3068 thy God; H430 for thou hast fallen H3782 by thine iniquity. H5771 Take H3947 with you words, H1697 and turn H7725 to the LORD: H3068 say H559 unto him, Take away H5375 all iniquity, H5771 and receive H3947 us graciously: H2896 so will we render H7999 the calves H6499 of our lips. H8193
And thou shalt love H157 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with all thine heart, H3824 and with all thy soul, H5315 and with all thy might. H3966 And these words, H1697 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 shall be in thine heart: H3824
Seek H1875 ye the LORD H3068 while he may be found, H4672 call H7121 ye upon him while he is near: H7138 Let the wicked H7563 forsake H5800 his way, H1870 and the unrighteous H205 man H376 his thoughts: H4284 and let him return H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 and he will have mercy H7355 upon him; and to our God, H430 for he will abundantly H7235 pardon. H5545
That thine eyes H5869 may be open H6605 toward this house H1004 night H3915 and day, H3117 even toward the place H4725 of which thou hast said, H559 My name H8034 shall be there: that thou mayest hearken H8085 unto the prayer H8605 which thy servant H5650 shall make H6419 toward this place. H4725 And hearken H8085 thou to the supplication H8467 of thy servant, H5650 and of thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 when they shall pray H6419 toward this place: H4725 and hear H8085 thou in heaven H8064 thy dwelling H3427 place: H4725 and when thou hearest, H8085 forgive. H5545
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 We have sinned: H2398 do H6213 thou unto us whatsoever seemeth H5869 good H2896 unto thee; deliver H5337 us only, we pray thee, this day. H3117 And they put away H5493 the strange H5236 gods H430 from among H7130 them, and served H5647 the LORD: H3068 and his soul H5315 was grieved H7114 for the misery H5999 of Israel. H3478
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."