Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The Bringing up of the Ark. 2 CHRONICLES V, VI. Solomons Dedicatory Prayer, cending the brazen scaffold, he assumed those two attitudes in succession, and with different oljjects in view, characteristic splendour of the edifice, but to l)e a standing emblem to the Hebrews, that the growing light of the word was necessary to counteract the growing darkness In the world. [LiGHTrooT.] 11. Huram made—(see on
- He stood while he addressed and blessed the surrounding multitude (v. 3-11); afterwards he knelt down and streU lied out his liands towards heaven, with his lace probably turned towards the altar, while he gave utterance to the beautiful and impressive prayer which is recorded in tiie remainder of this chapter. It is deserving of notice that there was no seat in this pulpit— for the king cither stood or knelt all the time he was in it. It is not improbable that it was surmounted by a canopy, or covered by a veil, to screen the royal speaker from the rays of the sun. 1821. how much less this house which I have iuiilt I Have respect tlierefore to the prayer of thy servant No person who entertains just and exalted views of the spiritual nature of the Divine Being will suppose that he can raise a temple for the habitation of Deity, as a man builds a house for himself. Nearly as Improper and inadmissible is the idea that a temple can contribute to enhance the glory of God, as a monument maj' be raised in honour q( a great man. Solomon described tlie true and proper u.se of the temple, when he entreated that the Lord "would hearken unto the supplications of His servant and His people Israel, which they should make towards this place." In short, the grand pui"pose for which the temple was erected was precisely the same as that contemplated by churches— to aftbrd the opportunity and means of public and social worship, according to the ritual of the Mosaic dispensation — to supplicate the Divine mercy and favour—to render thanks tor past instances of goodness, and offer petitions for future blessings (see on 1 Kings 8. 22-61). This religious design of the temple—the one temple in the world— is in fact its stand-point of absbrliing interest, ij'i. If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and tlie oath eoiae before thine altar in this Iiouse, itc.—In cases where the testi-mony of witnesses could not be obtained, and there was no way of settling a dillerence or dispute between two people but by accepting the oath of the accused, tlie practice had gradually crept in, and had acquired the force of consuetudinary law, for the party to be brought before the altar where his oath was taken with all due solemnity, together with tlie imprecation of a curse to
1 Kings 7. 40-46). CHAPTER V.
Ver. 1. The Dedicated Treasitres. 1. Solomon brunglit in all tilings tUat Davltl Ills father Iiad dedicated—The immense sums and the store of valuable articles which his father and other generals had reserved and appropriated for the temple (1 Chronicles 22. 14; 20. 20).
2-13. Bringing Up OF THE Akk OF THE Covenant. 3, 3. Tlieii Scloiuoii assembled ... in the feast whtch was ill the seventh month—The feast of the dedication of the temple was on the eighth day of that montli. This
IS related, word for word, the same as in 1 Kings 8. 1-10. 9. there it is unto this day i. e., at the time when this Iiistory was composed; for after the Babylonish captivity there is no trace of either ark orstaves. 11. all the priests that were present . . . did not then wait by eourse The rotation system of weekly service introduced by David was intended for the ordinary duties of the priesthood; on extraordinary occasions, or when more tlian wonted solemnity attached to them, the priests attended in a body. 13. the Levltes which were the singers—On great and solemn occasions, such as this, a full clioir was required, and their station was taken witli scrupulous regard to their oflicial parts; the family of Henian occupied the central place, the family of Asaph stood on his riglit, and that of Jedutliun on his left; the place allotted to the vocal department being a space between the court of Israel and the altar in the east end of the prie.sts' court, witli them nn hundred and twenty priests sonnding with trumpets—The trumpet was always us(>d l>y the priests, and in the Divine service it was specially employed in calling the people togetlier during the holy solemnities, and in drawing attention to new and successive parts of tlie ritual. Tlie number of trumpets used in the Divine service could not be less tlian two(Nuniber.slO.
