Solomon's

thy dwelling place, their prayer and or, right. their supplications, and maintain their 1 cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

Prayer.

place.

a Ps. 132.9.

CHAPTER VII.-(1) Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,

And forgive thy people.-This is the first clause of 1 Kings viii. 50; and from this point to the end of Solomon's Prayer, the two texts are wholly dissimilar.

(40-42) THE PERORATION.

(40) Let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open. -Comp. verse 20, supr., and chap. vii. 15; also 1 Kings viii. 52.

And let thine ears be attent.-Attentive, listening (qas suboth). The same phrase recurs (chap. vii. 15), which is, in fact, a repetition of the whole verse in the shape of a Divine promise. Qas's'üboth occurs, besides, only in the late Ps. cxxx. 2.

The prayer that is made in this place.See margin. "The prayer of this place" is a strange phrase, only occurring here and in chap. vii. 15.

(41) Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place. The two verses (41, 42) are slightly altered from Ps. cxxxii. 8-10. It would seem that the chronicler selected them as forming a more natural and appropriate conclusion to the Prayer of Dedication than that which he found in the older account. The aptness of the quotation may be admitted, without assuming that "for want of this summons to take possession of the sanctuary, the point of the whole prayer is wanting in Kings (Zöckler). The peroration of 1 Kings viii. 50-53 is quite natural, though different; the closing thoughts being a return to those with which the prayer began, so that the prayer forms a well-rounded whole, and the suggestion of a lacuna is out of place. There is no difficulty in this view; the difficulty lies rather in maintaining the originality of these verses here. (Comp. the free adaptation of several late Psalms in the Hymn of Praise in 1 Chron. xvi. 8, sqq.) The versification of the original psalm is neglected here, as there.

(41) Now therefore.-And now, added by chronicler.

O Lord God.-Iahweh 'ělohim. This rare divine title occurs thrice in these two verses, but nowhere else in the prayer. The chronicler uses it as least eight times, but it does not appear at all in the books of Kings. In the Psalm we read simply Iahweh.

Into thy resting place.-Nûah. A late word, found besides only in Esther ix. 16-18 (noah). In the Psalm it is měnûhāh, a common word.

The idea that the sanctuary is God's resting-place is not in keeping with the spirit of the prayer. (Comp. verse 18; and the frequent expression, "Hear Thou from heaven thy dwelling place.")

Let thy priests, O Lord God.-Ps. cxxxii. 9. The Divine name is added here.

Salvation. Or, prosperity. The psalm has, "with righteousness;" but the other idea occurs a little after in verse 16.

consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD

Rejoice in goodness.-Be glad at the good. A paraphrase of "shout for joy" in the psalm.

(42) O Lord God.-Not in the psalm. The triple invocation is used as in the priest's blessing (Num. vi. 24-26).

Turn not away the face of thine anointed— i.e., deny not his request (1 Kings ii. 16). Ps. cxxxii. 10:

"For the sake of David Thy servant,

Turn not away the face of Thine Anointed."

The members of the couplet are transposed, and the language of the first is modified by the chronicler, so as to bring in the phrase, "the mercies of David," that is, Jehovah's mercies promised to David (Isa. lv. 3; Ps. lxxxix. 49).

Remember (zokrāh).—Only here and five times in Nehemiah.

VII.

4. GOD CONFIRMS THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE (1) BY FIRE FROM HEAVEN; (2) BY SPECIAL REVELATION TO SOLOMON (chap. vii.).

The fire from heaven (verses 1-3). This section is wanting in 1 Kings viii. 54, sqq., where we read instead of it an address of Solomon to the people. All that the king said seems here to be included in the phrase, "when Solomon had made an end of praying."

(1) When Solomon had made an end of praying.-(1 Kings viii. 54, “And it came to pass, when S. had made an end of praying unto Jehovah all this prayer and supplication.") From this point the divergence between the two accounts begins. There is no objective ground for supposing that the chronicler invented the facts here recorded. He must have found them in one of his sources, although we have no means of determining whether or not they were related in the original narrative followed by the author of Kings. It is gratuitous to fancy that the chronicler was more partial to miracle than the older writer. (Comp. 1 Kings viii. 10; xviii. 38.) His greater interest in all that concerned the worship of the Temple is enough to account for the present and similar additions to the older narrative.

