Глава 8

Consecration of Solomon's Temple 1–9. Transferring the Ark. 10–13. Luminous cloud in the church. 14–61. Solomon's speech and prayer. 62–66. Sacrifices and celebrations. 1 Kings 8:1. Then Solomon called the elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the heads of the generations of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the city of David, that is, Zion. 1 Kings 8:2. And all the Israelites gathered to King Solomon for a feast in the month Athanima, which is the seventh month. According to the importance of the built church for the entire theocracy, for the entire people, Solomon invites all representatives of the people (“chiefs of tribes, heads of generations” - terms characterizing the tribal life of the people) to the consecration of the church. The consecration was scheduled for the 7th month - according to the ancient Canaanite name "Athanim" (Heb. Ethanim - the month of "gifts or fruits", or "constant streams"), later Tisri (in I. Flav. VIII, 4, 1. Θισρί), in which, among others, the solemn feast of Tabernacles was celebrated (Lev.23:39-43), which attracted a crowded crowd pilgrims to Jerusalem, and therefore the 7th month was the most favorable for the celebration of the consecration of the church. But in what year did this consecration take place? The direct connection (1 Kings 8:1) with (1 Kings 7:51), as well as the very essence of the matter, requires us to recognize that soon after construction the church was consecrated. If, according to (1 Kings 6:38), the church was completed in the 8th month (Bula) of the eleventh year of Solomon’s reign, then consecration, naturally, could only occur in the 7th month of the next, 12th year of Solomon’s reign, and the intermediate period (approx. 11 months) could have been used to supply the church with utensils and generally for its interior decoration (cf. 1 Kings 7:14–51). It is difficult to agree with the view of Ewald, Prof. Gulyaev that the church was consecrated in the 7th month of the year of its completion, i.e. before the complete completion of work (in the 8th month). But it is absolutely impossible to accept the dates of the accepted text LXX, according to which the consecration of the church was completed after the completion of Solomon’s palace, that is, 13 years after the construction of the church: ; the last words are clearly an insertion from (1 Kings 9:1,10), breaking the connection between chapters VIII and VII and introducing the incongruous idea that the church remained unconsecrated for 13 years. On the contrary, according to Heb. t., Josephus (Jewish Ancients VIII, 4, 1) and Jewish tradition (Midrasch Wajikra Rabba to Lev X), the consecration of the church followed soon after its completion. 1 Kings 8:3. And all the elders of Israel came; and the priests lifted up the ark, 1 Kings 8:4. and they carried away the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy things that were in the tabernacle; and the priests and Levites carried them. The accepted text of LXX here is shorter than Hebrew, Vulg., Slavic-Russian: it does not have the beginning of the 3rd verse and the end of the 4th. But other Greek lists (Compl., Alex., No. 247, etc. in Golmes) have these words: the originality, apparently, is on the side of the Hebrew text. When the Ark of the Covenant was carried in the desert, it was usually covered with veils, and it was carried by the priests with the Levites (Numbers 4:5, 15) or by the priests alone (Joshua 3:6,6:5). In this case, the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant (v. 6), the Levites carried the other sacred utensils kept in the tabernacle. The latter was also transferred to the church; hitherto she was in Gibeon (2 Chronicles 1:3-4). 1 Kings 8:5. And King Solomon and with him the whole congregation of Israel, who had gathered to him, walked before the ark, offering sacrifices from flocks and herds, which cannot be numbered and determined, because of their multitude. “The whole congregation of Israel” (Heb.: kol-adat Israel) – conveyed in the accepted text LXX: πᾶς Ισραηλ, but in Alexander. list and in text No. 247 in Golmes: πᾶσα ἠ συναγωὴ ´Ισραήλ, hence the famous: “the whole council of Israel.” 1 Kings 8:6. And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord into its place, into the oracle of the temple, into the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim. 1 Kings 8:7. For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above. “Under the wings of cherubim”: The Ark of the Covenant with 2 cherubim (small in size) on it (Ex. 25:18) was placed in the Holy of Holies of the church - under the wings of a new pair of colossal cherubim (1 Kings 6:23–28), which overshadowed with their wings not only the Ark of the Covenant itself, but also the carrying poles that were threaded into rings attached to it (Ex. 25:13–16; Num. 4:6). 