1-11 Solomon, having blessed the people, blessed God 12-42 Solomon's prayer in the consecration of the temple, upon the brasen scaffold, etc.

The Lord Ex 20:21 24:15-18 Le 16:2 De 4:11 1Ki 8:12 Ps 18:8-11 97:2 Na 1:3 Heb 12:18

2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

I have built 2Ch 2:4-6 2Sa 7:13 1Ki 8:13 1Ch 17:12 22:10,11 28:6,20 Ps 132:5 132:13,14 Joh 4:21-23 Heb 9:11,12 Re 21:3

3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

turned his face 1Ki 8:14

blessed 2Ch 29:29 Nu 6:23-27 Jos 22:6 1Ki 8:55-61 1Ch 16:2 Lu 24:50,51

all the congregation 1Ki 8:14 Ne 8:5-7 Mt 13:2

4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,

Blessed 1Ki 8:15 1Ch 29:10,20 Ps 41:13 68:4,32-35 72:18,19 Lu 1:68,69 Eph 1:3

who hat with 1Ch 17:12 Ps 138:1,2 Mt 24:35 Lu 1:70

5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

Since the day 2Sa 7:6,7 1Ki 8:16

my name Ex 20:24 23:21 De 12:5,11 Da 9:19

neither chose The judges and Saul were chosen by God, for a season, to be rulers of Israel; but not establish a permanent and hereditary authority over that people, as was the case with David. This clause is wanting in the parallel passage of Kings; but it helps to clear the sense. 1Sa 10:24 13:13,14 15:23 2Sa 7:15,16

6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

But I have chosen Jerusalem This clause is also not in Kings. Jerusalem was expressly marked out, by the building of the temple, to be the centre of worship of Israel; as Jehovah had before spoken by Moses: see the parallel passages. 2Ch 12:13 Ps 48:1 78:68-70 132:13 Isa 14:32

chosen David 1Sa 16:1 1Ch 28:4 Ps 89:19,20

7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

2Sa 7:2,3 1Ki 5:3 8:17 1Ch 17:1 22:7 28:2

8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

thou didst well 1Ki 8:18-21 Mr 14:8 2Co 8:12

9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

thy son 2Sa 7:12,13 1Ch 17:4,11,12

10 The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

performed his word 2Ch 6:4

I am risen 2Ch 1:1 1Ki 2:12 3:6,7 1Ch 29:15,23 Ec 1:4 2:18,19

as the Lord 1Ch 17:11 28:5

11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.

I put the ark 2Ch 5:7,10 Ex 40:20 1Ki 8:9,21 Heb 9:4

the covenant As `there was nothing in the ark but the two tables of stone,' consequently they are called the covenant, i. e. a sign of the covenant.

12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

he stood 1Ki 8:22 2Ki 11:14 23:3 Ps 29:1,2

spread forth Ex 9:33 Job 11:13 Ps 28:2 63:4 68:31 141:2 143:6 1Ti 2:8

13 For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

scaffold Ne 8:4

long [heb] the length thereof, etc.
the court 2Ch 4:9 1Ki 6:36 7:12

kneeled down 1Ki 8:54 Ezr 9:5 Ps 95:6 Da 6:10 Lu 22:41 Ac 20:36 21:5

14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

O Lord God Ge 33:20 35:10 Ex 3:15 1Ki 8:23 18:36 1Ch 29:10,20

no God Ex 15:11 De 4:39 2Sa 7:22 Ps 86:8 89:6,8 Jer 10:6,16

keepest covenant De 7:9 Ne 1:5 Ps 89:28 Da 9:4 Mic 7:18-20 Lu 1:72

mercy Ps 103:17,18 Lu 1:50,54,55

walk before Ge 5:24 17:1 1Ki 3:6 6:12 Lu 1:6 1Th 2:12

15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

and spakest 2Sa 7:12 1Ki 8:24 1Ch 22:9

has fulfilled 2Ch 6:4

16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

keep Eze 36:37 Joh 15:14,15

saying 2Ch 7:18 2Sa 7:12-16 1Ki 2:4 6:12 Ps 132:12

There shall not fail thee a man [heb] There shall not a man be cut off

to walk Ps 26:3 119:1

17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

O Lord 2Ch 6:4,14 Ex 24:10 Isa 41:17 45:3

let thy 2Sa 7:25-29 Jer 11:5

18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

But will Ex 29:45,46 1Ki 8:27 Ps 68:18 113:5,6 Isa 57:15 66:1 Ac 7:48,49 17:24

heaven `the heaven and the heavens of heavens;' which words seem to imply that there are systems and systems of systems and systems of systems, each possessing its sun, it primary and secondary planets; all extending beyond each other in unlimited space, in the same regular and graduated order which we find to prevail in our solar system; which, probably, in its thousands of millions of miles in diameter, is, to some others, no more than the area of the lunar orbit to that of Georgium Sidus. 2Ch 2:6 Ps 139:7-10 Jer 23:24 2Co 12:2

