1 Kings 8

THen Solomon assembled the elders of Israel The Senators, and Judges, and Rulers., and all the heads of the tribes For each Tribe had a peculiar Head or Governor., the chief of the fathers The chief Persons of every great Family in each Tribe. of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon Unto himself; the antecedent Noun being put for the relative and reciprocal Pronoun, as is frequent with the Hebrews. in Jerusalem Where the Temple was built, and now finished., that they might bring up the ark To the top of this high Hill of Moriah, upon which it was built; whither they were now to carry the Ark in a Solemn pomp, that by this their attendance they might make a publick profession of that service, and respect, and obedience which they owed unto that God who was Graciously and Gloriously present in the Ark. of the covenant of the LORD, out of the city of David Where David had placed the Ark, 2 Sam. 6. 12, 17. See on 1 King. 2. 10. and 3. 1, which is Zion Which is also called Zion, because it was built upon that Hill..

And all the men of Israel Not only the chief Men who were particularly invited, but a vast number of the common people, as being forward to see and to joyn in this great and Glorious Solemnity. assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast Understand either first, The Feast of Tabernacles. Or rather, Secondly, The Feast of the Dedication, to which Solomon had invited them, which was before that Feast: for that began on the 15 day of the 7th month, Lev. 23. 34. but this began at the least 7 days before that Feast; for Solomon and the People kept the Feast for 14 days, here v. 65. i. e. 7 days for the Dedication of the Temple, and 7 other days for that of Tabernacles; and after both these were finished, he sent all the People to their homes on the 23 day of the month. See 2 Chron. 7. 9, 10., in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month Which time he chose with common respect to his Peoples convenience, because now they gathered in all their Fruits, and now they were come up to Ierusalem, to Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Quest. The Temple was not finished till the eighth month, 1 King. 6. 38. how then could he invite them in the seventh month? Ans. This was the 7th month of the next Year. For although the house in all its parts was finished the Year before, yet the utensils of it described chap. 7. were not then fully finished, but took up a considerable time afterward: and many preparations were to be made for this great and extraordinary occasion..

And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark For although the Levites might do this, Numb. 4. 15. yet the Priests did it at this time, partly, for the greater honour of the Solemnity; and partly, because the Levites might not enter into the Holy place, much less into the Holy of Holies, where it was to be placed, into which the Priests themselves might not have entred, if the High-Priest alone could have done it. Obj The Levites are said to have done this, 2 Chron. 5. 4. Ans. That is most true, because all the Priests were Levites, though all the Levites were not Priests..

And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation That made by Moses, which doubtless before this time had been translated from Gibeon to Zion, and now together with other things was put into the Treasuries of the Lords-House, to prevent all the superstitious use and prophane abuse of it, and to oblige the people to come up to Ierusalem, as the only place where God would now be Worshipped., and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and Levites The Priests carrying some, and the Levites others. bring up.

And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen Either First, In the way, as David did upon the like occasion, 2 Sam: 6. 13. Or, Secondly, When the Ark was come into the Priests Court where the Altar stood, whence it was speedily to be conveyed to that place where the People could never behold it more. Or rather, Thirdly, When the Ark was seated in its place: for although they might in the way or passage offer some Sacrifices, as David did; yet that was not a proper season to offer so many Sacrifices as could not be told nor numbred, as these are here said to be; which far better agrees with what is more particularly related below, ver. 62, 63, 64. which is here signified in the general by way of anticipation, as is frequently done in the Scripture in like cases. that could not be told nor numbred for multitude.

And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the Oracle of the house i. e. To that part of the House which is called the Oracle. 1 King. 6. 5, 16, 19, 23. or, as it here follows, the most holy place., to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims To wit, of Solomon's new-made Cherubims, 1 King. 6. 23, 24, 27. not of the Mosaical Cherubims, which were far less, and unmovably fixed to the Ark, Exod. 37. 7, 8. and therefore together with the Ark were put under the wings of these Cherubims..

For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark, and the staves thereof above.