1 Kings 8:8. And the poles extended so that the heads of the poles were visible from the sanctuary in front of the oracle, but did not show out; they are there to this day. The direction of the carrying poles, which now remained motionless at the Ark of the Covenant, according to most researchers, was from north to south, that is, along the latitude of the Holy of Holies, although it is more natural, judging by this place, to think the other way around (from west to east) (A. A. Olesnitsky, 172). The remark “they (the poles) are there to this day” obviously could not have belonged to the priest himself. the writer 3 and 4 books. Kings, which survived not only the repeated devastation of the church and its treasures (1 Kings 14:26; 2 Kings 16:17,18:16), but also its complete destruction and burning (2 Kings 25:9–17), and could only belong to a contemporary of the construction of the church or shortly after Solomon to a person who lived shortly after Solomon, who compiled the “book of the words of Solomon” (1 Kings 11:41). See prof. P.A. Yungerov. The origin and historicity of the third and fourth books of Kings (“Orthodox Sobesedn.” 1905, July-August, p. 417). 1 Kings 8:9. There was nothing in the ark except two stone tablets, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel after their departure from the land of Egypt. Wed. (Deut.10:5; Heb.9:4). 1 Kings 8:10. When the priests came out of the sanctuary, a cloud filled the house of the Lord; 1 Kings 8:11. and the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the church of the Lord. ( 2 Chronicles 5:11–14 ). The cloud (verse 10) that filled the church, or the glory of Jehovah that filled the church (verse 11), is the Theophanic cloud (in later language - “Shekinah”, see Prof. A. A. Olesnitsky, p. 798), similar to the one that filled the tabernacle during its consecration (Ex. 40: 34–35, cf. Ex. 19: 9, 20: 21); Deut.4:11,5:22; Ps.96:2), but different from the cloud of incense (Lev. 16:2). “Glory of the Lord” (Heb. kevod-Jehovah) is the usual name for Jehovah’s self-revelation in the world. 1 Kings 8:12. Then Solomon said: The Lord has said that He delights to dwell in darkness; By saying that Jehovah is pleased to dwell in darkness, Solomon could have been referring to biblical passages (like (Ex. 19:9; Lev. 16:2)) about the impregnable mystery of God; Accordingly, in the Holy of Holies of the church there were no windows “and no access to material light, since Jehovah deigned to surround Himself with darkness for the Old Testament society” (A. A. Olesnitsky, p. 249). 1 Kings 8:13. I have built a church for You, a place for You to dwell forever. An expression of strong delight and joy from the consciousness that from now on there is a place of permanent residence of Jehovah among his people. Art. 12–13 in accepted vol. LXX; placed in the 2nd half of Art. 53 with some additions (see below note to article 53). 1 Kings 8:14. And the king turned his face and blessed all the congregation of Israel; the whole congregation of Israel stood, 1 Kings 8:15. and said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with His mouth to David my father, and has now fulfilled it with His hand! He said: 1 Kings 8:16. “Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any of the tribes of Israel that a house should be built in which my name should dwell; [but chose Jerusalem to dwell therein for My name] and chose David to be over My people Israel.” 1 Kings 8:17. David my father had it in his heart to build a church for the name of the Lord God of Israel; 1 Kings 8:18. but the Lord said to David my father: “It is in your heart to build a church for My name; It’s good that this is on your heart; 1 Kings 8:19. however, it is not you who will build the church, but your son who came from your loins, he will build the church of my name.” 1 Kings 8:20. And the Lord fulfilled His word which He spoke. I took the place of my father David and sat on the throne of Israel, as the Lord said, and built a church for the name of the Lord God of Israel; 1 Kings 8:21. and he prepared there a place for the ark, in which was the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers when He brought them up out of the land of Egypt. