God answers by fire, the people worship, 1–3. A. M. 3000. 8-11. CHAPTER VII. Solomon's sacrifices, 4–7. After keeping the feast he sends the people away, God appears to him in a vision, 12–22. NOW a when Solomon had made || ing, For he is good; for his mercy A. M. 3000. an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burntoffering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 d And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house. 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, say a1 Kings viii. 54. b Lev. ix. 24; Judges vi. 21; 1 Kings xviii. 38; 1 Chron. xxi. 26. 1 Kings viii. 10, 11; Chap. v. 13, 14; Ezra x. 3, 4. NOTES ON CHAPTER VII. Verse 1. The fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering, &c.-This circumstance is added to what is recorded in the first book of Kings. Hereby, and by the cloud filling the whole house, was shown God's gracious acceptance of Solomon's prayer and sacrifices; and an assurance was given that he would be present in this place, and grant all their lawful petitions. By the former of these, it is generally thought, the first sacrifice that we read of in Scripture, that of Abel, was declared to be accept able to God. And when the tabernacle was erected and dedicated, and Aaron was consecrated, there was the same testimony given of God's presence there as here, Exod. xl. 34, 35; Lev. ix. 24. The surest evidence of God's acceptance of our prayers is, the descent of his holy fire of love upon us. And the heart which is filled with a holy awe and reverence of the divine majesty, (as the glory of the Lord filled this house,) the heart to which God manifests his greatness, and (what is no less his glory) his goodness, is thereby owned as his living temple. Verse 3. The glory of the Lord upon the houseThe cloud first came down upon the house, and then entered into the house, and was seen both within it by the priests, and without it by the people; who by this evident token of the divine presence, and the sudden and miraculous descent of the fire, were fully satisfied that it was God's house, and that he would endureth for ever. B. C. 1004. 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 h And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their minis accept their sacrifices offered there, hear their prayers, and bestow his blessings upon them. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement-Fell prostrate upon the ground, thus expressing their awful dread of the divine majesty, their cheerful submission to the divine authority, and the sense they had of their utter unworthiness to enter into his presence. And worshipped and praised the Lord-As they had great reason to do, having seen such manifest tokens of his presence among them. Saying, For he is good, &c.—Thus using the same words in which the priests had just before praised him: a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should never be out of tune. Verses 4, 5. Then the king and all the people of fered sacrifices-They had offered sacrifices before; but now they renewed them, and offered more, in acknowledgment of these new assurances of God's love to them. Twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep-It is probable that many of these sacrifices were burned in all the courts of the temple, and in different places upon the mount, as it was scarce possible that they should all be consumed upon one altar. Verse 6. Instruments of music of the Lord-So called, because David had made them to praise the Lord withal. See 1 Chron. xv. 16. When David praised by their ministry-For David composed the 1 8¶1Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10 And "on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. in a vision by night. and all A. M. 3000. B. C. 1004. LORD, and the king's house that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the perpetually. Chapter v. 12.- 1 Kings viii. 64- 11 Kings viii. 65. Joshua xiii. 3.- -2 Heb. a restraint.- 1 Kings viii. 66. 1 Kings ix. 1, &c.- -P Deut. xii. 5.- -9 Chap. vi. 26, 28. psalms or hymns, and appointed them to be sung by the Levites, and instruments of music to be joined to their voices. Verse 10. On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month, he sent the people away-They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar seven days, from the second to the ninth; the tenth day was the day of atonement, when they were to afflict their souls for sin, and that was not unseasonable in the midst of their rejoicings: then on the fifteenth began the feast of tabernacles, which continued to the twenty-second, and thus they continued to be employed in sacred services, and did not part till the twenty-third. We ought never to grudge the time that we spend in the worship of God, and in communion with him, nor think it long, or grow weary of it. Glad and merry in heart for the goodness, &c.