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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1-11

Here is, I. The gracious answer which God immediately made to Solomon's prayer: The fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, 2 Chron. 7:1. In this way God testified his acceptance of Moses (Lev. 9:24), of Gideon (Jdg. 6:21), of David (1 Chron. 21:26), of Elijah (1 Kgs. 18:38); and, in general, to accept the burnt-sacrifice is, in the Hebrew phrase, to turn it to ashes, Ps. 20:3. The fire came down here, not upon the killing of the sacrifices, but the praying of the prayer. 1.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1

Now when Solomon had made an end of praying ,.... The prayer recorded in the preceding chapter: the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices ; which was the token God gave of his acceptance of them, of which there had been several instances before, Leviticus 9:24 , 1 Kings 18:38 , and the glory of the Lord filled the house ; the glory of the Shechinah of the Lord, as the Targum, see 1 Kings 8:11 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 7:1

The fire came down - The cloud had come down before, now the fire consumes the sacrifice, showing that both the house and the sacrifices were accepted by the Lord. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1

When Solomon had made an end of praying . See the parallel, 1 Kings 8:54 , which verse, however, in a sense, disappoints us; for, beginning with these same words, it does not go on at all to tell of this second occurrence of the fire and the cloud and the glory. The fire came … and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. So Le 1 Kings 9:24 , when the tabernacle was consecrated. The closing verses of our 1 Kings 5:1-18 ; compared with the first verse of 1 Kings 6:1-38 ;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1-3

The Divine approval. The incident here recorded was one that must have lived for ever in the memory of those who witnessed it. The occasion itself was of surpassing interest; all the accessories were fitted to deepen the impression; and when the miraculous fire came down from heaven upon the altar, there was an event which every present Israelite must have delighted to describe in after-days to those who did not witness it. Its significance was twofold. It was— I. A MANIFESTATION ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1-7

The acceptance of Solomon's prayer. I. THE ANSWERING GOD . ( 2 Chronicles 7:1 , 2 Chronicles 7:2 .) By himself set forth ( Isaiah 65:24 ; Jeremiah 33:3 ), by his people recognized ( Psalms 65:2 ; Psalms 99:8 ; Isaiah 58:9 ), and by Christ revealed ( Matthew 7:7-11 ; Matthew 18:19 ; John 16:23 ) as a Hearer of prayer, Jehovah responded to the intercession of Israel's king by a twofold sign. 1 . By fire from heaven. "The God that answereth by fire," said... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:1-22

The testimony by fire, and the vouchsafed glory of the Lord. This chapter invites attention to four subjects, no one of which is entirely fresh, but each one of which owns to fresh impressiveness by virtue of position, particularity of description, and the more touching associations which now surround it. Attention, then, may be called first of all and chiefly to— I. THE MARVEL OF THE DESCENDING FIRE FROM HEAVEN . It is remarkable that the parallel ( 1 Kings 8:1-66 .)... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Chronicles 7:1

The fire came down from heaven - As in the time of Moses on the dedication of the tabernacle Leviticus 9:24 The fact is omitted from the narrative of Kings; but omission is not contradiction. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Chronicles 7:1

2 Chronicles 7:1. The fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt- offering, &c. This circumstance is added to what is recorded in the first book of Kings. Hereby, and by the cloud filling the whole house, was shown God’s gracious acceptance of Solomon’s prayer and sacrifices; and an assurance was given that he would be present in this place, and grant all their lawful petitions. By the former of these, it is generally thought, the first sacrifice that we read of in Scripture,... read more

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