2 Chronicles 5:8

For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) For the cherubims spread forth their wings.—Rather, And the cherubim were spreading forth wings. Kings has for (kî); making the sentence an explanation of the last clause of 2Chronicles 5:7.

Covered.—Kings has the technical term for the cherubim “covering” the ark (Exodus 25:20; 1Chronicles 28:18). In Hebrew writing, the difference is marked by the transposition of a single letter. Perhaps, therefore, our present reading is a clerical error.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:1-10 The ark was a type of Christ, and, as such, a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, does, in effect, bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we by faith and prayer plead that promise; and this we should be most earnest for. When Christ is formed in a soul, the law written in the heart, the ark of the covenant settled there, so that it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, there is true satisfaction in that soul.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Levites took up the ark - i. e., such of the Levites as were also priests (compare 2 Chronicles 5:7; 1 Kings 8:3).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 5:2-13. Bringing Up of the Ark of the Covenant.

2, 3. Then Solomon assembled … in the feast which was in the seventh month—The feast of the dedication of the temple was on the eighth day of that month. This is related, word for word, the same as in 1Ki 8:1-10.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

See Chapter Introduction

Geneva Study Bible

For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

2 Chronicles 5:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Instead of הלויּם, we have in 2 Kings #1492;כּהנים, the priests bare the ark; and since even according to the Chronicle (2 Chronicles 5:7) the priests bare the ark into the holy place, we must understand by הלויּם such Levites were also priests. - In 2 Chronicles 5:5, too the words הלויּם הכּהנים are inexact, and are to be corrected by 1 Kings 8:4, והלויּם הכּהנים. For even if the Levitic priests bare the ark and the sacred utensils of the tabernacle into the temple, yet the tabernacle itself (the planks, hangings, and coverings of it) was borne into the temple, to be preserved as a holy relic, not by priests, but only by Levites. The conj. ו before הלוים has probably been omitted only by a copyist, who was thinking of הלוים הכהנים (Joshua 3:3; Deuteronomy 17:9, Deuteronomy 17:18, etc.). - In 2 Chronicles 5:8 ויכסּוּ is an orthographical error for ויּסכּוּ, 1 Kings 8:7; cf. 1 Chronicles 28:18; Exodus 25:20. - In 2 Chronicles 5:9, too, מן־הארון has probably come into our text only by a copyist's mistake instead of מן־הקּדשׁ (1 Kings 8:8).