-That is, according to the Targum, "for the goodness of the Lord shown unto David, in opening the doors of the sanctuary; and unto Solomon, whose prayer God had accepted, and had honoured with his presence in the house which he had built; and unto his people Israel, in his acceptance of their sacrifices, and sending down fire from heaven to consume them." Verse 12. The Lord appeared to Solomon, and said, I have heard thy prayer-That God had accepted his prayer was shown by his sending fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted, and yet not answered in the letter of it. God therefore Hebrew, upon whom my name is called. James iv, 10. Chap. vi. 27, 30. Chap. vi. 40.- Heb. to the prayer of this place.- 1 Kings ix. 3; Chap. vi. 6. appeared to him in the night, as he had done once before, (chap. i. 7,) and gave him a particular answer to his prayer. See notes on 1 Kings ix. 2-9. Verse 13. If I command the locusts to devour the land-That is, use my authority and power over them to cause them to do so. A metaphor elsewhere used in reference to irrational animals, as 1 Kings xvii. 4, Amos ix. 3, which are not properly capable of receiving a command, or of paying obedience to it. Other national judgments are here supposed, such as famine, war, and the ravages of savage beasts. Verse 14. If my people shall humble themselves, and pray, &c.-Thus national repentance and reformation are required. God expects, that if his people, who are called by his name, have dishonoured his name by their iniquity, they should honour it by accepting the punishment of their iniquity. They must humble themselves under his hand, must pray for the removal of the judgment, must seek his face and favour and yet all this will not be sufficient, unless they turn from their wicked ways, and return to him from whom they have revolted. National mercy is then promised, Then will I hear from heaven, &c.-God will first forgive their sin, which brought the judgment upon them, and then will heal their land, and redress their grievances. Verses 15, 16. My eyes shall be open, &c., unto the prayer that is made in this place-Or, that The buildings B. C. 1004. II. CHRONICLES. B. C. 1004. of Solomon. A. M. 3000. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt || this house, which I have sanctified A. M. 3000. walk before me, as David thy father for my name, will I cast out of my walked, and do according to all that I have sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a commanded thee, and shalt observe my sta-by-word among all nations. tutes and my judgments: 18 Then will I establish the throne of thy kingdom according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. y 5 19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and 1 Kings ix. 4, &c.- - Chapter vi. 16. Heb. There shall not be cut off to thee. shall be made in, or toward, this place; for he speaks of the answers which he would give to the prayers which should afterward be made there. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, &c.-There will I make myself known, and there will I be called upon. Verses 17, 18. If thou wilt walk before me, &c. -He promises to establish and perpetuate Solomon's kingdom, on condition that he persevered in his duty; assuring him, that if he hoped for the benefit of God's covenant with David, he must imitate the example of David. Verse 19. But if ye turn away-Thou or thy seed, and forsake my statutes, &c.—Thus God sets before him death as well as life, the curse as well as the blessing. He supposes it possible, that though they had this temple built to the honour of God, yet 21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, "Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them. z Lev. xxvi. 14, 38; Deut. xxviii. 15, 36.- - Deut. xxix. 24; Jer. xxii. 8, 9. they might be drawn aside to worship other gods. For he knew how prone they were to backslide into that sin. And he threatens, if they did so, it would certainly be the ruin of both church and state. That though they had been long in that good land, and had taken deep root in it, he would pluck them up by the roots, would extirpate their whole nation, as men pluck up weeds in a garden, and throw them out upon the dunghill. And that this sanctuary would be no sanctuary to them to protect them from the judgments of God, as they imagined; but that this house, which was so high, not only for the magnificence of its structure, but for the intended ends and uses of it, should be brought down, laid in ruins, and made a cause of wonder and astonishment to every one that passed by, and to all the neighbouring nations. CHAPTER VIII. Solomon's buildings, 1-6. His workmen and officers, 7-10. He settles his wife, 11. Fixes the method of the temple-se NOTES ON CHAPTER VIII. His trade, 17, 18. is, rebuilt them, and placed his own subjects in Verse 2. The cities which Huram had restored them. -Which Solomon gave to Hiram, but which, not Verse 4. He built Tadmor-For the explanation being pleased with them, he restored to him of this and the following verses, see notes on again, 1 Kings ix. 12. Solomon built them-That || 1 Kings ix. 17, 18, &c. Solomon's workmen ; B. C. 992. B. C. 992. A. M. 3012 6 And Baalath, and all the store- || offering according to the command- A. M. 3012. cities that Solomon had, and all the ment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and chariot-cities, and the cities of the horsemen, on the new-moons, and on the solemn feasts, and 'all that Solomon desired to build in Jeru- three times in the year, even in the feast of salem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, land of his dominion. and in the feast of tabernacles. 