And they drew out the staves Not wholly, which was expresly forbidden, Exod. 25. 15. Numb. 4. 6. but in part., that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place Either, First, Properly so called: which place was indeed before the oracle. But how then could it be said that they were not seen without, to wit, in the Holy place? For that they should be seen without, to wit, in the Court, was so ridiculous a conceit, that it had been absurd to suppose it, or to say any thing to prevent it. Nor is it much better what others say, that these ends of the staves did discover themselves thorough the vail, which they thrust forward, though they did not pierce thorough it. For neither in that case had they been seen; and besides, there was a Wall as well as a Vail in that place. Or rather, Secondly, In the most Holy place, which is oft called by way of eminency, the Holy place, as Exod. 29. 30. and 39. 1. Levit. 6. 30. and 10. 18. and 16. 2, 16, 17, 20. And the Hebrew words rendred before the oracle, may be as well rendred, within the oracle, the Phrase, al pene, being so used, Gen. 1. 2. the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, i. e. in the Waters, or in that confused heap of Earth and Water, in which God was now Working, that he might bring it into order and use; and Gen. 1. 20. where it is well rendred, in the open firmament of heaven, i. e. of the Air. And thus the whole is most true, They were seen out, to wit, without the Ark, and the Cherubims which covered all the other parts, but they were not seen without the Oracle, to wit, in the Holy place, strictly so called. For how could they be seen there, when there was both a Wall and a thick Vail between that place and the Oracle? And these Staves were left in this posture, that the High-Priest might hereby be certainly guided to that very particular place where he was one day in a year to sprinkle Blood, and to offer Incense before the Ark, which otherwise he might mistake in that dark place, where the Ark was wholly covered with the Wings of the great Cherubims, which stood between him and the Ark when he entred thither. Some conceive that the Door of the Oracle stood always open (which yet seems very improbable); and that they who were near the Door, might see the ends of the Staves, though by reason of the darkness of the place they could see nothing else there. before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

There was nothing in the ark Strictly and properly: for in a more large sense, as in is oft taken for by or near, as is confessed, and has been proved before; so the pot of Manna, and Aaron's rod were also in it, Heb. 9. 4. i. e. by it, to wit, in the most Holy place, before the Ark of the testimony, where God commanded Moses to put them, as it is expressed, Exod. 16. 33, 34. Numb. 1.... 10. and not strictly in it. But of this more, God assisting, on Heb. 9. 4., save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place Either, First, The most Holy place, into which the Priests had now entred to carry in the Ark. Or rather, Secondly, The Holy place, where they might have stood to minister, if the Cloud had not hindred them, as may be gathered from the next Verse., that the cloud The usual token of Gods Glorious presence. See Exod. 16. 10. and 24. 15, 16. Numb. 9. 15. filled the house of the LORD Partly, in testimony of his Gracious acceptance of this Work, and their Service; and partly, to beget an awe and reverence in them, and in all others, when they approach to God.,

So that the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud Because the Cloud was either so bright that it dazled their eyes: or rather so dark, that it struck them with horror and amazement, as is implied in the next Verse.: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

¶ Then spake Solomon Perceiving both Priests and People struck with horror and wonder at this darkness, he minds them, that this was no sign of Gods dislike or disfavour, as some of them might possibly imagine; but a token of his Approbation, and Grace, and special Presence among them., The LORD said Not in express words, but by plain consequence, because he has declared both by his Words and Actions, that he would manifest his presence... ith, and dwelling among his People, by a dark Cloud, in which he would appear. See Exod. 13. 21, 22. and 24. 16. and 40. 35. Numb. 9. 15. Deut. 4. 11. and 5. 22. Psal. 18. 12. and 97. 2. that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

I have surely built thee an house to dwell in I perceive by this thick darkness, that thou art coming among us, and therefore make haste and come, O thou Blessed Guest, into the Dwelling-place which I have built by thy Command, and for thy Service., a settled place for thee to abide in for ever Not a Tabernacle, which was made to be carried from place to place; but a durable, and, I hope, perpetual Habitation..

And the king turned his face about From the Temple, towards which he was looking to observe that thick and extraordinary darkness, to the Body of the Congregation., and blessed all the congregation of Israel Or, Blessed, (to wit, the Lord, which is easily understood from the following words; in which he only blesseth or praiseth God, but does not bless the People at all) with (so the Hebreweth is oft used, as has been showed before) all the congregation. Although he might do both, first bless the Congregation, which possibly he might do in that Solemn and Appointed Form, Numb. 6. which therefore it was needless to repeat here; and then blessed God. And indeed he does both here below, where these same words are used, ver. 55, 56, &c.; (and all the congregation of Israel stood Partly, in way of Devotion to God, whom they adored: and partly, out of respect to the King.)