The fire came down from heaven. Comp. Lev. ix. 22-24, from which passage it appears likely thot the fire descended after Solomon had blessed the people. (Comp. also 1 Chron. xxi. 26; 2 Kings i. 1C, 12, 14.)

And the sacrifices. The offerings presented when the ark entered the Temple (chap. v. 6).

And the glory of the Lord filled the house. This statement is not a mere duplicate of chap. v. 13, 14. See next verse. The "glory of the

The Sacrifices.

filled the house. (2) And the priests I 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, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

The Feast.

Lord" is apparently a manifestation quite distinct from the "fire."

(2) And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord.-Hardly a different assertion from that of chap. v. 14 ("the priests could not stand to minister"); the cause in both instances being the same, and expressed in the same words (1 Kings viii. 11). But it is quite plain that the writer intends to record in chaps. v. and vii. two distinct appearances of the Divine glory, one before and one after the Prayer of Consecration, both of which were attended by the same effects upon the ministering priests.

(3) Upon the pavement.-Ricpah; rendered by the LXX. Tò tóσтpwTov, which is the word used in John xix. 13; Vulg., "pavimentum stratum lapide." (Comp. Ezek. xl. 17, 18; Esther i. 6, a tesselated pavement.)

And praised.-Gave thanks to Jehovah. The infinitive is here used for the finite form of the verb, as elsewhere.

For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. - See 1 Chron. xvi. 34-41, xxiii. 30; 2 Chron. v. 13, xx. 21. The Syriac and Arabic paraphrase, "and they said one to another: Give thanks to the Lord," &c. There is hardly anything in the section, except this last phrase, which can be said to be characteristic of the style of the chronicler.

(4-10) THE SACRIFICES AND THE FESTIVAL. (Comp. 1 Kings viii. 62-66.) The two narratives are again mainly coincident.

2

the ritual, especially its choral and musical side. (Comp chap. v. 11-13.)

Waited on their offices. Literally, And the priests upon their wards (watches) were standing, i.e., stood at their posts. Vulg., "sacerdotes autem stabant in officiis suis.'

Instruments of musick of the Lord — i.e., of sacred music, as we should say. (Comp. 1 Chron. xvi. 42.)

Which David... had made.-1 Chron. xxiii. 5. To praise. Give thanks to. (Comp. verse 3 supr.)

When David praised by their ministry.— See margin; and 1 Chron. xvi. 4-7. The LXX., ev ὕμνοις Δαυὶδ διὰ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν takes b'hallel substantively, as if it meant "in David's psalmody," perhaps with special reference to the great hallel of the synagogue. The Authorised Version gives the true meaning, namely, that the Levites were David's ministers of praise.

Sounded trumpets.-Were trumpeting.
Stood. Were standing.

(7) Moreover.-And. This verse is slightly modified from 1 Kings viii. 64 (see the Notes there). Which Solomon had made. - Chap. iv. 1. Kings, which was before the Lord.

Was not able to receive. An explanation of the phrase of Kings, "was too little to receive." The burnt offerings.. meat offerings. -Both are singular in the Heb.

(8) Also at the same time. - Literally, And Solomon made the feast at that time seven days. The feast was the Feast of Tabernacles. (See Lev. xxiii. 34-36.)

Seven days.-The legal time. (See Lev. l.c.) The days were counted from the 15th of the seventh month. (Comp. 1 Kings viii. 65.)

The river. Torrent or wady. LXX., Xeμáppovs. Kings adds, "before the Lord our God." So Syriac. (9) And in the eighth day-That is, on the twenty-second of the seventh month (Ethanim, or Tisri ; chap. v. 3).

They made a solemn assembly.-Comp. Lev. xxiii. 36. Not mentioned in Kings (1 Kings viii. 66

The Lord

Appears to Solomon.

1 which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal

Solomon, and to Israel his people.