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:4-11). If Solomon spoke the words of verses 12-13, turning to the Holy One of the church, then the speech, v. 14–21, spoken by him to the people; The “assembly” (kagal, εκκλησία, Slav.: “cathedral”) stood reverently. The speech reproduces concisely but completely the entire history of the construction of the church from the moment David thought about it (cf. 2 Kings 7:2; 1 Kings 5:16; 1 Chronicles 22:6-11, 28:2-7). In the expression “a church for the dwelling... of the name of Jehovah” (verses 16–19, 29; 1 Kings 9:3; 2 Kings 21:4; cf. Deut. 12:5,11; 2 Kings 7:13), the name (Heb. shem) is a revelation of the being of Jehovah (Ex. 3:14) on the part of His holiness and sanctification of Israel ( Ex.29:43–46). 1 Kings 8:22. And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of all the congregation of Israel, and lifted up his hands to heaven, Beginning his prayer, Solomon again turns to the church, raises his hands to heaven and kneels (v. 54) on the brass pulpit (2 Chron. 6:13). Raising hands in prayer, cf. Art. 38, is an ancient and constant custom, a natural expression of a prayerful mood (cf. Ex. 9:29,33; Is. 1:15; Job 11:13, etc.). Kneeling during prayer is an equally natural manifestation of a reverent prayerful feeling, found in the Bible long before the Babylonian captivity (Gen. 24:26,52; Is. 45:23; Job 1:20, etc.), contrary to the opinion (Benzinger and others) that the custom of kneeling prayer is of post-captivity origin and that for this reason Solomon’s prayer could arise only after the captivity. 1 Kings 8:23. and said: Lord God of Israel! there is no God like You in the heavens above and on the earth below; You keep covenant and mercy towards Your servants, who walk before You with all their hearts. 1 Kings 8:24. Thou hast fulfilled unto thy servant David my father what thou hast spoken unto him; What You spoke with Your mouth, You have done this day with Your hand. 1 Kings 8:25. And now, O Lord God of Israel, fulfill to Your servant David my father what You spoke to him, saying: “You will not fail to sit on the throne of Israel before Me, unless your sons keep their way, walking before Me as you have walked before Me.” 1 Kings 8:26. And now, O God of Israel, may Your word be true, which You spoke to Your servant David my father! (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:14–17): introduction to Solomon's prayer. Thanks be to God for the fulfillment of the building of the church promised to David (vv. 23–24) and the petition to strengthen the dynasty of David on the throne (cf. (1 Kings 2:4,3:6) blessed Theodoret, question 27). 1 Kings 8:27. Truly, can God live on earth? Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You, much less this church that I have built [for Your name]; 1 Kings 8:28. but consider the prayer of Your servant and his petition, O Lord my God; Hear the appeal and prayer with which Your servant begs You now. 1 Kings 8:29. Let Your eyes be open to this church day and night, to this place about which You said: “My name will be there”; Hear the prayer that Your servant will pray in this place. 1 Kings 8:30. Hear the prayer of Your servant and Your people Israel when they pray in this place; hear in your dwelling place, in heaven, hear and have mercy. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:18–21): petitions for Jehovah's acceptance of prayers in the church. But first, an answer is given to a possible objection from a believer and a thinking person: heaven in all its immensity (this is the meaning of the expression: “heaven and the heaven of heavens” (cf. Deut. 10:14); of course, there is no thought here about a certain number of heavens, as the rabbis taught) cannot accommodate the supreme God, much less a church made by hands cannot be considered such a dwelling of Jehovah, to which the presence was, as it were, attached (cf. Isa.40:22,66:1): Jehovah’s attitude towards the church of His name is the unconditionally free condescension of his grace and mercy to his chosen people (v. 27); but in the name of this election of the people and the church (cf. Deut. 12:11; 1 Kings 9:3; 2 Kings 21:4), Solomon begs Jehovah for the merciful acceptance of prayers in the church of His name at all times (vv. 28–30), especially for the forgiveness of sins (vv. 30, 34, 36, 39, 46, 50). This general petition (v. 29) is followed by seven separate and more particular petitions (v. 31–53); the sevenfold number of these petitions can denote the entire set of possible prayers; 7 is a sacred number, the number of completeness and perfection (Gen. 21:28; Exod. 37:23; Lev. 4:6) and, moreover, in this case, it is quite similar in meaning to the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13). 