2), and their greatest number never exceeded tlie precedent set at the dedication of the temi)le. Tlie station where the priests were sounding with trumpets was apart from that of the other musicians; fai' wliilc tlie Levite singers occupied an orchestra east of tlie altar, tlie priests stood at the marble table on the south-west of llie altar. There both of tliem stood with their faces to the altar. The manner of blowing the trumpets was, tirst, by a long plain blast, then by one with breakings and quaverings, and tlien by a long plain blast again. [Brown's Jewish Antiquities.] 13. the house was tilled with a eloud— (see on 1 Kings 8. 10, 11).
fall upon himself if his disavowal should be found untrue. There is an allusion to such a practice in this passage. 3S. If they return to thee ... in the land of their captivity . . . and pray towai-d their land wiiich thou gavest unto their fathers—These woids gave rise to the favourite usage of the ancient as well as modern Jews, of turning in prayer toward Jerusalem, in whatever quarter of the world they might be, and of directing their faei's toward the temple when in Jerusalem jlself,' or any part of the holy land (1 Kings 8. 4t). '41. arise, O Kiord God, Into thy resting-place—These words are not found In the record of this prayer in the First Uooli of Kings; but they occur in the l.'i2d Psalm, which is generally believed to have been composed by David, or rather by Solomon, in reference to this occasion. "Arise" is a very suitable expression to be used when the ark was to be reiiun 1 from the tabernacle in Zlon to the temple ou Mount Morlali. Into thy restlng-plate—Tile temiile so calli'd (Isaiah (i(>. II, because it was a lixed and permanent mansion (I'salni I.'i2. II). the ark of thy strength—The abode by which thy glorious presence is sy mlioli/.ed, and whence thou dost issue thine authoritative oracles, and manifest thy power on belialf of th.v people when they (U'slreaiid need It. It might well be designated the ark of God's strength, because It was through means of It the mighty miracles wer(! wrought, and the brilliant victories were won, that distinguish the early annals of the Hebrew nation. The sight of It Inspired the gr<'alest animation Into the breasts of His people, while it diffused terror and dismay through the ranks of their eneniles(cr. Psalm 78. (il). let thy priests be clothed « Hh salvation-Or with righteousness (I'siilm l;!2. !)), ('.<•.. ho equipped not oii)y with tlu; pure white linen gannenls thou hast aiijioluted for their robe of oUlcc, but J-Ua
CHAPTER VI.
Ver. 1^1. Soi.oMON Bi.f.sses the Pi:oi'i-k and Praises God. 1. Tlie Lord hath said that he woulil dwell in thick darkiie.ss—This introduction to Solomon's address was evidently suggested by the remarkalile incident recorded at the close of tlie last chapter; tlie phenomenon of a densely opaque and uniformly shaped cloud, descending in a slow and majestic manner, ainl lilling Ih.e whole area of the temple. He regarded it himscir, and directed tlie people also to regard it,asan unihiubtcd sign and welcome pledge of the Divine presence and iicceptance of the building reared to His honour and worship. Hi! referred not to any particular declaration of God, but to the cloud having been all along in thenation.al history of Israel the recognized syml)ol of the Divine presence (Mxodus Ki. 10-
21. Ifi ; 40. .14 ; NumlKrs !). 15 ; 1 Kings 8. 10, 1 1 ). i;j. Solomon had made a brazen scnl Told—A sort of platform ; but the Jfchrcw term rendered scatlold, being the .sanu! as that used to designate the liasin, suggests the i<lea that this throne might bear some resemblance. In form tnstructure, to those lavers in the temple, beluga sort of round and elevated puliMt, placed in the inlddh of the court, and In front of the altar of liurnt offering, upon It he tood, and kneeled down upon his knees—After as-
2GS
SoloJnon's Sacrifces. 2 CHKONICLES VII, VIII, The Cities Buill by him.
court holocausts were burning all round. 8. Solomon kept the feast seven days—The time chosen for the dedication of the temple was immediately previous to the feast of tabernacles (see on 1 Kings 8. 1-12). That season, which came after the harvest, corresponding to our September and October, lasted seven days, and during so prolonged a festival there was time alibrded for the offering of the immense sacrifices enumerated. A large proportion of these were peace offerings, whicli alforded to the people the means of festive enjoyment, all Israel . .
adorned with the moral beauties of true holiness, that their person and services may be accepted, both for tliemselves and all the people. Thus they would be "clothed witli salvation," for tliat is the efl'ect and con Bequenoe of a sanctified character. 43. turn not away the facn of tliine anointed—i. e., of me, who by thy promise and appointment have been installed as king and ruler of Israel. The words are equivalent in meaning to this: Do not reject my present petitions; do not Btnd me from thy throne of grace dejected in countenance and disappointed in heart, remember tUe mercies of Dijvirt lliy servant i. e., the mercies promised to David, and in consideration of that promise hear and answer my prayer (cf. Psalm 132. 10).
from the entering in of Hamath—t. e., the defile at Lebanon, unto the river of Egypt i. e., Uhinocorura, now El-Arish, the south boundary of Palestine. 10. on the three and twentieth «lay of the seventh month— This was ttie last day of the feast of tabernacles.