how much 2Ch 32:15 Job 4:19 9:14 25:4-6 Mt 7:11

19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:

Have respect 1Ki 8:28 Ps 74:20 130:2 Da 9:17-19 Lu 18:1-7

to hearken Ps 4:1 5:1,2 20:1-3 Joh 17:20

20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

thine eyes 2Ch 16:9 1Ki 8:29,30 2Ki 19:16 Ne 1:6 Ps 34:15 121:5

put thy name 2Ch 6:6 De 26:2 Col 2:9

toward this place. or, in this place Da 6:10

21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

make [heb] pray
thy dwelling place 2Ch 6:39 30:27 Job 22:12-14 Ps 123:1 Ec 5:2 Isa 57:15 Mt 6:9

forgive Ps 85:2,3 130:3,4 Isa 43:25 Da 9:19 Mic 7:18 Mt 6:12

22 If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;

sin 1Ki 8:31,32

and an oath, etc. [heb] and he require an oath of him Ex 22:11 Le 5:1 Pr 30:9

the oath Nu 5:19-22 Mt 23:18

23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

from heaven 2Ch 6:21

requiting Nu 5:27 2Ki 9:26 Ps 10:14 Pr 1:31 Isa 3:11 Jer 28:16,17 51:56 Ro 2:9

justifying De 25:1 Pr 17:15 Isa 3:10 Eze 18:20 Ro 2:10

24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;

put to the worse. or, be smitten Le 26:17,37 De 28:25,48 Jos 7:8 1Ki 8:33,34 Ps 44:10

because Jos 7:11,12 Jud 2:11,14,15 2Ki 17:7-18

shall return Le 26:40-42 De 4:29-31 30:1-6 Ne 1:8,9 Pr 28:13 Jer 3:12,13

pray Ezr 9:5 Ne 9:1 Isa 63:1-64:12 Da 9:3

in. or, toward 2Ch 6:20

25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.

forgive the sin Ezr 1:1-6 Ps 106:4-47 Jer 33:6-13

which thou Ge 13:15 Ex 6:8 Jos 21:43

26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

the heaven Le 26:19 De 11:17 28:23 1Ki 17:1-18:46 Lu 4:25

there is no rain Isa 50:1,2 5:6 Eze 14:13 Am 4:4-9 Re 11:6

if they pray Jer 14:1-9 Joe 1:13-20 2:15-17

turn Pr 28:13 Eze 18:27-32

thou dost 2Ch 33:12,13 Ho 5:15 6:1

27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

when thou hast 1Ki 8:35,36 Ps 25:4,5,8,12 94:12 119:33 Mic 4:2 Joh 6:45

good way Isa 30:21 Jer 6:16 42:3

send rain 1Ki 18:40-45 Job 37:11-14 Ps 68:9 Jer 5:24 14:22 Eze 34:26 Ho 2:21,22 Joe 2:23 Zec 10:1 Jas 5:17,18

28 If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:

if there be dearth `Persia', says Chardin, `is subject to have its harvest spoiled by hail, by drought, or by insects; either locusts, or small insects, which they call {sim}, which are small white lice;' probably the caterpillars of the text. 2Ch 20:5-13 Le 26:16,25,26 De 28:21-61 Ru 1:1 1Ki 8:37-40 2Ki 6:25-29 8:1

locusts Ex 10:12-15 Joe 1:4-7,11 2:25 Re 9:3-11

their enemies 2Ch 12:2-5 20:9-13 32:1 Le 26:25 De 28:52-57

cities of their land [heb] land of their gates
whatsoever 2Ch 32:24 1Ki 8:37,38 Jas 5:13

29 Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:

what prayer Ps 33:12,13 50:15 91:15

know Ps 32:2-6 142:1,2 Pr 14:10

spread forth 2Ch 6:12,13 Isa 1:15

in. or, toward

30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

render Ps 18:20-26 62:12 Jer 17:10 Eze 18:30 Mt 16:27

thou only 1Ki 8:39 1Ch 28:9 29:17 Ps 11:4,5 Joh 2:25 Heb 4:13 Re 2:23

31 That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

fear thee Ex 20:20 1Sa 12:24 Job 28:28 Ps 128:1 130:4 Ac 9:31

so long, etc. [heb] all the days which they live upon the face of the land.

