1 Kings 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 As the tabernacle was to be superseded by the temple, there was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."