Chapter 7

1 God having given testimony to Solomon’s prayer by fire from heaven, and glory in the temple, the people worship him. 4 Solomon’s solemn sacrifice. 8 Solomon having kept the feast of tabernacles, and the feast of the dedication of the altar, dismisseth the people. 12 God appearing to Solomon giveth him promises upon condition.

1. Fire came down. God gave an outward token to signify that Solomon’s prayer had been heard and that He would honor the Temple with His presence. On a number of previous occasions the Lord had made His presence manifest in a similar manner (see Lev. 9:24; Judges 6:21; 1 Chron. 21:26).

Filled the house. See on 1 Kings 8:10, 11.

3. Bowed. The Israelites were greatly impressed with the holiness and glory of God, and instinctively bowed before Him in adoration and praise.

His mercy endureth. Compare ch. 5:13. This refrain occurs also in David’s psalm of praise sung when the ark was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 16:34). Compare the song of the Levites and singers who went before the forces of Jehoshaphat against the enemy (2 Chron. 20:21).

4. Offered sacrifices. Verses 4–10, dealing with Solomon’s sacrifices and the festival which followed, are parallel to 1 Kings 8:62–66.

5. Twenty and two thousand oxen. According to 1 Kings 8:63 this was a “sacrifice of peace offerings.” Peace offerings were sacrificed on festive occasions, when priests and people united together in seasons of holy joy, giving thanks to God and praising Him for His goodness and blessing. The greater part of the animal sacrificed as a peace offering was eaten by the offerer, his family, and his friends.

6. Instruments of musick. Compare 1 Chron. 23:5.

7. Solomon hallowed. Since the brazen altar was not large enough to accommodate the large number of sacrifices, the entire middle of the Temple court was consecrated to serve as a huge altar.

8. The feast. This was the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasted 7 days, normally beginning with the 15th day of the 7th month (see Lev. 23:34–36; PK 45).

Entering in of Hamath. See on 1 Kings 8:65.

9. The eighth day. The eight day from the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, in harmony with Lev. 23:36, 39, was the 22d day of the 7th month (see on v. 10).

Seven days, … seven days. If the 7 days of dedication lasted from the 10th to the 16th of the 7th month, inclusive, and if the observance of the feast for 7 more days ran from the 16th to the 22d (see 1 Kings 8:65), then the “eighth” day, following the second 7-day period, would be the 23d (see on v. 10).

10. Three and twentieth. Compare 1 Kings 8:66, where the statement is made that the people were sent away on the 8th day. Beginning the second 7 days with the 16th day of the month, the day after the Feast of Tabernacles normally began, the 8th day would be the 23d of the month, with which it is equated by these texts. In that case the prolonged celebration of the dedication of the Temple would have embraced and extended beyond the normal period of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Into their tents. That is, to their homes. See on 1 Kings 8:66.

Glad and merry in heart. True religion brings joy. The Israelites had had a happy season together at the dedication of the Temple and at the Feast of Tabernacles. In singing praises to God and in remembering His loving-kindness to them, they experienced a type of joy that no pleasures of the world can ever bring. When a man truly loves God and worships Him in spirit and in truth, he finds fullness of peace and joy. It is well for a people and well for their rulers when they can find such happiness and contentment of heart. A king has little to fear when such is the spirit of his people. The solution of the problems of the world cannot be found so long as the people of the world do not find their peace and joy in the Lord. The best remedy for faultfinding or strife among brethren is for them to keep so close to the Lord that they will be constantly rejoicing in His mercies.

11. Finished the house. See on 1 Kings 9:1.

Prosperously effected. Solomon successfully accomplished all that he set out to do.

12. Appeared to Solomon. Verses 12–22 narrate the response of the Lord to Solomon’s prayer of dedication. Verses 13–15 are not found in the parallel narrative of 1 Kings 9:1–9. The account here is somewhat fuller than it is in Kings. According to 1 Kings 9:2 the Lord appeared to Solomon “the second time.” God first appeared to Solomon in a visit by night at Gibeon (2 Chron. 1:7; 1 Kings 3:5).

Have chosen. From this point on to the end of v. 15, Chronicles presents material that is not found in Kings. The site on Mt. Moriah, memorable as the place where Abraham made the supreme demonstration of his faith by his willingness to offer up his own son, and hallowed by the appearance of the angel to stay the plague upon Jerusalem (1 Chron. 21:15–18), was chosen as the place where the Temple should be built.

13. Shut up heaven. Compare 2 Chron. 6:26; Deut. 11:17. God supplies the earth with rain (Matt. 5:45). At various times, when men have turned away from God to serve false gods, He has removed His blessing and drought and famine have been the result (1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 8:1).

Locusts. Compare 2 Chron. 6:28; Ex. 10:14, 15; Joel 1:4.

Send pestilence. Compare 2 Chron. 6:28; Deut. 28:20–22; 1 Chron. 21:14; Jer. 24:10. Satan brings sickness and pain upon men when God permits (Job 2:4–7).

14. Humble themselves. God’s desire for sinners is that they should humble themselves, forsake their sins, and turn to Him and live. God takes no delight in the suffering and death of the wicked, and urgently calls upon sinners to repent and turn from their transgressions, that iniquity shall not be their ruin (Isa. 1:18–20; Jer. 25:5; Eze. 18:30–32; Hosea 6:1).

15. Shall be open. This is what Solomon had prayed for (ch. 6:40), and God’s answer follows the exact words of Solomon’s petition.

16. For ever. When God chose Jerusalem, it was with the purpose that His name might be there forever (see on 2 Chron. 6:2; 1 Kings 9:5). Because of human failure that purpose was thwarted. It will ultimately be fulfilled in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God, descended to earth, where God will take up His abode with His people forever (Rev. 21:1–3).

17. If thou wilt. God is no respecter of persons. He desires obedience and blesses those who are faithful to Him. But His promises are conditional. God cannot bless those who refuse to walk in the pathway of blessing (see on Kings 9:4). Solomon well knew that the way of obedience to God’s commands was the pathway of life (Prov. 3:1, 2).

18. Covenanted with David. See on 2 Sam. 7:12–16; cf. 1 Kings 2:4; 6:12.

20. Pluck them up. Compare Lev. 26:14, 24–33; Deut. 28:15, 36, 37, 64. The writer of Kings says, “Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them” (1 Kings 9:7). When Israel disobeyed the Lord, they brought desolation and woe upon themselves, and were taken away as captives to Assyria (2 Kings 17:20–23) and to Babylon (2 Chron. 36:17–20).

Out of my sight. The glorious Temple that Solomon had built would be cast away as something utterly worthless if Israel should forsake the Lord. Earthly glory rapidly fades. Israel failed, and the once-magnificent Temple was sacked and thrown down (2 Kings 25:9).

A proverb. The parallel passage reads: “And Israel shall be a proverb and a by-word among all people” (1 Kings 9:7). These prophecies concerning the house and the people have had a remarkable fulfillment. Solomon’s Temple has disappeared and is only a proverb today, and the sad fate suffered by the nation of Israel is striking testimony to the tragic effects of sin.

22. Brought them forth. It was base ingratitude and treachery for Israel to turn away from the Lord, who had wrought such a marvelous deliverance for them in Egypt and who had established them in the Promised Land. Israel foolishly turned from a God who was everything and could do everything for His people to gods who were nothing and could do nothing (see on Kings 9:9).

Ellen G. White comments

1–22PK 45–47

1 PK 335

1–5, 8–10PK 45

11 PK 37

12–18PK 45

13, 14 PK 128

14 PK 335

16 SR 195

20, 22 PK 47