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and has with his hand fulfilled it Praised be God both for his Grace in making such a promise, and for his Goodness and Truth in fulfilling it., saying,

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt Until David's time; for then he did choose Ierusalem., I chose no city i. e. I did not declare my choice of it: for so choosing is used for declaring or executing ones choice, as Deut. 12. 1. 2 Chron. 6. 5. Zech. 2. 12. and things are oft said to be done when they are only manifested or declared to be such; in which sense God is said to be justified, Psal. 51. 4. and Men to be guilty, Hos. 5. 15. Otherwise to speak properly, whatsoever God chuseth, he chuseth from Eternity. out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my Name might be therein That my Presence, and Grace, and Worship, and Glory, might be there.; but I chose David And in and with him the Tribe of Iudah, of which he was, and Ierusalem where he dwelt; which is here implied by the opposition of this to the former part of the Verse. to be over my people Israel.

And it was in the heart of David my father In his desire and purpose, as this or the like Phrase is used, 1 Sam. 10. 7. and 14. 7. 2 Sam. 7. 3., to build an house for the Name of the LORD God of Israel.

And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart Thy intention and affection was well-pleasing to me.:

Nevertheless, thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my Name.

And the LORD has performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the Name of the LORD God of Israel.

And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD i. e. The Tables of the Covenant, by a Metonymy, wherein the Conditions of Gods Covenant with Israel are written., which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

¶ And Solomon stood Upon a Scaffold set up for him in the Court of the People, 2 Chron. 6. 13. before the altar of the LORD With his Face towards the Altar of Burnt-offerings., in the presence of all the congregation of Israel Who stood round about the Scaffold, in the same Court with him., and spread forth his hand toward heaven:

And he said, LORD God of Israel, There is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:

Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him That branch of thy Promise concerning the Building of this House by David's Son.: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father, that thou promisedst him Make good the other branch of thy Promise, and do not lose the Glory of thy Faithfulness, which now thou hast got., saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight, to sit on the throne of Israel, so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me, as thou hast walked before me.

And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

But will God indeed dwell on the earth Reflecting upon Gods performance of his promise concerning the building of the Temple, he breaks forth into admiration, Is it possible that the Great, and High, and Lofty God should stoop so low, as to take up his dwelling here amongst men? O, astonishing condescension!? Behold, the heaven All thi... vast space of the visible Heaven., and heaven of heavens The third and highest, and therefore the largest Heaven, called the heaven of heavens here, as also Deut. 10. 14. Psal. 148. 4. for its eminency and comprehensiveness., cannot contain thee For thy Essence reacheth far beyond them, being Omnipresent., how much less this house that I have builded This House therefore was not built as if it were proportionable to thy greatness, or could contain thee, but only that therein we might serve and glorify thee.?

Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant Though thou art not comprehended within this place, yet show thy self to be graciously present here, by accepting and granting my present Requests here tendred unto thee., and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry, and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:

That thine eyes may be open To behold, to wit, with an Eye of favour and compassion. So it is a Synecdochical Expression; comp. Psal. 33. 18. and 34. 15. Zech. 12. 4. toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name My Presence, and Glory, and Grace. See above ver. 16. shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make towards this place This Temple, to which Solomon did now look, and it may be, point; and towards which, the godly Israelites directed their looks in their Prayers. See Dan. 6. 10..

And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray towards this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place Which he adds, that the People might not Idolize the Temple, nor presume upon it, as if God were now fast tied to them, as having no other Dwelling-place; and to direct them in all their Addresses to God in this Temple, to lift up their eyes above it, even to Heaven, where God's most True, and most Glorious Dwelling-place is., and when thou hearest, forgive To wit, the Sins of thy People, praying, and even of their prayers; which, if not pardoned, will certainly hinder the Success of all their Prayers, and the course of all thy Blessings upon them..

¶ If any man trespass i. e. If he be Accused of a Trespass. against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him Either by the Judge, or by the Party Accusing him, or by the Accused Person himself: which was usual, when there were no Witnesses. See Exod. 22. 8, 11. Numb. 5. 12, 15, &c., to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house For here God, who was appealed to as Witness, was especially present. Hence the Heathens used to Swear at their Altars.:

Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way i. e. The just Recompence of his Wicked Action and Course. upon his head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness To Vindicate him, and to manifest his Integrity..

