Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 7
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 7
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 7
"Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Jehovah filled the house." — 2 Chronicles 7:1 (ASV)
When Solomon had made an end of praying. — (1 Kings 8:54, “And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying unto Jehovah all this prayer and supplication.”) From this point the divergence between the two accounts begins. There is no objective ground for supposing that the chronicler invented the facts here recorded. He must have found them in one of his sources, although we have no means of determining whether or not they were related in the original narrative followed by the author of Kings. It is unwarranted to imagine that the chronicler was more inclined to miracles than the older writer. (Compare 1 Kings 8:10; 1 Kings 18:38.) His greater interest in all that concerned the worship of the Temple is enough to account for the present and similar additions to the older narrative.
The fire came down from heaven. — Compare Leviticus 9:22-24, from which passage it appears likely that the fire descended after Solomon had blessed the people. (Compare also 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Kings 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12; 2 Kings 1:14.)
And the sacrifices. — The offerings presented when the ark entered the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:6).
And the glory of the Lord filled the house. — This statement is not a mere duplicate of 2 Chronicles 5:13–14. See the next verse. The “glory of the Lord” is apparently a manifestation quite distinct from the “fire.”
"And the priests could not enter into the house of Jehovah, because the glory of Jehovah filled Jehovah`s house." — 2 Chronicles 7:2 (ASV)
And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord. —Hardly a different assertion from that of 2 Chronicles 5:14 (“ the priests could not stand to minister ”); the cause in both instances being the same, and expressed in the same words (1 Kings 8:11). But it is quite plain that the writer intends to record in 2 Chronicles 5:7 two distinct appearances of the Divine glory, one before and one after the Prayer of Consecration, both of which were attended by the same effects upon the ministering priests.
"And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto Jehovah, [saying], For he is good; for his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever." — 2 Chronicles 7:3 (ASV)
Upon the pavement. — Riçpâh; rendered by the Septuagint τὸ λιθόστρωτον, which is the word used in John 19:13; Vulgate, “pavimentum stratum lapide.” (Esther 1:6, a tessellated pavement.)
And praised. —Gave thanks to Jehovah. The infinitive is here used for the finite form of the verb, as elsewhere.
For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. —See 1 Chronicles 16:34–41; 1 Chronicles 23:30; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 20:21. The Syriac and Arabic paraphrase, “and they said one to another: Give thanks to the Lord,” etc. There is hardly anything in the section, except this last phrase, which can be said to be characteristic of the style of the chronicler.
"Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Jehovah." — 2 Chronicles 7:4 (ASV)
Then. — And.
Offered sacrifices. — Were sacrificing a sacrifice. Septuagint, θύοντες θύματα. Vulgate, “immolabant.”
"Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Jehovah. And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. And the priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of Jehovah, which David the king had made to give thanks unto Jehovah, (for his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever,) when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood. Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah; for there he offered the burnt-offerings, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat. So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt. And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away unto their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people." — 2 Chronicles 7:4-10 (ASV)
THE SACRIFICES AND THE FESTIVAL. (Compare to 1 Kings 8:62–66.) The two narratives are again mainly coincident.
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