Bible Commentaries

Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple, vv. 1-42.

The Lord hath said that he would dwell - Solomon, seeing the cloud descend and fill the house, immediately took for granted that the Lord had accepted the place, and was now present. What occurred now was precisely the same with what took place when Moses reared the tabernacle in the wilderness; see Exodus 40:34, Exodus 40:35; : A cloud covered the tent - and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent - because the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

The Chaldee paraphrases thus: "Then said Solomon, It has pleased God to place his majesty in the city of Jerusalem, in the house of the sanctuary which I have built to the name of his Word, and he hath placed a dark cloud before him.

For the name of the Lord - "For the name of the Word of the Lord God of Israel." - Targum.

That walk before thee with all their hearts - "With all the will of their souls and with all the affection of their hearts." - Targum.

But will God in very deed dwell with men - "But who could have imagined, who could have thought it credible, that God should place his majesty among men dwelling upon earth? Behold, the highest heavens, the middle heavens, and the lowest heavens, cannot bear the glory of thy majesty, (for thou art the God who sustainest all the heavens, and the earth, and the deep, and all that is in them), nor can this house which I have built contain Thee." - Targum.

If a man sin against his neighbor - For the Seven cases put here by Solomon in his prayer, see the notes on 1 Kings 8:31-46 (note).

For there is no man which sinneth not - See this case largely considered in the note on 1 Kings 8:46; (note).

If they bethink themselves - "If thy fear should return into their hearts." - Targum.

The whole of this prayer is amply considered in the parallel place, 1 Kings 8:22-53 (note), where see the notes.

Let thy saints rejoice in goodness - "In the abundance of the tithes and other goods which shall be given to the Levites, as their reward for keeping the ark, and singing before it." - Jarchi.

Turn not away the face of thine anointed - "At least do me good; and if not for my sake, do it for thy own sake." - Jarchi.

These two last verses are not in the parallel place in 1 Kings 8:22-53. There are other differences between the two places in this prayer, but they are not of much consequence.