¶ When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy Name Give Glory to thy Name, by acknowledging their Sins, and thy Justice; and by accepting the Punishment of their Iniquity; and by trusting to thy Power and Goodness alone, for their Deliverance., and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again From the Land into which they are supposed to be carried by their Enemies, into Canaan. Quest. If they were Banished into a strange Land, how could they Pray in this house, as they are said to do, ver. 33. Answ. 1. That may be rendred to, or towards this house, as it is expressed, v. 29. 30. The Hebrew Praeposition Beth, in, being oft put for el, to, or towards. 2. This may be understood of divers persons; and so the sense is this: When the People of Israel be Defeated in Battel, and many of their Brethren be taken Prisoners, and carried into Captivity; if then their Brethren remaining in the Land, shall heartily pray for their Captive Brethren, they shall be Delivered. unto the land, which thou gavest unto their fathers.

¶ When heaven The lower Heaven in which the Clouds are; as Deut. 11. 17. Psal. 147. 8. is shut up The Heaven is compared to a great Store-House in God's keeping, out of which nothing can be had, so long as it is close shut up., and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray towards this place, and confess thy Name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them Do not reject their Prayers, because they are forced from them by their Afflictions, as thou mayest justly do.:

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them That their Sin being Pardoned, and thou being Reconciled unto them, mayest vouchsafe to Teach them. Or rather, as our Translators render the very same Words, 2 Chron. 6. 27. When thou shalt teach, or hast taught them, not only by thy Word, for that was done before; but by their Afflictions, which is one of God's Schools; and especially, by thy Spirit, enlightning their Minds, and enclining their Hearts, that they may learn, and profit both by the Word, and by their Afflictions. And this is here fitly added, to show, that he could not expect, and did not desire from God the Pardon of their Sins, but upon God's Terms, to wit, upon their True Repentance. the good way i. e. The way, or Will of God; or the way of their Duty, as the following words explain it, which is most rightly called the good way here, and 1 Sam. 12. 23. because it is both Just and Holy and therefore good in it self; and good, both Delightful and Profitable to those that walk in it. The meaning is, When thou hast effectually taught them, and they have throughly learned how to please and serve thee acceptably, and to walk before thee in the way which thou hast prescribed them. wherein they should walk, and give rain The order of Solomon's Prayer is very observable; first and chiefly, he prays for their Repentance and Forgiveness, which is the chief Blessing, and the only solid Foundation of all other Mercies: and then he prays for the Temporal Mercy; thereby teaching us what to mind and desire principally in our Prayers; which also Christ has taught us in his Perfect Pattern and Form of Prayer; wherein there is but one Prayer for outward, and all the rest are for Spiritual Blessings. upon thy land which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

¶ If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar i. e. The Plague of Locusts, or Caterpillars, infesting a Land by their great numbers, and venomous or noxious qualities: of which see, Exod. 10. 4, 5. Deut. 28. 42. Psal. 105. 34, 35.; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatsoever plague That chiefly signifies, an extraordinary Judgment sent from God., whatsoever sickness there be;

What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man: or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart i. e. Either, 1. His Sin, which may be called the plague of his heart, in opposition to the other Plagues here mentioned, which Afflict only the Body, or outward Man: So the sense is, Who by their Afflictions are brought to a true and serious sense of their worse and inward Plague of their Sins, which are most fitly called the plague of the heart, because that is both the Principal Seat of Sin, and the Fountain from whence all Actual Sins flow, Matt. 15. 19. Or rather, 2. His Affliction; for so this is Explained in the parallel-place, 2 Chron. 6. 29. (which is the more considerable, because that Book was written after this, to Explain what was dark or deubtful, and to supply what was lacking in this) when every one shall know his own sore, and his own grief; which is not unfitly called, the plague of his heart, because it was that Plague which his Heart was most Afflicted with, which pained him at the very heart; as the Phrase is, Ier. 4. 19. comp. Psal. 55. 4. which caused him most vexation or grief, which is a Passion of the Heart: and so the sense is, Who shall know, i. e. be duly and deeply sensible of his Affliction, and the hand of God in it; and his Sin as the Cause of it: for Words of Knowledge in Scripture, do very frequently note such a kind of Knowledge as affects and changeth the Heart, and reforms the whole course of a Man's Life; for which cause, men of ungodly Lives are frequently said in Scripture not to know God, or Christ, or his Word, &c. And therefore... o man knows his sore in a Scripture-sense, but he who hears the rod, who turneth unto him that smiteth him, and sincerely seeketh to the Lord for Relief., and spread forth his hands towards this house:

