284 Dedication of the Temple. 14. And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood ;) 15. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, 16. Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. 17. And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18. 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. 19. 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. 20. And the LORD hath 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. 21. And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. thee in a thick cloud' (Exod. xix. 9). In the tabernacle He had appeared 'in the cloud upon the mercy-seat' (Lev. xvi. 2). So it is said in the Book of Psalms, ' He made darkness His secret place' (Ps. xviii. 11); and again, 'Clouds and darkness are round about Him' (Ps. xcvii. 2). 14. In 2 Chron. vi. 13 we are told that Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, and had 'set it in the midst of the court,' before the altar of burnt offering. Having uttered the preceding words, looking towards the Holy of Holies, he now turned and faced the people, while he solemnly blessed them. Then, kneeling upon the platform, and stretching forth his hands towards heaven, he offered his long and beautiful prayer. 16. The connexion of ideas in this verse seems to be as follows. In earlier times there were no fixed rulers, only judges raised up for each emergency. Saul, the first king, soon proved himself unworthy. Then one who should be king in a truer sense, David, was chosen. So there had been hitherto no permanent religious centre. Gilgal, Shiloh, Gibeon, Zion, had all been for a time sanctuaries. But henceforth there was to be a fixed centre both of government and of religion. 21. The covenant of the Lord' here means the two tables of stone, on which the words of the covenant' were written (Exod. xxxiv. 28). e He' exchanged the usual standing posture of Oriental prayer for the extraordinary one of kneeling, now first mentioned in the sacred history, and only used in Eastern devotions at the present day in moments of deep humiliation' (Stanley, J. C. ii. 219). So the exile Ezra fell upon his knees' (Ezra ix. 5), and Daniel kneeled down in prayer three times a day (Dan. vi. 10). So our Lord kneeled in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke xxii. 41). Other instances of this attitude, used in times of anxiety or distress, are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (vii. 60, ix. 40, xx. 36, xxi. 5). In Ps. xcv. 6 we read, 'O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker.' For the stretching forth the hands to heaven, 'as if to receive the blessing sought,' we may compare the account of Moses in Exod. xvii. 11, 12; and the 'duplices tendens ad sidera palmas' of Virg. Aen. i. 93. 286 Solomon's Supplication. 30. CONCLUSION OF THE DEDICATION-OTHER WORKS OF SOLOMON. I KINGS viii. 22-ix. Solomon's sublime prayer begins with an expression of trust in 'the Lord God of Israel,' who 'keepeth covenant and mercy with His servants'; and with a petition for the continuance of His favour. While acknowledging that God's presence cannot be confined to any temple1, he asks for a blessing upon all prayers offered 'toward this place' now consecrated 2, including the prayers of 'strangers"; especially in times of personal or national troubles, of famine or pestilence. On concluding his supplication, the king rises from his knees, and, turning to the congregation, solemnly blesses them. Then follows the enormous sacrifices, in which 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep are offered. The altar by itself being quite insufficient for these victims, the king 'hallows' the 'middle' or area of the court, and sacrifices are offered there. The great congregation at the feast embraces those from 'the entering in of Hamath' in the valley of Lebanon, in the far north, to the river (or brook, R.V.) of Egypt,' or southern boundary of Palestine". When all is ended, the people 30. CONCLUSION OF THE DEDICATION-OTHER WORKS OF SOLOMON. I KINGS viii. 22—ix. 1 Solomon's words (ver. 27-30) combine the two different, but not conflicting ideas, found throughout the Old Testament; the belief in an invisible God, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain'; and the assurance that He is specially present among His chosen people in the place consecrated to His service (Ellicott). They may be compared with the words of Isaiah (lxvi. 1), quoted by St. Stephen, when he refers in his speech to the building of this Temple (Acts vii. 49); and with those of St. Paul to the Athenians (Acts xvii. 24). The omnipresence of God is also described in Ps. cxxxix. 7-10. Our Lord rebuked the narrow idea that God could only be worshipped in one sanctuary, when answering the Samaritan woman as to the rival claims of Jerusalem and Mount Gerizim (John iv. 20-24). 2 The marginal rendering is 'in this place.' But the Jews, wherever they were, worshipped toward God's holy temple' (Ps. v. 7, xxviii. 2, cxxxviii. 2). So the exiled Daniel offered prayer, 'with the windows open toward Jerusalem' (Dan. vi. 10). 3 The law had recognized the possibility of strangers worshipping the true God (Num. xv. 14), and the Israelites had now been brought much more into touch with foreign nations. This wish of Solomon's anticipates in some degree the time, not far distant, when God's mercy should be shown to those of other races, in the miracles wrought by His prophets (1 Kings xvii. 9-24; 2 Kings V. I-14); these in turn forecasting the work of Him (Luke iv. 24-30), in whom all nations of the earth should be blessed (Gen. xxii. 18). The same numbers are given in 2 Chron. vii. 5, and by Josephus. The worshippers had gathered in hundreds of thousands. 5 'The entering in of Hamath,' between Lebanon and AntiLebanon, was the northern boundary of Palestine (Joshua xiii. 5; Judg. iii. 3; 2 Kings xiv. 25; 1 Chron. xiii. 5, &c.; see p. 193). 288 Other Works of Solomon. 'bless' or thank the king, and depart full of gladness to their 'tents' or homes. After this the Lord again appears to Solomon, assuring him that his prayer is heard, and promising to grant it, if the Divine 'statutes and judgements' are kept; but warning him of the rejection of both people and Temple, which shall follow national apostasy. To Hiram 'twenty cities in the land of Galilee' are given for his services. With these he is dissatisfied, and calls them 'Cabul,' or 'displeasing.' He does not, however, break off friendly relations, sending Solomon 120,000 talents of gold, and afterwards helping him to man his ships. Solomon engages in many other works, building or fortifying the citadel ('Millo'), and the walls of Jerusalem; and the important towns of Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer, Beth-horon, Baalath, and 'Tadmor in the wilderness ".' Store cities and cities for the king's chariots and horsemen are also built, and pleasure-gardens made in Jerusalem and in Lebanon. For these works, 'a tribute of bond-service' is levied on the people left of the native tribes; that is, they are compelled to labour at them (see Part I, p. 127). A 'navy of ships' is built at Ezion-geber, for which Hiram supplies experienced sailors; and these import gold from Ophir 9. |