And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified ,.... Truly made good, and punctually performed: which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father ; the same request in other words, repeated to show his ardent and vehement desire to have it fulfilled. read more
The Prayer of Dedication. In how many and varied ways is Solomon a type of the Divine Solomon, the true Son of David Even in this respect they are alike—that each has "taught us how to pray" ( Luke 11:1 sqq.) For we may be sure that the Prayer of Dedication is for our instruction and imitation, otherwise it would hardly have been recorded, and recorded at such length, in Scripture. "After this manner therefore pray ye" ( Matthew 6:9 ). I. LAYMEN MAY OFFER PUBLIC PRAYER ... read more
And now, O God [The LXX ; Vulg; Syr; and Arab. read, O Lord God, as do many MSS . But the word is more likely to have been inserted ( in conformity with 1 Kings 8:23 , 1 Kings 8:25 ) than to have been left out] let thy word [The Keri has thy words . Keil sees here a reference to "all the words " of 2 Samuel 7:17 ; but this, especially when the reading is doubtful, is somewhat too remote], I pray thee, be verified [ יֵאָמֵן optative form. Gesen; Gram. 126. 2]... read more
The dedication ceremony (8:22-9:9)Solomon then went up on to a specially made bronze platform, knelt down and prayed to God in the presence of the assembled people (2 Chronicles 6:12-13). He admitted that only God’s grace had allowed his father and himself to fulfil their wish of building God a symbolic dwelling place. He prayed that God’s grace would rest likewise upon his royal descendants after him (22-26). Solomon knew there was no necessity for the temple, because God dwells everywhere.... read more
God = Elohim. App-4 . Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "Jehovah Elohim". App-4 . word. Hebrew. dabar . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the promises made by it. See 1 Kings 8:56 . read more
5. The temple dedication ch. 8This chapter climaxes the writer’s emphasis on the greatness of Yahweh as Israel’s God. It is the most detailed account of a dedication service in the Bible. It is also one of the most theologically significant texts in 1 and 2 Kings. read more
Solomon’s prayer of dedication 8:22-53This great prayer centers on the Mosaic Covenant. That is its heart. It is the longest prayer in the Bible. Solomon introduced seven petitions with a backward look emphasizing God’s faithfulness (1 Kings 8:23-26). He concluded with a forward look stressing God’s mercy (1 Kings 8:52-53).Solomon’s posture of kneeling with open hands uplifted to heaven (1 Kings 8:52) symbolized his heart attitude, as posture often does in prayer. [Note: See Thomas L.... read more
The Dedication of the Temple. Solomon’s Prayer1. The chief of the fathers] i.e. heads of families. Out of the city] The Temple and Palace were built on the site of Araunah’s threshing floor (2 Chronicles 3:1), which would naturally be outside the city walls and on higher ground: cp. 1 Kings 9:24. 2. Ethanim] The later Tishri, corresponding to Sept.-Oct. The feast referred to was Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34).3. The priests] 2 Chronicles 5:4 has ’the Levites,’ certain of whom (the Kohathites)... read more
(23-53) The prayer of Solomon, uttered (see 1 Kings 8:54) on his knees with hands uplifted to heaven, long and detailed as it is, is yet of extreme simplicity of idea. It begins (a), in 1 Kings 8:23-25, with a thankful acknowledgment of the fulfilment of one part of the great promise to David, and a prayer for the like fulfilment of the other; next (b), in 1 Kings 8:26-30, acknowledging that God’s presence can be limited to no Temple, it yet Asks that His peculiar blessing may rest on prayer... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 8:22-53
Solomon having made a general surrender of this house to God, which God had signified his acceptance of by taking possession, next follows Solomon's prayer, in which he makes a more particular declaration of the uses of that surrender, with all humility and reverence, desiring that God would agree thereto. In short, it is his request that this temple may be deemed and taken, not only for a house of sacrifice (no mention is made of that in all this prayer, that was taken for granted), but a... read more