2 Chronicles 7:1-13

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:12-22

That God accepted Solomon's prayer appeared by the fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted and yet not answered in the letter of it; and therefore God appeared to him in the night, as he did once before (2 Chron. 1:7), and after a day of sacrifice too, as then, and gave him a peculiar answer to his prayer. We had the substance of it before, 1 Kgs. 9:2-9. I. He promised to own this house for a house of sacrifice to Israel and a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:7): My name shall be... 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

John Gill

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

And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord ,.... They went in to carry the ark thither, but not being able to stand to minister, they came out, and could not reenter: because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house ; both the holy place, and the holy of holies, see 1 Kings 8:10 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:3

And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down ,.... From heaven upon the sacrifice, and consumed it, which was all visible to the eye; or it may be this was a distinct fire from the former, since it seems to have come down upon the house, and so may denote a bright, shining, glorious light; the same with what follows: and the glory of the Lord upon the house ; for not only the house was filled with the glory, but there was a bright stream of light and glory over it, very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:4-5

Then the king and all the people ,.... Of these two verses; see Gill on 1 Kings 8:62 ; see Gill on 1 Kings 8:63 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:6

And the priests waited on their offices ,.... Performed them, some in offering sacrifices, others in blowing trumpets, as it may be explained from the latter part of the verse: the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord ; under a divine direction, on which the Levites played to the songs of praise offered to the Lord, and by which they made music sacred to him: because his mercy endureth for ever ; which, as it was the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:7-10

Moreover, Solomon hallowed the middle of the court ,.... From hence, to the end of 2 Chronicles 7:10 is the same with 1 Kings 8:64 . See Gill on 1 Kings 8:64 , 1 Kings 8:65 , 1 Kings 8:66 , only mention is made in 2 Chronicles 7:9 of the dedication of the altar, as if distinct from the dedication of the house, and hallowing the middle of the court, see Numbers 7:10 in imitation of which the Heathens dedicated their altars, in which they used ashes and water, as Pausanias F25 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:11

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord ,.... With which begins 1 Kings 11:1 ; see Gill on 1 Kings 11:1 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 7:12-22

And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night ,.... From hence, to the end of the chapter, much the same things are related as in 1 Kings 9:2 . See Gill on 1 Kings 9:2 , 1 Kings 9:3 , 1 Kings 9:4 , 1 Kings 9:5 , 1 Kings 9:6 , 1 Kings 9:7 , 1 Kings 9:8 , 1 Kings 9:9 , excepting 2 Chronicles 7:13 which contain an answer to the particular requests made by Solomon in case of a famine or pestilence, that when the people of Israel should humble themselves in prayer and... read more

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