51 For they be thy people, H5971 and thine inheritance, H5159 which thou broughtest forth H3318 out of Egypt, H4714 from the midst H8432 of the furnace H3564 of iron: H1270
But the LORD H3068 hath taken H3947 you, and brought you forth H3318 out of the iron H1270 furnace, H3564 even out of Egypt, H4714 to be unto him a people H5971 of inheritance, H5159 as ye are this day. H3117
Which I commanded H6680 your fathers H1 in the day H3117 that I brought them forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the iron H1270 furnace, H3564 saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice, H6963 and do H6213 them, according to all which I command H6680 you: so shall ye be my people, H5971 and I will be your God: H430
And Moses H4872 besought H2470 H6440 the LORD H3068 his God, H430 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 why doth thy wrath H639 wax hot H2734 against thy people, H5971 which thou hast brought forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 with great H1419 power, H3581 and with a mighty H2389 hand? H3027 Wherefore should the Egyptians H4714 speak, H559 and say, H559 For mischief H7451 did he bring H3318 them out, to slay H2026 them in the mountains, H2022 and to consume H3615 them from the face H6440 of the earth? H127 Turn H7725 from thy fierce H2740 wrath, H639 and repent H5162 of this evil H7451 against thy people. H5971
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Then the Egyptians H4714 shall hear H8085 it, (for thou broughtest up H5927 this people H5971 in thy might H3581 from among H7130 them;) And they will tell H559 it to the inhabitants H3427 of this land: H776 for they have heard H8085 that thou LORD H3068 art among H7130 this people, H5971 that thou LORD H3068 art seen H7200 face H5869 to face, H5869 and that thy cloud H6051 standeth H5975 over them, and that thou goest H1980 before H6440 them, by day time H3119 in a pillar H5982 of a cloud, H6051 and in a pillar H5982 of fire H784 by night. H3915 Now if thou shalt kill H4191 all this people H5971 as one H259 man, H376 then the nations H1471 which have heard H8085 the fame H8088 of thee will speak, H559 saying, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not H1115 able H3201 to bring H935 this people H5971 into the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto them, therefore he hath slain H7819 them in the wilderness. H4057 And now, I beseech thee, let the power H3581 of my Lord H136 be great, H1431 according H834 as thou hast spoken, H1696 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 is longsuffering, H750 H639 and of great H7227 mercy, H2617 forgiving H5375 iniquity H5771 and transgression, H6588 and by no means H5352 clearing H5352 the guilty, visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children H1121 unto the third H8029 and fourth H7256 generation. Pardon, H5545 I beseech thee, the iniquity H5771 of this people H5971 according unto the greatness H1433 of thy mercy, H2617 and as thou hast forgiven H5375 this people, H5971 from Egypt H4714 even until now. H2008
I prayed H6419 therefore unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 destroy H7843 not thy people H5971 and thine inheritance, H5159 which thou hast redeemed H6299 through thy greatness, H1433 which thou hast brought forth H3318 out of Egypt H4714 with a mighty H2389 hand. H3027 Remember H2142 thy servants, H5650 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob; H3290 look H6437 not unto the stubbornness H7190 of this people, H5971 nor to their wickedness, H7562 nor to their sin: H2403 Lest the land H776 whence thou broughtest us out H3318 say, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not able H3201 to bring H935 them into the land H776 which he promised H1696 them, and because he hated H8135 them, he hath brought them out H3318 to slay H4191 them in the wilderness. H4057 Yet they are thy people H5971 and thine inheritance, H5159 which thou broughtest out H3318 by thy mighty H1419 power H3581 and by thy stretched out H5186 arm. H2220
The portion H2506 of Jacob H3290 is not like them; for he is the former H3335 of all things: and Israel is the rod H7626 of his inheritance: H5159 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is his name. H8034
Doubtless H3588 thou art our father, H1 though Abraham H85 be ignorant H3808 H3045 of us, and Israel H3478 acknowledge H5234 us not: thou, O LORD, H3068 art our father, H1 our redeemer; H1350 thy name H8034 is from everlasting. H5769 O LORD, H3068 why hast thou made us to err H8582 from thy ways, H1870 and hardened H7188 our heart H3820 from thy fear? H3374 Return H7725 for thy servants' H5650 sake, the tribes H7626 of thine inheritance. H5159 The people H5971 of thy holiness H6944 have possessed H3423 it but a little while: H4705 our adversaries H6862 have trodden down H947 thy sanctuary. H4720
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."