1 Kings 8:31. When a man sins against his neighbor, and demands an oath from him, so that he swears, and they come to swear an oath before Your altar in this church, 1 Kings 8:32. Then hear from heaven and bring judgment on Your servants, accuse the guilty, laying his deed on his head, and justify the just, rewarding him according to his righteousness. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:22–23). The first case in which there is a need for Jehovah's merciful acceptance of prayers in the church concerns cases of misconduct with insufficiently clear evidence. According to the law, the one convicted of this kind of offense came together with the victim to the altar of Jehovah and testified with an oath of his innocence, and the priest present here uttered curses that would befall him in case of guilt and unrepentance (Ex. 22: 8,11; Num. 5: 19-21, cf. Prof. Gulyaev, op. cit., p. 222). These oaths are included here among the prayers, for an oath, in its essence, is a reverent, prayer-like invocation of the name of Jehovah (Lev.19:12; Deut.6:13,10:20; Is.48:1; Jer.12:16, etc.), to which the church was dedicated, and even placed in the first place as an expression of Israel’s zeal for the holiness of the name of Jehovah, which zeal was Israel’s duty ( Sir.23:9). Therefore, Solomon’s first petition (vv. 31–32) can be compared with the first petition of the Lord’s prayer: “hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). 1 Kings 8:33. When Your people Israel are defeated by the enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn to You and confess Your name and ask and entreat You in this church, 1 Kings 8:34. Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and return them to the land that You gave to their fathers. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:24–25). The second case: struck for their sins by the invasion of the enemy and the taking of some of their part into captivity, Israel will plead with Jehovah in the Temple of Solomon. The fear of being removed from the sacred, chosen country of God most troubled the ancient Israelite (cf. Divine threats (Lev.26:17; Deut.28:25)). Here, however, we do not mean the Babylonian captivity, with which the Temple of Solomon was destroyed, meanwhile in Art. 33 speaks of Israel praying specifically in the church; probably, of course, one of the frequent attacks on Israel from neighboring tribes, and the capture of some Jews was also possible (cf. (Judges 2:14–15), etc.). 1 Kings 8:35. When the heavens are closed and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and when they have prayed in this place and confessed Your name and turned from their sin, for You have humbled them, 1 Kings 8:36. Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel, showing them the good way in which to go, and send rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:26–27). The third example of public prayer: in the event of a prolonged drought in the country for the sins of the people. In nothing else did ancient Israel feel its dependence on Jehovah so vividly as in the climatic conditions of the country: the timely rains or their absence, which determined the fertility or infertility of the Palestinian soil (Deut. 11:10–12; Ezek.34:26; Joel.2:23; Ps.64, etc.); drought seemed to be a terrible heavenly punishment (Lev.26:3–5,19–20; Deut.28:15–23; Am.4:7; Hag.1:11). 1 Kings 8:37. Will there be famine on the earth, will there be a pestilence, will there be a scorching wind, rust, locusts, worms, will the enemy oppress him in his land, will there be any disaster, any disease - 1 Kings 8:38. with every prayer, with every petition that is made by any person in all Your people Israel, when they feel distress in their hearts and stretch out their hands to this church, 1 Kings 8:39. Hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and have mercy; do and reward each one according to his ways, as You have provided for his heart, for You alone know the heart of all the sons of men: 1 Kings 8:40. that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land that You gave to our fathers. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:28–31). Fourth case: famine, epidemic, destructive scorching wind (for example, “samum” - the southeastern wind of the Arabian desert), invasion of locusts, worms (Hebrew arbe, hasil - two names for different breeds of locusts (cf. Joel. 1:4); LXX: βροῦχος, ἐρισύβη , Vulg.: locusta vel rubigo) and similar disasters (cf. Lev.26:16,25; Deut.28:22; Am.4:9-10; Jer.14:12) will turn the people inward (“heart”, Hebrew levov, v. 38 in biblical language - not only the heart itself, but also the conscience) (1 Samuel 25:31 ; Deut.28:65 ). Righteous reward for everyone is possible only for the Knower of the Heart - God (v. 39). Wed. (1 Samuel 16:7; Ps.7:10; Jer.17:10); and the final goal of the wise actions of God’s Providence is to teach people the fear of God (v. 4), cf. (Deut.4:10). 