Then hear thou in heaven thy dwellingplace, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways According to his Repentance, or Impenitency. I pray with more hope and confidence, because I do not desire that thou wouldst deliver such as are insensible of thy Judgments, and their Sin; but only those who truly know the Plague of their own Heart in manner before explained., whose heart thou knowest Thou knowest who are truly Penitent, and who are not; and therefore the granting of my Request will be no dishonour to thy Government, nor injury to thy Holy Nature., (for thou, even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men.)

That they may fear thee That when thou hast first smitten them, and then so eminently delivered them, and that in answer to their Prayer, they may hereby be taught to fear Thee, and thy Justice, and thy Goodness. all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

Moreover concerning a stranger that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far countrey for thy Names sake This may note, either 1. The end of his coming, that he may Worship, and Glorifie thy Name: or rather, 2. The motive, or occasion of his Coming, which was the fame of God's Greatness, and Power, and Kindness to his People: as the following words Explain it.,

(For they shall hear of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm) when he shall come and pray towards this house,

Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for To wit, Agreeable to thy Will and Word: for he would not have them heard, if they had Prayed for any thing dishonourable to God, or destructive to his People. It is observable, That his prayer for the Strangers is more large, and comprehensive, than for the Israelites; that thereby he might both show his Publick-spiritedness, and encourage Strangers to the Worship of the True God.: that all people of the earth may know thy Name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel Whereby we see, how sincerely and heartily the ancient and godly Iews desired the Conversion of the Gentiles; whereas, the latter and degenerate Iews, in the days of Christ, and of the Apostles, did Envy, Oppose it, and fret at it., and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy Name i. e. Is owned, not only by us, but by thy self, as thy House; the only place in the World to which thou wilt vouchsafe thy Presence and Protection, and wherein thou wiltst... e Publickly and Solemnly Served..

¶ If thy people go out to battel against their enemy whithersoever thou shalt send them i. e. In a Just Cause, and by thy Warrant or Commission. Whereby he implies, That it was unlawful for them to undertake any War merely for their own Glory, or Lust; or to enlarge their Empire beyond its due bounds; and that they could not with safe Conscience pray to God for his Blessing upon such a War., and shall pray unto the LORD Whereby he instructs them, That they should not trust, either to the Strength or Justice of their Arms, but only to God's Help and Blessing, which they were to pray for. toward the city which thou hast chosen To wit, for thy Dwelling-place, and the Seat of thy Temple, and toward the house that I have built for thy Name For to it they were to turn their Faces in Prayer; partly, thereby to profess themselves to be the Worshippers of the True God, in opposition to Idols; and that they sought help from him, and from no other: and partly, to strengthen Faith in God's Promises and Covenant, the Tables whereof were contained in that House.:

Then hear thou in heaven their prayer, and their supplication, and maintain their cause Declare the Justice of their Cause, by giving them the Victory..

If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not The Universal Corruption of Man's whole Race and Nature, makes me presage, that they will fall into Sins; and withal, makes me to hope, that thou wiltst not be severe to deal with them as their Sins deserve.) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near:

Yet if they shall bethink themselves Heb. bring back their hearts; to wit, their Sin; Expressed ver. 46. and implied in the following word, Repent. in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee, in the land of them that carried them captives, saying Sensibly, and with an honest heart., We have sinned, and have done preversly, we have committed wickedness;

And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul i. e. Sincerely, Universally, and Stedfastly., in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name:

Then hear thou their prayer, and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their cause Heb. their right, against their Invaders and Oppressors. For they had forfeited all their Rights to God only, but not to their Enemies; whom though God used as scourges to chastise his Peoples Sins, yet they had no pretence of Right to their Land, nor any regard to it; but only minded the satisfaction of their own Lusts and Interests. See Isa. 10. 5, 6. and 47. 6. Zech. 1. 15..