12-22. GOD Appears to Him. VZ, tlie Lord appeared to Solomon by night—(See on 1 Kings 9. 1-9.) The dedication of the temple must have been an occasion of intense national interest to Solomon and his subjects. Nor was the interest merely temporary or local. The record of it is read and thought of with an interest that is undiminished by tlie lapse of time. The fact tliat this was the only temple of all nations in which the Irue God was worshipped imparts a moral grandeur to the scene, and prepares the mind for the sublime prayer that was offered at tlie dedication. The pure theism of that prayer—its acknowledgment of the unity of God as well as of His moral perfections in providence and grace, came froiii the same Divine source as tlie miraculous fire. They indicated sentiments and feelings of exalted and spiritual devotion, which sprang not from the unaided mind of man, but from the fountain of revelation. The reality of the Divine presence was attested by the miracle, and that miracle stamped the seal of truth upon the theology of the temple worship.
CHAPTER VII.
Ver. 1-3. Gon Gives Testimony to Solomon's Prayek ; The People Worship, l. tUe fire came dovn from heaven and consumed the burnt offering—Every act of worship' was accompanied by a sacrifice. The preternatural stream of fire kindled the mass of flesh, and was a token of tlie Divine acceptance of Solomon's prayer
(see on Leviticus 9. 24; 1 Kings 18. 38). the glory of the Iord tilled the house—t. e., the cloud, wliich was the symbol of God's presence and raajesty, filled the interior of the temple (Exodus 40. 35). S. the priests coiild not enter—Both from awe of the miraculous lire that was burning on the altar, an<l from the dense cloud that enveloped the vanctuary, they were unable for some time to perform their usual functions (see on 1 Kings S. 10, 11). But afterwards, their courage and confidence being revived, they ajjproached the altar, and busied themselves in the offering of an immense number of sacrifices. 3. all the children of Israel . . . bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement—This form of prostration, viz., that of lying on one's knees with the forehead toucliing the earth, is the manner in wliich the Hebrews, and Orientals in general, express the most profound sentiments of reverence and liumility. The courts of the temple were densely crowded on the occasion, and the immense multitude threw themselves on the ground. What led the Israelites suddenly to assume that prostrate attitude on the occasion referred
CHAPTER VIII.
Ver. 1-6. Solomon's Buildings. 3. cities wiiich Huram had restored . . . Solomon built tliem, &c.—These cities laj' in the north-west of Galilee, and, tliough included within the limits of the promised land, liad never been conquered. The right of occupying them Solomon granted to Huram, who, after consideration, refused them as unsuitable to the commercial habits of liis subjects (see on 1 Kings 9. 11). Solomon having wrested them from the possession of the Canaanite inhabitants, repaired them and filled them with a colony of Hebrews. 3-6. Solomon M-ent to Hamath-zobali—Hamath was on the Orontes, in Cffile-feyria. Its king, Toi, had been tlie ally of David; but from the combination, Hamath and Zobah, to, was tlie spectacle of the symbolical cloud slowly and majestically descending upon the temple, and then entering it.
4-U. Solomon's Sacrifices. 4. Then the king and all the people offered sacritlces—Whether the individual worshippers slaughtered their own cattle, or a certain portion of the vast number of the Levitical order in attendance performed that work, as they sometimes did, in either case the oflerlngs were made through the priests, who presented tlie blood and thefat upon the altar (see on 1 Kings 8. 62-(i4). 5. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God—The ceremonial of dedication consisted principally in the introduction of the ark into the temple, and in the sacrificial offerings that were made on a scale of magnitude suitable to the extraordinary occasion. All present, the king, the people, and the priests, took part according to their respective stations In the performance of the solemn service. The duty, of course, devolved chiefly on the latter, and hence in proceeding to describe their several departments of work, the historian says, generally, "the priests waited on their offices ;" while great numbers would be occupied with the preparation and offering of the victims, others sounded with their trumpets, and the dif Terent bands of the Levltes praised the Lord with vocal and instrumental music, by the 13(ith Psalm, the oft-recurring chorus of which is, "for His mercy endureth for ever." T. Solomon hallowed the middle of the court—On this extraordinary occasion, when a larger number of animals were ofl Tered than one altar and the usujm place of rings to which the animals were bound would admit of, the whole space was taken in that was between the place of rings and the west end of the court to be used as a temporary place for additional altars, on that part of the spacious it would appear that some revolution had taken place which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous Palmyra in the s.ame region—various other cities along the frontiers of his extended dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from forciga invasion (see on ch. 1. 14; 1 Kings 9. 15-24).
