2. Chronik 5:4 Kommentar

The temple being built and furnished for God, we have here, I. Possession given to him, by bringing in the dedicated things (Ch2 5:1), but especially the ark, the token of his presence (Ch2 5:2-10). II. Possession taken by him, in a cloud (Ch2 5:11-14). For if any man open the door of his heart to God he will come in, Rev 3:20.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 5 & 6 The words with which chapter five begins are the same with Kg1 7:51 and what is contained in that and chapter six is much the same with Kg1 8:1 on which see the notes; the blessing of Solomon on the people of Israel, which is there, is here omitted, and two verses are here added, much the same with Psa 132:8.

Solomon having finished the temple, brings in the things which his father had consecrated, Ch2 5:1. He assembles the elders and chiefs of Israel and the Levites, in order to bring up the ark from the city of David, Ch2 5:2, Ch2 5:3. They bring it and its vessels; and having offered innumerable sacrifices, place it in the temple, under the wings of the cherubim, Ch2 5:4-10. The Levites, singers, and trumpeters praise God; and his glory descends and fills the house, so that the priests cannot stand to minister, Ch2 5:11-14.

THE DEDICATED TREASURES. (Ch2 5:1) Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated--the immense sums and the store of valuable articles which his father and other generals had reserved and appropriated for the temple (Ch1 22:14; Ch1 26:26).

Ch2 5:1 contains the conclusion of the account of the preparation of the sacred utensils as in Kg1 7:51, and with it also the whole account of the building of the temple is brought to an end. The ו before את־הכּסף and את־הזּהב corresponds to the Lat. et - et, both - and also. As to David's offerings, cf. Ch1 18:10 and Ch1 18:11; and on the whole matter, compare also the remarks on Kg1 7:51.

Instead of הלויּם, we have in 2 Kings הכּהנים, the priests bare the ark; and since even according to the Chronicle (Ch2 5:7) the priests bare the ark into the holy place, we must understand by הלויּם such Levites were also priests. - In Ch2 5:5, too the words הלויּם הכּהנים are inexact, and are to be corrected by Kg1 8:4, והלויּם הכּהנים. For even if the Levitic priests bare the ark and the sacred utensils of the tabernacle into the temple, yet the tabernacle itself (the planks, hangings, and coverings of it) was borne into the temple, to be preserved as a holy relic, not by priests, but only by Levites. The conj. ו before הלוים has probably been omitted only by a copyist, who was thinking of הלוים הכהנים (Jos 3:3; Deu 17:9, Deu 17:18, etc.). - In Ch2 5:8 ויכסּוּ is an orthographical error for ויּסכּוּ, Kg1 8:7; cf. Ch1 28:18; Exo 25:20. - In Ch2 5:9, too, מן־הארון has probably come into our text only by a copyist's mistake instead of מן־הקּדשׁ (Kg1 8:8).