And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them, who carryed them away captive, that they may have compassion on them i. e. May gently use them whilst they are there, and proclaim Liberty to their Captives, to go to their own Land.:

For they be thy people For howsoever they may sin against thee, or suffer from men; yet still remember, that they, are thy peculiar People, and therefore do thou pity, and pardon, and save them., and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron So called, either from the Metal melted in it: or rather, from the Matter of which it consisted, an Iron Furnace being more hot and terrible, than one of Brick, or Stone. He understands hereby, their cruel Bondage, and painful Labours. See on Deut. 4. 20.:

That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.

For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance Thou hast begun to build a Work of great and glorious Mercy to them; do not give occasion to thine Enemies to think, thou wast unable to finish it; or that thou art unstable in thy ways and Counsels, or unkind to thine own Children., as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD GOD.

And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven.

And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,

Blessed be the LORD, that has given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there has not failed one word of all his good promises See the like, Iosh. 21. 45. and 23. 14. 2 King 10. 10.; which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

The LORD our God be with us By the presence of his Grace and Mercy., as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:

That he may incline our heart unto him That he may not only bless us with outward Prosperity, and Glory; but especially, with Spiritual Blessings: and that as he has given us his Word and Statutes to teach and direct us, so he would by his Holy Spirit, effectually incline and engage our Hearts to keep and obey them., to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.

And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God, day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant i. e. Of me, as ver. 28, 29, 30. their King, and consequently of all my Successors., and the cause of his people Israel According to mine, or their various necessities and exigencies. at all times, as the matter shall require:

That all the people of the earth may know Both by our vertuous and holy Lives, to which thou inclinest us by thy Grace; and by the eminent manifestations of thy Power and Goodness, in defending, and delivering us from all the assaults and devices of our Enemies. that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.

Let your heart therefore be perfect i. e. Sincere and serious in your purposes of Obedience: for sinless Perfection, he himself taught them was not to be expected here, Eccles. 7. 20. with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

¶ And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.

And Solomon offered a sacrifice By the hands of the Priests. of peaceofferings which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep Not all in one day, but in the 7, or, it may be in the 14 days, mentioned ver. 65.: so i. e. By these Sacrifices, and Holy Exercises. the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD i. e. Began to set it apart for the Work and Service of God..

The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court To wit, of the Priests Court, in which the great Altar was. This he Consecrated as he did the great Altar, to wit, by Sacrifices; but with this difference, That he Consecrated That for lasting and perpetual use: but This only for the present time and occasion, being warranted to do so both by the necessity of it for God's Service, and for the present Solemn Work, for which the Brazen Altar was not sufficient, as it here follows; and by the direction of God's Spirit, where with Solomon was endowed, as being a Prophet, as well as a King. Here therefore he suddenly reared up divers Altars, which after this Solemnity were demolished. that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt-offerings, and meat-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar that was before the LORD, was too little to receive the burntofferings, and meat-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings.

And at that time Solomon held a feast i. e. Kept the Solemnity., and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entring in of Hamath, unto the river of Egypt The usual and known bounds of the Land, in the utmost length of it, of which, see Num. 34. 8. Iosh. 13. 5. Iudg. 3. 3., before the LORD i. e. Before the Temple, and as in God's Presence. our God, seven days, and seven days Seven for the Dedication of the Temple, or Altar; and the other seven for the Feast of Tabernacles; as may be gathered from 2 Chron. 7. 9. And it seems to be expressed in this manner, to intimate, that these 14 days of Rejoycing, were not all together, but that there was some interval between them, which indeed was necessary, because the Day of Atonement was on the Tenth day of this Month, Levit. 23. 27. And because these 14 days ended on the Twenty-second day, 2 Chron. 7. 10. it may seem most probable, that the Feast of the Dedication was kept before the Tenth day: and the Feast of Tabernacles some days after it., even fourteen days.

On the eighth day he sent the people away Solomon having joyned with the People in the Solemn Assembly, which was kept on the Eighth day; in the close of that Day and Service, he took his solemn farewel, and dismissed them with his Blessing; and the next Morning when the Heads and Elders who came to Solomon upon this special Summons, above ver. 3. and with them divers of the People came to take their leave of the King, he sent them away. And so this place agrees very well with 2 Chron. 7. 9, 10.: and they blessed the king i. e. They prayed to God to Bless him, according to their duty and custome. Or, they praised him, for his great care and pains in Building of the Temple, and setting up God's Worship among them., and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart, for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David In giving him a sure House, and a wife and religious Son, by whom he had now fulfilled the Promise made to David about the Building of the Temple. his servant, and for Israel his people.