7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel, 8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day. 9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen. 10 And these were the chief of King Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. 11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are 'holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath comé. 12 Then Solomon offered burnt-offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, f fected. 4 17 Then went Solomon to 1Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea-side in the land of Edom. 18 m And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants, ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and 13 Even after a certain rate every day, brought them to King Solomon. Heb all the desire of Solomon which he desired to build. 1 Kings ix. 20, &c. 1 Kings ix. 23. 1 Kings iii. 1; vii. 8; ix. 24. Heb. holiness. Exod. xxix. 38; Num. xxviii. 3,9, 11, 26; xxix. 1, &c. - Exod. xxiii. 14; Deut. xvi. 16. Verse 11. Unto the house which he had builtThis house he had built for her, because the ark was now in the house of David, which therefore ought to be kept pure and free from every danger and appearance of pollution. For though Pharaoh's daughter was proselyted to the Jewish religion, and had renounced idolatry, it is not likely that both she and all her servants had embraced the whole law of Moses; and therefore they might many ways defile a place made sacred by that symbol of the divine presence. Verse 14. So had David the man of God commanded-David is here called the man of God, as Moses had been, because he was a prophet divinely inspired, and was both instructed and authorized of God to make these establishments. Hence his commands are represented as being the commands of God. And Solomon, though a wise and great man, and the builder of the temple, did not attempt to amend, alter, or add to, what the man of God had commanded in God's name, but closely adhered to it, and used his authority to have it duly observed. Verses 15, 16. They departed not from the commandment of the king-He obeyed God's commands enjoined by David, in God's name, and by inspiration of God's Spirit, and therefore all obeyed his orders. Now all the work of Solomon was prepared-All the materials were procured, and in all points fitted and completed beforehand. So the house of God was perfected-This is now said, because the service of the temple was now put into this good order. The work was the main matter, not the place: the temple was unfinished till all this was done. The queen of Sheba II. CHRONICLES. CHAPTER IX. visits Solomon. The queen of Sheba visits Solomon, 1–12. The riches and splendour of his court, 13-28. The conclusion of his reign, 29–31. A. M. 3012. B. C. 992. AND ND a when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his 'cup-bearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to the king, It was a true 2report which I heard in mine own land of thine 3 acts, and of thy wisdom: 6 Howbeit, I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it and behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. a 1 Kings x. 1, &c.; Matt. xii. 42; Luke xi. 31.- 1 Or, butlers. 2 Heb. word. Or, sayings. NOTES ON CHAPTER IX. Verse 1. There is little in this chapter but what is related in I Kings x.; in the notes on which the reader will find it explained at large. Verse 8. To set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God-In the Lord's name and stead, in a special manner, because he sat in God's own throne, and ruled over God's peculiar people, and did, in an eminent manner, maintain the honour of God in his land, and in the eyes of all the world. Those mercies are doubly sweet, in which we 11 And the king made of the algum-trees 4 terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. 12 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 14 Besides that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 6 15 ¶ And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target. 16 And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 ¶ Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened b Chap. viii. 18.- - 1 Kings x. 11, almug-trees. Or, stays. Heb. highways.- 6 Or, captains. can taste the kindness and good-will of God as our God. Verse 9. She gave the king a hundred and twen ty talents of gold, &c.-This was indeed a royal gift, for the gold alone amounted to more than sixtynine thousand pounds sterling. Verse 12. Besides that which she had brought unto the king-Over and above that which was an equivalent for the presents she had made him. See note on 1 Kings x. 13. Verse 18. With a footstool of gold-This is not |