7-11. The Canaanites made Tributaries. 7. all the people that were left, &c.—The descendants of the Canaanites who remained in the country were treated as war prisoners, being obliged to " pay tribute or to serve as galley slaves" (ch. 2. 18), while the Israelites were employed in no works but such as were of an honourable character. 10. two hundred and fifty that l)are J^^le—
(Cf. 1 Kings 9. 23.) It is generally agreed tliat the text of one of these passages is corrupt. 11. Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of tlie oily of Uavid, unto the house he had built for her—On his marriage with the Egyptian princess at the beginning of his reign, he assigned her a temporary abode in the city of Davjd, i.e., Jerusalem until a suitable palace for his wife hud been erected. While that palace was in progress, he himself lodged In the palace of David, but he did not allow
2(59
Visit of the Queen of Sheha to Sohmnn. 2 CHRONICLES IX, X. Rehohoam Refuses the Old Me:i's CounscL
Another writer adds, that "the arch of this bridge. If Its curve be calculated witn an approximation to the truth, would measure iiif/j/ feet, and must have been one of jioe sustaining the viaduct (allowing lor the abutments on either side), and that the piers supjiorting the centre arch of this bridge must have been of great altitude not less, perhaps, than one luindred and thirty feet. The whole structure, when seen from the southern extremity of the TyropcHon, must have had an. aspect of grandeur, especiall,y as connected with the lofty and sumptuoiu" edifices of the temple, and of Zion to the right and t the left. [Isaac Taylor's Edition ok Tr.\ill's Jose nius.]
her to occupy it. because he felt that she being a heathen proselyte, and having brougni iiom her own country an establishment of heathen maid-servants, there would bnve been an impropriety in her being domiciled in a mansion wliich was or had been hallowed by the reception of the ark. It seems she was received on her arrival into his mother's abode (Song 3. 4; 8. 2).
J5-18. Solomon's Festival Sacrifices. 15. tiiey «lepnrted not from tlie commantlnient of tlic king— i. e., David, in any of his ordinances, which by Divine authority he established, either in regulating the courses of the priests and Levites, or in the destination of his accumulated tj-easures to the construction and adornment of the temple. 17. Then went Solomon to Ezlon-gcber, and to Elotli—These two maritime ports were situated at the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, now called the Gulf of Akaba. Eloth Is seen in the modern Akaba, Ezion-geber InElGudyan. fRoBixsON.] Solomon, determined to cultivate the arts of peace, was sagacious enough to perceive that his kingdom could become great and glorious only by encouraging a spirit of commercial enterprise among l;5-2S. His Riches. 13. Now the welglit of gold that came to Solomon in one year—(See on 1 Kings 10. H-2i).) six Iiundred and threescore and sl.x talents of gold The sum named is equal to £3,646,350; and if we take the proportion of silver (y. 14), which is not taken into consideration, at 1 to 9, there would be about £200,000, making a yearly supply of nearly £6,000,000, being a vast amount for an infant effort in maritime commerce. [Napier.] 21. the king's ships went to TarshlsU—rather "the king's ships of Tarshlsh went" with the servants of Huram. ships of Tarshlsh i.e., in l)urdcn and construction like the large vessels built for or used at Tarsliish. [Caljiet's Fragments.] 35. Solomon had four thousand stalls—It has been conjectured [Gesexiu.s' Heiskew Lexicon] that the original term may signify not only hi.s subjects; and, accordingly, with that view he made a contract with Hurara .for ships and seamen to instruct his people in navigation. 18. Hni-am sent laitn . . . ships—Either sent him ship-mere, able seamen, overland or, taking the word "sent"' in a looser sense, siijyplied him, i.e., built him ships—viz., in docks at Eloth (cf. 1 icings 9.26, 27). This navy of Solomon was manned by Tj-rians, for Solomon had no seamen capable of performing distant expeditious. The Hebrew fishermen, whose boats plied on the Sea of Tiberias or coasted the shores of the Mediterranean, were not equal to the conducting of large vessels laden with valuable cargoes on long voyages and through the wide and unfrequented ocean, four IiiuKlred and fifty talents of gold—(Cf. 1 Kings 9.28.) The text in one of these iiassages is corruiJt.