1 Kings 8:41. Even if a foreigner who is not from Your people Israel comes from a far land for Your name’s sake, 1 Kings 8:42. for they too will hear about Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, and he will come and pray at this church, 1 Kings 8:43. Hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do everything that a foreigner calls to You, so that all the nations of the earth will know Your name, so that they will fear You, like Your people Israel, so that they will know that this church that I built is called by Your name. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:32–33). Fifth case: a foreigner from a distant land can visit the church of Jehovah (like the Queen of Sheba in (1 Kings 10:1), Naaman the Syrian in (2 Kings 5:1-15)), having heard about the greatness and power of the name of Jehovah - “a mighty hand and... an outstretched arm” (v. 42, in relation to the history of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Exodus 6:6); Deut.4:34,5:15) ). God will fulfill the prayer of such a foreigner so that he will be convinced that the temple of Solomon is indeed called by the name of Jehovah (v. 43), (cf. Jer. 7:10–11,14), as the city of Jerusalem is also called by the same name (Jer. 25:29) and the people of Israel (Deut. 28:10; Is. 63:19); that in this people, in its capital, in its church, Jehovah deliberately reveals His presence, so that here people enter into special grace-filled communion with Him. 1 Kings 8:44. When Your people go out to war against their enemy in the way that You will send them, and pray to the Lord, turning to the city that You have chosen, and to the church that I have built for Your name, 1 Kings 8:45. then hear their prayer and their request from heaven and do what is necessary for them. (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:34–35). Sixth case: war against the enemy sent to Israel by God. 1 Kings 8:46. When they sin before You - for there is no man who does not sin - and You become angry with them and hand them over to their enemies, and their captors take them to an enemy land, far or near; 1 Kings 8:47. and when they are in the land in which they will be in captivity, they will come into themselves and turn and pray to You in the land of those who captivated them, saying: “We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we are guilty”; 1 Kings 8:48. and when they turn to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of the enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You, turning to their land that You gave to their fathers, to the city that You chose, and to the church that I built for Your name, 1 Kings 8:49. then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition and do what is necessary for them; 1 Kings 8:50. and forgive Thy people wherein they have sinned against Thee, and all their trespasses which they have committed before Thee, and arouse compassion for them in those who captivate them, so that they may be merciful to them: (cf. 2 Chronicles 6:36–39). Seventh case: the captivity of all Israel into the land of foreigners (cf. vv. 33–34): in both cases, Israel’s prayerful repentant appeal to Jehovah, to the holy land, Jerusalem and the church (vv. 44, 48) should bring down God’s mercy on those who pray and repent: in both cases, give the people what they need (vv. 45, 49–50). In this section (Tenius, Benzinger, Kittel and others) indicated signs of its later post-exilic origin: a) the custom of turning in prayer to the holy land, Jerusalem and the church, supposedly only of post-exilic origin (Dan. 6:10; 2 Ezra 4:58). However, this very natural position of the worshiper could have been in custom long before the captivity (cf. Ps. 5: 8, 27: 2) and was only formulated into a legal obligation in traditional rabbinic legislation (according to the Midrash Sifra of the 71st century, one praying outside the land of Israel turns towards the holy land, and one praying in the holy land itself turns towards the church), b) The Babylonian captivity, which is supposedly spoken of with certainty in Art. 46–50, they say, could not have been foreseen by Solomon, next, this image could only appear after the captivity. But captivity and mass resettlement of conquered peoples to