(11) Thus a Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in 2 his own house, he prosperously effected.

e ch. 6. 40.

Heb., prayer place.

(12) And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have a ch. 6.6. heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

to

of this

be open, and mine ears attent 2 unto the prayer that is made in this place. (16) For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be the there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. (17) And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; (18) then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy e3 There shall not fail father, saying,

says: "and on the eighth day he dismissed the people,” i.e., after this final gathering).

For they kept the dedication of the altar seven days.-The seven days preceding the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, or the 8th to the 14th Ethanim, had been kept as an extraordinary festival on account of the inauguration of the Temple. After this festival, the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated in due course for seven days more.

This explains the obscure words of 1 Kings viii. 65, "(Solomon and all Israel) kept the feast

seven

days and seven days, fourteen days," a brief expression which combines the two distinct celebrations. So Syriac, "seven days of the feast, and seven days of the inaugu ration of the house; these and these, their amount was fourteen days. And on the day of the full moon in the month of Tisri the king sent the people away."

(10) And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month.-Beginning with the evening of the twenty-second.

For the goodness.-Some MSS., Syriac, and Arabic, "for all the goodness," as in 1 Kings viii. 66.

David, and to Solomon.-Kings, David his servant.' The mention of Solomon was added by the chronicler. (Comp. chap. vi. 4, 8, 15—17, 42, where all Solomon's success is connected with the promise to David.)

THE LORD'S RESPONSE ΤΟ THE PRAYER OF SOLOMON (verses 11-22. Comp. 1 Kings ix. 1—9). The substance and, for the most part, the language of both passages are the same, but the chronicler paraphrases occasionally, and has added a considerable section not extant in Kings (verses 13-16).

(11) All that came into Solomon's heart to make.-A paraphrase of all the desire (Isa. xxi. 4; 2 Chron. viii. 6) of Solomon that he willed to do. The rest of the verse is wanting in Kings.

(12) By night.-This is implied in Kings, which has, "as He had appeared unto him in Gibeon."

I have heard thy prayer. From this point begins the chronicler's addition to the prayer as extant in the older text. Judging by the style, the added

section must have formed an integral part of the original text, from which both the editor of Kings and the chronicler drew their narratives.

An house of sacrifice (beth zābah).—A phrase occurring nowhere else in the Old Testament.

(13) If I shut up heaven that there be no rain.-Deut. xi. 17; chap. vi. 26.

If.-Hen, as in Jer. iii. 1; Isa. liv. 15.

The locusts.-Hāgāb, a winged and edible species (Lev. xi. 22). In chap. vi. 28, two other kinds, the 'arbeh and hasil, were mentioned.

If I send pestilence.-Chap. vi. 28; 1 Chron. xxi. (14) My people, which are called by my name. See margin; chap. vi. 33; Amos ix. 12; Jer. xiv. 9. The sense is: which are dedicated to me. Humble themselves.-Lev. xxvi. 41, in a similar context.

Seek my face.-Ps. xxiv. 6, xxvii. 8.

Turn from their wicked ways.-Hosea vi. 1; Isa. vi. 10; Jer. xxv. 5.

Heal their land.-Ps. lx. 4.

(15) Now mine eyes shall be open.-Comp. chap. vi. 40, and Notes.

(16) Have I chosen.-Chap. vi. 6, and verse 12, supr.

Sanctified this house.-1 Kings ix. 3. The two accounts are again parallel.

Perpetually.—All the days.

(17) Walked.-Kings adds, "in perfectness of heart, and in uprightness." So Syriac and Arabic.

And do.-So LXX., Vulg., and Arabic. The Heb. is wě-la'asôth, "and to do," a construction which the chronicler sometimes uses in continuation of a future (imperfect tense). But Kings has " to do," an infinitivo defining the former verb; and so the Syriac here.

(18) As I have covenanted with.-Heb. kāratti le, "I cut (a covenant) for." The word berith, "covenant," is omitted, as in chap. v. 10. So LXX., is die Déuny Aavid T Tатpl σoû. Syriac, "As I sware to David." Kings: "As I spake concerning David (karatti may be an ancient misreading of dibbarti, "I spake;" the two being much alike in Heb. writing).

