2 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days: and you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh; thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; and their meal-offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams, and a tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs; and one male goat for a sin-offering, besides the continual burnt offering, the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. On the second day [you shall offer] twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal-offering of it, and their drink-offerings. On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offerings of it. On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; and one male goat for a sin-offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work; but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh: one bull, one ram, seven he-lambs a year old without blemish; their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance: and one male goat for a sin-offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal-offering of it, and the drink-offering of it. These you shall offer to Yahweh in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal-offerings, and for your drink-offerings, and for your peace-offerings. Moses told the children of Israel according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
They found written in the law, how that Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. All the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of Hosts, and to keep the feast of tents. It will be, that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn't go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of Hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt doesn't go up, and doesn't come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents.
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.