stall or stable, but a number of horses occupying the same number of stiUs. Supposing that ten wore put together in one part, this would make 49,000. AcconUng to this I leory of explanation, the historian in Kings refers to 1,'j'ses; w-hile the historian in Chronicles speaks of the ((tails in which they were kept. Rut nnno recent critics reject this mode of solving the dillicult.v, and, regarding the four thousand stalls as in keeping with the general magnificence of Solomon's establishments, are agreed In considering the text in Kings as corrupt, tlirough the error of some cop.vist. 28. they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt— (See on eh. 1. 17.) Solomon undoubtedly carried the Hebrew kingdom to its
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-12. The Queen of Sheba Visits Sot,omon; SHE AD3IIRES HIS WiSDOJI AND MACNIKICENCE. 1. wUen tUe queen of SUeba heard of flic fame of Solomon—(See on 1 Kings 10. l-i:?.) It is said that among the things in Jerusalem which drew forth the admiration of Solomon's royal visitor was " his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord." This was the arched viaduct that crossed the valley from Mount Zion to the opposite hill. In the commentary on the passage quoted above, allusion was made to the recent. discovery of its remains. Here we give a full account of what, for boldness of conceptions for structure and magnificence, was one of the greatest wonders in Jerusaletn. "During our first visit to the south-west corner of the area of the mosque, we observed several of the large stones Jutting out from the western wall, which at first seemed to l)e the eflect of a bursting of the wall from soine mighty shock or earthquake. We paid little regard to this at the moment; but on mentioning the fact not longal'Icr to a circle of our friends, the remark was incideiilally dropped that the stones had the appearance of having once ixdonged to a large arch. At this remark, a train of thought Hashed across my mind, which I hardly dared to follow out until I had again repaired to the spot, in order to satisfy myself with my own eyes as to the trulli or falsehood of the suggestion. I found It even so. Tlic courses of these Immense stones occupy tiieir original position; their external surface Is hewn to a regular curve; ;ind, being fitted one upon another, they form the commencement or foot of an Immense arch wliich once sprung out from tills western wall in a direction towards Mount Zion, across tlie Tyrop«on valley. This arch (-ould only have belonged to the bridge, which, according to Josephus, led from this )>art of the temple to the Xystus (covered colonnade) on Zion; and It proves Inconleslably the antiquity of that portion from which It springs." [UoiilNSON.] The distance from this iHiint to the sleep rock of Zion he calculates to he about three hundi'cd and fifty feet, the probable length of this ancient viaduct.
.higliest pitch of worldly glory, and his comiili'lion of ine grand work, the centralizing of the natioinil worship at Jerusalem, whither the natives went up three times a,vear, has given his name a prominent place in the history of the ancient church. Rut his reign had a disastrous itilluence upon "the peculiar people," and the exaniple of his deplorable idolatries, the connections he formed with foreign princes, the commercial speculations he entered Into, and the luxuries Introduced Into the land, seem In a great measure to have altered and deteriorated the Jewish character.
CIIA'PTER X.
Ver. 1-15. Rehouoam Rekusing the Old Men's Good Counsel. 1. Reho1>«am went to Shechem—(See on 1 Kings 12.1.) This chapter Is, with a few verbal alli-ratlous, the sam(> as In that book. 3. And they sentrather, "for they had sent," Ac. This is slated as tlio reason of .lerohoam's return from Eg.vpt. 7. If tli«Mi lie kind lo Oils people, and please them, and speak good words *o llu-m—In the Rook of Kings, the words are, " If lliou wilt be a servant unto this people, and wilt serve thi in." The meaning in both is the .sann\ viz.. If thou wilt make some reasonable concessions, redress their griev.ances, and restore their abridged lil)erties, thou wilt secure their strong and lasting altaehnicnt lolhy jierson anil government. 15. the king hearkened nol unto (he people, for the cause wan of(Sod—Rcholioam, in fiil lowing an evil counsel, and the Hebrew people In making a revolullon.'iry movement, each acted as free agents, ohe.vlng their own will and jiasslons. Rut God, who permitted the revolt of the northern tribes. Intended It as a punishment of the house of David for Solomnn's apostasy. That event demonstrates the Immediate supeilntendence of Ills pnivldence over the revolutions of kingdoms, and thus It alfords an Instance, similar to many otiierstrlkluf