Ruler in Israel (mûshel).—Kings, "From upon the throne of Israel." The chronicler has substituted

The Lord's

thee a man to be ruler in Israel. (19) a 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 this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. (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

28. 15.

Promises to Solomon.

a reminiscence of Micah v. 1, probably correcting a defective text, the word throne having fallen out. Syriac, "who standeth on the throne of Israel."

(19) But.-And. Kings omits, but emphasises the verb, "If ye will turn," or, "if turn ye will."

The order of words in the Heb. implies that u-bnékem, "and your children," has fallen out of the text: “And if ye turn, ye and your children." So Kings, and Syriac and Arabic here. Kings adds, "From after me."

And forsake.-Kings, "and keep not." So Syriac and Arabic.

(20) Then will I pluck them up by the roots -i.e., your children (see last verse). (Comp. Deut. xxix. 27.) Vulg. rightly, “evellam vos de terra mea.' The opposite idea is that of planting a nation in a land (Jer. xxiv. 6). Kings, "Then will I cut off Israel from upon the face of the land." The chronicler has softened the severity of the expression, cut off Israel.

Will I cast out of my sight.-Vulg. more literally, "projiciam a facie mea." The exact phrase occurs nowhere else; but comp. Ps. li. 13, which is very similar; also Ps. cii. 11. Instead of 'ashlik, “I will cast," Kings has 'ashallah, "I will send," i.e., throw (Amos ii. 5).

And will make it.-A softening down of, and Israel shall become (Kings). Comp. Deut. xxviii. 37. So Syriac.

66

(21) And this house, which is high.-A correction of Kings: "and this house shall be high," which appears meaningless in the context. But the Syriac (and Arabic) here and in Kings has, " And this house shall be laid waste" (nehwê hreb); and the Targum of Kings combines both readings thus: And this house which is high shall be laid waste (y'hé harib). It appears, therefore, that the original reading of the Heb. text was, "And this house shall become ruinous heaps" (iyin, "heaps," not "elyon, "high"). (Comp. Micah iii. 12. The mistake is as old as the LXX., ὁ οἶκος οὗτος ὁ ὑψηλός.)

Shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it.-Every one that passeth by it shall be astonished : πᾶς ὁ διαπορευόμενος αὐτὸν ἐκστήσεται, LXX. Syriac, "Every one that passeth by it shall stop and shake his head, and sway with his hand, and say Kings adds, "and shall hiss" (certainly original).

(22) And it shall be answered.-And men shall say.

Wherein. When. The "twenty years reckoned from the fourth year of the reign (1 Kings vi. 6), and include seven years during which the Temple was building, and thirteen during which the palace was built (1 Kings vi. 38; vii. 1).

(2) Which Huram had restored. Literally, which Huram gave.

Solomon built them.-Rebuilt or restored and fortified (Josh. vi. 26; 1 Kings xv. 17). The parallel passage (1 Kings ix. 11-13) records a contrary transaction; that is to say, it represents Solomon as giving to Huram twenty cities in Galilee, as a return for his past services. It is added that these cities did not please Huram, in consequence of which they got the name of "The Land of Käbûl " (i.e., “Like-nought "). The Authorised Version here assumes that the explanation of Josephus (Antt. viii. 5, § 3) is correct. That writer states that Huram restored the despised cities to Solomon, who thereupon repaired them, and peopled them with Israelites. Others assume an exchange of friendly gifts between the two sovereigns; so that Solomon gave Huram twenty Israelite cities (Kings), and Huram gave Solomon twenty Phenician cities (Chronicles): this seems highly improbable. The former explanation appears to be substantially correct. The chronicler, or the authority which he follows here, has omitted to notice a fact which seems to derogate from the greatness of Solomon, viz., the previous surrender of the territory in question to the Tyrian king; and has chosen to speak of Huram's non-acceptance or return of Solomon's present, as a gift. He then goes on to tell of the future fate of the twenty cities. Solomon repaired or fortified them, and colonised them with Israelites; for this border-land was chiefly in