other lands were the general custom of the ancient eastern despots, and there is nothing incomprehensible in the fact that Solomon, after indicating a number of other disasters, also names possible captivity, especially since it is also indicated in the Pentateuch (Lev.26:33; Deut.28:25,36,64), and both in the latter and in Solomon, the image of captivity is of a general nature, without indicating specific features. Babylonian; c) It is also in vain that the formula for confessing sins “we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we are guilty” (v. 47) is considered by some interpreters to have happened only in the Babylonian captivity. In fact, this confession, so natural for a repentant sinner, was used not only in captivity and after it (Dan.9:5), but also before captivity, and, moreover, long before it (Num.14:18-19; 1 Sam.7:6; Ps.50:6,31:5). In this place, this confession is all the more appropriate because the biblical teaching about the universal tendency of people to sin is clearly expressed here: “there is no man who does not sin” (v. 46), cf. ( Job 14:4 ; Proverbs 20:9 ; Eccl. 7:20 ; Ps. 50:7 ; Sir. 7:5 ; 3 Ezra 8:35 ; 1 John 1:8 ). 1 Kings 8:51. for they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace. 1 Kings 8:52. Let Your ears and Your eyes be open to the prayer of Your servant and to the prayer of Your people Israel, to hear them always when they call on You, 1 Kings 8:53. for You have set them apart for Yourself from all the nations of the earth, as You spoke through Moses Your servant when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Sovereign Lord! The basis of the hope of Solomon, together, of course, and the entire people for God’s mercy and pardon is Jehovah’s election of Israel as His inheritance (Exodus 19:5–6; Deut.4:20). 53rd art. in accepted Greek the text has an increase compared to the Hebrew. Masoretic: not only are Art. 12–13, also available in Hebrew. text in its place, but also a special addition: οίκοδομησαι αὐτόν. Ἥλιον ἐγνιπισεν ἐν οὐρανῶ (Κύριος), glor.: “then Solomon spoke about the church, when you are ready to build it: make the sun known in heaven.” At the end of the verse there is a Greco-slav. t. another increase: οὐκ ἰδυὺ γέγραπται ἐν βιβλίω τῆς ὠδῆς ; “Isn’t this written in the books of song?” About the first addition, which very artistically complements the idea (v. 12) that Jehovah deigns to dwell in darkness, Blessed Theodoret (question 28) says: “Darkness and darkness make it clear the invisibility of God’s essence. Therefore, Solomon said that He who placed the sun in the sky so that people could enjoy the light, Himself said to remain in darkness. I think that here the hidden meaning of the church is meant, because it had very small windows, as if surrounded by other small buildings” (question 28). Blessed Theodoret (question 29) considers the “Book of Songs” to be one of the prophetic writings. In modern times, this book is brought closer to the “book of the righteous” (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18 et seq.), since, according to Wellhausen’s witty and not unreasonable assumption, the expression “book of song” was formed from the expression “book of the righteous” by a possible, in fact, rearrangement of letters: yashar (righteous) was changed into shire (song). In (2 Chronicles 6:41–42), Solomon’s prayer is given another conclusion, very close to the words of the psalm (Ps. 131:8–10) and, perhaps, borrowed from this psalm. 1 Kings 8:54. When Solomon had said all this prayer and petition to the Lord, then he rose from his knees from the altar of the Lord, and his hands were stretched out to heaven. 1 Kings 8:55. And standing he blessed the whole congregation of Israel, saying with a loud voice: 1 Kings 8:56. Blessed be the Lord [God], who has given rest to His people Israel, as He said! not a single word remained unfulfilled out of all His good words, which He spoke through His servant Moses; 1 Kings 8:57. May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers, may He not leave us, may He not forsake us, 1 Kings 8:58. inclining our hearts to Himself, so that we would walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and His statutes and His laws, which He commanded our fathers; 1 Kings 8:59. and let these words, which I have prayed [now] before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night, that He may do that which is necessary for His servant, and that which is necessary for His people Israel, from day to day, 1 Kings 8:60. so that all nations may know that the Lord is God and there is none besides Him; 1 Kings 