1 Kings 7:49 Kommentar

As, in the story of David, one chapter of wars and victories follows another, so, in the story of Solomon, one chapter concerning his buildings follows another. In this chapter we have, I. His fitting up several buildings for himself and his own use (Kg1 7:1-12). II. His furnishing the temple which he had built for God, 1. With two pillars (Kg1 7:13-22). 2. With a molten sea (Kg1 7:23-26). 3. With ten basins of brass (Kg1 7:27-37), and ten layers upon them (Kg1 7:38, Kg1 7:39). 4. With all the other utensils of the temple (Kg1 7:40-50). 5. With the things that his father had dedicated (Kg1 7:51). The particular description of these things was not needless when it was written, nor is it now useless.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 7 This chapter gives an account of some buildings of Solomon for himself, Kg1 7:1; and of other things for the use of the temple; of two pillars of brass, Kg1 7:13; of the molten sea, Kg1 7:23; and of ten bases, and ten layers on them, Kg1 7:27; with other utensils and ornaments, Kg1 7:40.

And the bowls,.... To keep the oil in: and the snuffers; to trim the lamps with; though some interpret the word of musical instruments, as the Targum, of psalteries: and the basins; which were to receive the blood of the sacrifices; and, Ben Gersom thinks, particularly the blood of those that were brought into the sanctuary, see Heb 13:11, there were an hundred of them, Ch2 4:8. and the spoons; which held the incense: and the censers of pure gold; with which the coals were carried from one altar to another, on which the incense was burnt; not only those but all the other vessels were of pure gold: and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple; the holy of holies and the holy place, the hinges of the doors of each, on which they were hung, and turned, were of gold; so grand and magnificent was this edifice, and so liberal Solomon in the building of it.

For just as the tables are rightly used as a type of holy Scripture because they both minister righteousness to those hungering for the bread of the word and bear the vessels of the heavenly ministry, that is, they propose for our imitation the actions of the righteous, so also by these lampstands the words of God are symbolized, that is, because they give the light of wisdom to the erring. That is why the psalmist says, “A lamp to my feet,” and so forth; that, too, is why Solomon says, “Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light.” Moreover, the reason why five lampstands were placed on the right and five on the left is quite easy to see from our discussion of the tables. But when he said five on the right and five on the left, he added fittingly: “over against the oracle.” For the oracle, where the ark was, as has often been said, stands for the way to the heavenly homeland: “where Christ is seated at the right hand of God,” privy, that is, to his Father’s secrets. And the temple lampstands of gold were placed opposite the oracle because the words of God always have in view the abode of the heavenly city that they may instill into our hearts the knowledge and desire of it and inflame those who take their fleshy origin from the earth to long for and to merit a place of everlasting abode in heaven.

Solomon builds his own house, and completes it in thirteen years, Kg1 7:1. He builds another called the house of the forest of Lebanon; and a house for Pharaoh's daughter, Kg1 7:2-12. He brings Hiram, a coppersmith, out of Tyre, who makes much curious work for the temple, Kg1 7:13-20. He makes the two pillars Jachin and Boaz, Kg1 7:21, Kg1 7:22. The molten sea, and the twelve oxen that bare it, Kg1 7:23-26. And ten brazen bases, and the ten lavers with pots, shovels, and basons, all of which he cast in the plain of Jordan, vv. 27-46. The quantity of brass too great to be weighed; and the vessels of the temple were all of pure gold, Kg1 7:47-50. Solomon brings into the house the silver and gold which his father had dedicated, Kg1 7:51.

BUILDING OF SOLOMON'S HOUSE. (Kg1 7:1) Solomon was building his own house thirteen years--The time occupied in building his palace was nearly double that spent in the erection of the temple [Kg1 6:38], because neither had there been the same previous preparations for it, nor was there the same urgency as in providing a place of worship, on which the national well-being so much depended.

candlesticks of pure gold--made, probably, according to the model of that in the tabernacle, which, along with the other articles of furniture, were deposited with due honor, as sacred relics, in the temple. But these seem not to have been used in the temple service; for Solomon made new lavers, tables, and candlesticks, ten of each. (See further regarding the dimensions and furniture of the temple, in 2Ch. 3:1-5:14). Next: 1 Kings Chapter 8