Dwell with men ( Psalms 132:14 ). Heaven and the heaven of heavens. Solomon's conception of the infinite God comes plainly to view here ( 2 Chronicles 2:6 ; Deuteronomy 10:14 ; Psalms 139:5-12 ; Psalms 148:4 ; Isaiah 66:1 ; Acts 7:4-9 ; Acts 17:24 ). read more
Will God in very deed dwell with men? I. REASON SAYS , NO ! 1 . The greatness of God forbids it. The heaven of heavens cannot contain him; how much less any house which man might build, or, even man's heart, which at the best is narrow and mean! The insignificance of man in comparison with the transcendent majesty of the Supreme has always been a difficulty in the way of accepting the religion of the Bible. 2 . The sinfulness of man opposes it. Had the thing itself—the... read more
God in the sanctuary. These elevated and eloquent words suggest to us what is— I. A FALSE THOUGHT OF GOD IN RELATION TO THE SANCTUARY . It may be, and probably is, imagined by the idolatrous that the temple of their deity contains the object of their worship; that it is his residence and home; that it suffices for him. Solomon had no such false thought about Jehovah; he knew that "the heaven of heavens could not contain him," and "how much less the house that he had... read more
This house …. the place whereof;… this place (so Exodus 29:43 ; Deuteronomy 12:5 ; Deuteronomy 14:23 ; Deuteronomy 15:20 ; Deuteronomy 16:2 ). read more
The supplications of thy servant . "The great thought of Solomon now is that the centre and core of all worship is prayer" (Professor Dr. James G. Murphy, in 'Handbook for Bible Classes: Chronicles'). Toward this place (see other instances of this expression, Psalms 5:7 ; Psalms 28:2 ; Psalms 138:2 ; Jonah 2:4 ; Daniel 6:10 ). From thy dwelling-place . 1 Kings 8:30 has, "hear to thy dwelling-place, to heaven," by probably the mere error of a copyist. read more
And an oath be laid upon him to make him swear . This verse is explained by Exodus 22:9-11 ; Le Exodus 6:1-5 . The case of ordeal by self-purgation of oath is supposed. And the oath come . The Septuagint translates here, "and he come and declare by oath," etc.—a translation which a very slight alteration in the Hebrew, consisting in prefixing a vau to the word for swear, will allow. The Vulgate follows the Septuagint. read more
Divine justice. This petition supposes— I. THE COMMISSION OF DELIBERATE WRONG by one man against another. A dispute may readily arise in which each man, affected in his judgment by his own personal interests, believes himself to make a righteous claim. This is a ease for impartial intervention, for the decision of one who is not prejudiced by any interest of his own. But the case here referred to by Solomon is one of deliberate wrong perpetrated by one man against his... read more
The sevenfold illustration. I. THE OATH OF PURGATION . ( 2 Chronicles 6:22 , 2 Chronicles 6:23 .) 1 . The case supposed. ( 2 Chronicles 6:22 .) 2 . The prayer offered. ( 2 Chronicles 6:23 .) II. THE PRAYER OF THE CAPTIVE . (Verses 24, 25.) 1 . The instance selected. That of God's ancient people 2 . The request presented. III. THE CRY OF THE FAMISHED . (Verses 26, 27.) 1 . The distress pictured. Solomon imagines a... read more
The prayer is that God will command his blessing on the oath ordeal. read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 6:12-21
The dedication of the temple: 3. The consecration prayer. I. THE PERSON OF THE SUPPLIANT . Solomon. 1 . Royal. That Solomon should have prayed was not surprising, considering the example and training he must have received from his father, and remembering the solemn and impressive spectacle he had witnessed. It is difficult to shake off habits formed within the soul by ancestral piety and early training; while, if a sense of God's nearness and a realization of God's... read more