8:61. Let your heart be completely devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as now. Afterword to Solomon's prayer: thanksgiving to God (v. 56), blessing, good wishes and instructions of the king to the people (vv. 57–61). Jehovah “gave rest to His people” (v. 56): the rest in the promised land, promised by Jehovah (Deut. 12:10-11), was fully realized only with the construction of a permanent church of His name, and the dedication of the church, filled with the glory of Jehovah (vv. 10-11), was actual evidence that the promised rest for the people was now achieved by them thanks to the construction of a permanent church “a man of peace” (1 Chronicles 22:9) – Solomon. (2 Chronicles 7:1) complements the book. Kings with the message that at the end of Solomon’s prayer, fire fell from heaven and consumed the victims (I. Flavius ​​also mentions this, Jewish Ancients VIII, 4, 4), which expressed the godliness of the victims and the reality of the gracious presence of Jehovah (cf. Lev. 9:24; Judges 6:20-21; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Mac. 2:10). 1 Kings 8:62. And the king and all the Israelites with him offered a sacrifice to the Lord. 1 Kings 8:63. And Solomon offered as a peace offering, which he offered to the Lord, twenty-two thousand herds and one hundred and twenty thousand flocks. Thus the king and all the children of Israel consecrated the church of the Lord. 1 Kings 8:64. On the same day the king dedicated the middle part of the courtyard, which is in front of the church of the Lord, offering there a burnt offering and a grain offering and offering up the fat of the peace offerings, because the brass altar that was before the Lord was too small to accommodate the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings. 1 Kings 8:65. And Solomon made a feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great congregation that came together from the entrance of Hamath to the river of Egypt before the Lord our God; [and they ate and drank and prayed before the Lord our God at the built church] - seven days and another seven days, fourteen days. 1 Kings 8:66. On the eighth day Solomon sent the people away. And they blessed the king and went to their tents, rejoicing and rejoicing in their hearts over all the good that the Lord had done to His servant David and to His people Israel. The huge number of sacrifices (v. 63), mostly peaceful (Heb. shlamim), combined, as is known, with the feasts of the bearers and their invited companions (Lev. 7:11 ff; Deut. 12: 7, 14:23), is quite understandable given the enormous gathering of people (v. 65) for the celebration 7, which lasted at least two weeks (65, cf. blessed Theodorite, question 30). Due to the abundance of victims, additional altars were built and consecrated in the church courtyard. The expression “from the entrance to Hamath to the river of Egypt” is reminiscent of the already known “from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the borders of Egypt” (1 Kings 4:21); both expressions define the boundaries of the Jewish Kingdom under Solomon from the extreme northeast to the extreme southwest. Hamath (Heb. Hamath, LXX: Ημάθ, Εμάθ, Αιμάθ; Vulg.: Emath) – under Moses – the northern limit of the Promised Land (Num. 13:22,34:8); (Onomastic. 424–425), north of Mount Hermon or Antiliban, on the Orontes River. Under David, Hamath and the region were an independent state, and there was Prince Foa, friendly to David (2 Samuel 8:9–10; 1 Chronicles 18:9–10); Solomon occupied it (2 Chronicles 8:3–4) and strengthened it (1 Kings 9:19; cf. 2 Kings 14:28,17:24,30,18:34,19:13). The Greeks subsequently called Hamath Επιφάνεια (Reland. Palastin, 119). “The River of Egypt” or “the stream (Heb. impudent) of Egypt” is not the Nile, but the southwestern border of Palestine (Num. 34:5), where there was the city of Rinokorura, now El-Arish, near Gaza (Onomast. 797). “Seven days and another seven days, fourteen days”: the first 7 days - from the 8th to the 14th of the 7th month of Ethanim or Tisri, and then on the 15th-22nd of the same month - the celebration of the seven-day festival (Lev. 23:39-43) of Tabernacles (2 Chron. 7:8-10), on the day of the giving of which (8th day, 23rd, v. 66), (cf. 2 Chronicles 7:10) Solomon sent the people away. A similar gathering of people in Jerusalem took place subsequently, for example, on Easter. According to Josephus (Jewish War, VI, 9, 3), in the fatal year for Judea (70 AD) of the fall of Jerusalem, about 2 million people gathered for the Passover holiday: 256,000 Passover lambs alone were slain. You might be interested in: