Wherein is the covenant of the Lord - As it is said, 1 Kings 8:9 , that there was nothing in the ark but the two tables of stone, consequently these are called the Covenant, i.e., a sign of the covenant; as our Lord calls the cup the new covenant in his blood, that is, the sign of the new covenant: for This is my body implies, This is the sign or emblem of my body. read more
Stood - He ascended the brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and then kneeled down upon his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven, and offered up the following prayer: see 1 Kings 8:54 , and 2 Chronicles 5:12 , 2 Chronicles 5:13 . And spread forth his hands toward heaven - This was a usual custom in all nations: in prayer the hands were stretched out to heaven, as if to invite and receive assistance from thence; while,... read more
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel [ 1 Kings 1:48 ], which spake with his mouth unto [or, concerning ; אֵל after verbs of speaking has the force of de ( Genesis 20:2 ; Jeremiah 40:16 ; Psalms 69:27 ). David my father [The words were really spoken to Nathan], and hath with his hand [ i.e; power; cf. Job 34:20 ; Acts 4:28 ; Acts 13:11 ; Ezra 7:6 ] fulfilled it [the spoken word He has fulfilled in deed], saying , [The reference is to 2 Samuel... read more
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel, to build a house, that my name might be therein [The chronicler adds here, "Neither chose I any man to be ruler," etc. Probably our account comes nearer to the words actually spoken. The speech in the Chronicles looks as if it had been somewhat amplified, though it only completes the sense (Rawlinson)], but I chose David to be over my people Israel. [Cf. Psalms 78:70 . This... read more
And it was in the heart of David my father [ 2 Samuel 7:2 ; 1 Chronicles 17:1 ] to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. read more
The Unfulfilled Purposes of Life. Men often take credit to themselves for the designs of others. An inventor is forgotten, having died in obscurity, while others make fortunes from that secret which he won by the sacrifices of ease, strength, and time. [Give other examples of the non-recognition by men of purposes and schemes which were unfulfilled by their originators.] Solomon showed himself to be truthful and magnanimous when, in the presence of his people, he ascribed to his father the... read more
And the Lord said unto David my father [Not, perhaps, totidem verbis . The Divine approval was implied in 2 Samuel 7:11-16 , and it may have been expressed at the same time. The narratives of Scripture are necessarily greatly condensed], Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. read more
Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house [Wordsworth observes that it was filial reverence prevented Solomon's mentioning the cause of this prohibition which, however, is mentioned with appropriate humility by David himself ( 1 Chronicles 22:8 ) ]; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name. [ 2 Samuel 7:11 , 2 Samuel 7:12 . The recurrence of "the name" of the Lord is to be noticed (see 2 Samuel 7:16 , 2 Samuel 7:17 , 2... read more
And the Lord hath performed [Same word as in 1 Kings 2:4 . Lit; "hath raised up" ( LXX . ἀνέστησε ). Also same word as "risen up" ( LXX . ἀνέστην ) below, and as "set up" in 2 Samuel 7:12 . We might translate "established" throughout] his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel [ 2 Samuel 1:1-27 :48], as the Lord promised [ 2 Samuel 7:12 ], and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel [ ... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 8:16
Since the day , etc. - Mention is here made, says Dr. Kennicott, of some one place and some one person preferred before all others; and the preference is that of Jerusalem to other places, and of David to other men. In consequence of this remark, we shall see the necessity of correcting this passage by its parallel in 2 Chronicles 6:5 , 2 Chronicles 6:6 , where the thirteen Hebrew words now lost in Kings are happily preserved. Let us compare the passages: - 1 Kings 2 Chronicles... read more