2 Chronicles 5:12 Comentariu

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.

A hundred and twenty priests - Cymbals, psalteries, and harps, of any kind, in union with a hundred and twenty trumpets or horns, could not produce much harmony; as to melody, that must have been impossible, as the noise was too great.

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).

the Levites which were the singers--On great and solemn occasions, such as this, a full choir was required, and their station was taken with scrupulous regard to their official parts: the family of Heman occupied the central place, the family of Asaph stood on his right, and that of Jeduthun on his left; the place allotted to the vocal department was a space between the court of Israel and the altar in the east end of the priests' court. with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets--The trumpet was always used by the priests, and in the divine service it was specially employed in calling the people together during the holy solemnities, and in drawing attention to new and successive parts of the ritual. The number of trumpets used in the divine service could not be less than two (Num 10:2), and their greatest number never exceeded the precedent set at the dedication of the temple. The station where the priests were sounding with trumpets was apart from that of the other musicians; for while the Levite singers occupied an orchestra east of the altar, the priests stood at the marble table on the southwest of the altar. There both of them stood with their faces to the altar. The manner of blowing the trumpets was, first, by a long plain blast, then by one with breakings and quaverings, and then by a long plain blast again [BROWN, Jewish Antiquities].

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.