Clarke's Commentary Solomon having finished the temple, brings in the things which his father had consecrated, 2 Chronicles 5:1. He assembles the elders and chiefs of Israel and the Levites, in order to bring up the ark from the city of David, 2 Chronicles 5:2, 2 Chronicles 5:3. They bring it and its vessels; and having offered innumerable sacrifices, place it in the temple, under the wings of the cherubim, 2 Chronicles 5:4-10. The Levites, singers, and trumpeters praise God; and his glory descends and fills the house, so that the priests cannot stand to minister, 2 Chronicles 5:11-14.
Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God. Brought in all the things - See the note on 1 Kings 7:51.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. The feast - "That is, the feast of tabernacles, which was held in the seventh month." - Targum. See 1 Kings 8:2.
And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. They drew out the staves - As the ark was no longer to be carried about, these were unnecessary.
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. There was nothing in the ark save - The Chaldee paraphrases thus: "There was nothing put in the ark but the two tables which Moses placed there, after the first had been broken on account of the calf which they made in Horeb, and the two other tables had been confirmed which were written with writing expressed in the Ten Words."
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: When the priests were come out - After having carried the ark into the holy of holies, before the sacred service had commenced.
Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) A hundred and twenty priests - Cymbals, psalteries, and harps, of any kind, in union with a hundred and twenty trumpets or horns, could not produce much harmony; as to melody, that must have been impossible, as the noise was too great.
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; For he is good - This was either the whole of the song, or the burden of each verse. The Hebrew is very short: - כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו Ki tob ki leolam chasdo. For he is good; for his mercy is endless.
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. The priests could not stand - What a proof of the being of God, and of the Divine presence! What must those holy men have felt at this time!Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Bible Hub |
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