Bible Commentaries

A.M. 2999. — B.C. 1005.

Solomon brings the dedicated treasures into the house, and the ark into the sanctuary, 2 Chronicles 5:1-10. While the priests and Levites sing praise, the glory of God fills the house, 2 Chronicles 5:11-14.

NOTES ON CHAPTER 5.

2 Chronicles 5:1-2. Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated — What remained of the things that David had provided, Solomon would not employ to his own use, but laid them up in the treasures of the temple. And the silver and the gold — The remainder of those vast sums, mentioned 1 Chronicles 22:14. Solomon assembled the elders of Israel — Of this and the following verses, see notes on 1 Kings 8:1, &c.

2 Chronicles 5:5. They brought up the ark — The ark was a type of Christ, and a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, does in effect bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we claim it by faith and prayer. And this we should be earnest for: the temple itself, if Christ leave it, is a desolate place. These did the priests bring in, &c. — As many of them as were fit for use, it is probable, were still used. The rest were carefully laid up, as monuments of antiquity.

2 Chronicles 5:9. There it is unto this day — When these records were first written, not when they were reviewed and copied by Ezra: for neither the ark nor the staves were seen or remained after the captivity.

2 Chronicles 5:11. The priests did not then wait by course — According to David’s appointment, (1 Chronicles 24:25.,) which was only for the ordinary service: but in extraordinary solemnities, such as this, they all came together.

2 Chronicles 5:13. To make one sound — They sung and sounded their trumpets all so exactly in time, and in the same note, that it seemed but as one sound. For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever — Probably they sung the whole of Psalms 136., which begins thus, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, &c., &c.; every verse of which ends with, For his mercy endureth for ever. The house was filled with a cloud — That is, with such a cloud as had formerly been in the most holy place of the tabernacle, and was the token of the gracious presence and blessing of the Divine Majesty among them.

2 Chronicles 5:14. The priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud — This wonderful cloud of the divine glory was a grand distinguishing particular between the Jews and other nations, and an indubitable testimony that God did indeed reveal himself to them, and took them under his protection and care. Other nations had temples dedicated to their gods; but the records of none of them signify, or give any the least intimation, that there was ever any such appearance among them publicly, or in the sight of all the people, as this which is here spoken of, and represented as a convincing token that God was among them, accepted their offerings, and took possession of the house which they had erected for his service. The glory of the Lord had filled the house — And this beautified it more than all the gold with which it was overlaid, or the precious stones with which it was garnished. Yet even that was no glory, in comparison of the glory of the gospel dispensation.