32 Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;

the stranger Ex 12:48,49 Ru 1:16 2:11,12 1Ki 8:41-43 10:1,2 Isa 56:3-7 Mt 2:1 8:10,11 Joh 10:15 12:20 Ac 8:27-39 10:1-4 Eph 2:12,13

is come Ex 18:8-12 Jos 2:9 9:9 2Ki 5:3,8,15 Isa 60:1-10 Zec 8:22 Mt 12:42

thy mighty Ex 3:19,20 13:14 Ps 89:13

if they come Isa 66:20 Zec 14:16,17 Ac 2:10

33 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

that all people 1Sa 17:46 2Ki 19:19 Ps 22:27 46:10 67:2 138:4,5 Isa 11:10 49:6 54:1-3 Re 11:15

fear thee Jer 10:7

this house, etc. [heb] they name is called upon this house. Nu 6:27 1Ki 8:16

34 If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;

thy people 2Ch 14:11,12 20:4 De 20:1-4 Jos 1:2-5 1Ki 8:44,45

by the way Nu 31:2-6 Jos 8:1-8 Jud 1:1,2 1Sa 15:3,18

they pray 2Ch 14:9-12 18:31 20:6-13 32:20,21

toward 2Ch 6:6 1Ki 8:13 Isa 14:32 Da 6:10

35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

hear thou Da 9:17-19

maintain Isa 37:21-36

cause. or, right Ps 9:3,4 Jer 5:28

36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;

they sin 1Ki 8:46,50

for this is no man Job 15:14-16 Ps 130:3 143:2 Pr 20:9 Ec 7:20 Jas 3:2 1Jo 1:8-10

thou be angry Le 26:34-44 De 4:26,27 28:36,54-68 29:24-28 2Ki 17:6 18:23 15:21 Da 9:7-14 Lu 21:24

they carry them away captives [heb] they that take them captives carry them away.

37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;

Yet if Le 26:4-45 De 4:29,30 30:1-3 Lu 15:17

bethink themselves [heb] bring back to their heart
We have sinned Ezr 9:6,7 Ne 1:6 9:26-30 Job 33:27,28 Ps 106:6 Isa 64:6-12 Jer 3:12 3:13,14 31:18-20 Da 9:5-11 Lu 15:18,19

38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:

return De 30:2-6 Jer 29:12-14 Ho 14:1-4 Joe 2:12,13

pray toward 2Ch 33:11-13 Da 9:3,4

the city 2Ch 6:34 Da 6:10

39 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

cause. or, right. 2Ch 6:35 Zec 1:15,16

forgive Ps 25:18 Mic 7:18-20

40 Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

my God Ps 7:3 13:3 22:1,2 88:1

thine eyes 2Ch 7:15 16:9 1Ki 8:52 Ps 34:15 Isa 37:17 Da 9:16-19

thine ears Ps 17:1 31:2 116:2

that is made in this place.

41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

arise Ps 132:8-10,16

thy resting 1Ch 28:2 Isa 66:1

the ark Jos 3:13 6:4,5 Ps 110:2 Ro 1:16

thy priests Isa 59:16-18 61:3,6,10 Ro 13:14 Ga 3:27 Eph 4:22-24 Re 19:8,14

thy saints Ne 9:25 Ps 65:4,11 Isa 65:18,19 Zec 9:17 Php 3:3 4:4

42 O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

turn not. That is, `reject not thine anointed;' or, `repulse him not,' agreeably to the interpretation of this phrase in the Syriac and Arabic versions. 1Ki 2:16

thine anointed 1Ki 1:34 Ps 2:2 Isa 61:1

remember Ps 132:1 Isa 55:3 Ac 13:34

the mercies Or, as Dr. Geddes renders, `the pious deeds of thy servant David.' The Syriac has, `the good actions of they servant.'