1 Kings 8:31

_IF ANY MAN TRESPASS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOUR, AND AN OATH BE LAID UPON HIM TO CAUSE HIM TO SWEAR, AND THE OATH COME BEFORE THINE ALTAR IN THIS HOUSE:_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

22-53 In this excellent prayer, Solomon does as we should do in every prayer; he gives glory to God. Fresh experiences of the truth of God's promises call for larger praises. He sues for grace and favour from God. The experiences we have of God's performing his promises, should encourage us to depend upon them, and to plead them with him; and those who expect further mercies, must be thankful for former mercies. God's promises must be the guide of our desires, and the ground of our hopes and expectations in prayer. The sacrifices, the incense, and the whole service of the temple, were all typical of the Redeemer's offices, oblation, and intercession. The temple, therefore, was continually to be remembered. Under one word, "forgive," Solomon expressed all that he could ask in behalf of his people. For, as all misery springs from sin, forgiveness of sin prepares the way for the removal of...

Verse 31. _IF ANY MAN TRESPASS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOUR_] Solomon puts here _seven cases_, in all of which the mercy and intervention of God would be indispensably requisite; and he earnestly bespeaks that mercy and intervention on condition that the people pray towards that holy place, and with a feeling heart make earnest supplication. The FIRST case is one of _doubtfulness_; where a man has sustained an injury, and charges it on a suspected person, though not able to bring direct evidence of the fact, the accused is permitted to come before the altar of God, and purge himself by his personal oath. Solomon prays that God may not permit a false oath to be taken, but that he will discover the truth, so that the wicked shall be condemned, and the righteous justified....

THE OATH COME BEFORE ... - “The oath” is equivalent to “the man who swears the oath.” A slight alteration in the present Hebrew text gives the sense “and he (the accused) go and swear before thine altar,” etc. The threats and the promises, the punishments and calamities of 1 Kings 8:31 were distinctly named in the Law. See the margin reference....

EXPOSITION THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.—The stately and impressive service with which the Temple, the character and contents of which have now been described, was dedicated, is related in this chapter, and divides itself into four sections. We have (1) the removal of the ark and Solomon's ascription of praise on the occasion (1 Kings 8:1). (2) The prayer of consecration (1 Kings 8:23-11). (3) The benediction of the congregation (1 Kings 8:55-11), and (4) the festal sacrifices which followed on and completed the dedication ...

IF ANY MAN TRESPASS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... By being unfaithful in a trust committed to him, or the like: AND AN OATH BE LAID UPON HIM TO CAUSE HIM TO SWEAR; he denying that ever anything was committed to his trust, and there being no witnesses of it, the judge obliges him to take an oath he never had any: AND THE OATH COME BEFORE THINE ALTAR IN THIS HOUSE; where it was taken, as in the presence of God, and as appealing to him: hence in corrupt times they came to swear by the altar, Matthew 23:20 and so the Heathens used to take their oaths in the temples of their gods, and at their altars, as the instances of Callicrates c and Hannibal d show, and others Grotius refers to; yea, they also laid hold on the altar, at least touched it when they swore e to give the greater sanction to the oath. c Cornel. Nep. Vit. Dion. l. 10. c. 8. d Ib.

CHAPTER 8THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE _ 1. The great assembly (1 Kings 8:1)_ 2. The transportation of the ark (1 Kings 8:3) 3. The glory of the LORD filling the house (1 Kings 8:10) 4. Solomon's opening words (1 Kings 8:12) 5. Solomon's great prayer (1 Kings 8:22) 6. Solomon's benediction (1 Kings 8:54) 7. The sacrifices and the feast ...

SOLOMON'S DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE, PRAYER AND ADDRESS. This chapter is mainly Deuteronomic, being clearly written from the standpoint of one who has seen the Temple as the one national sanctuary of Israel, and has either witnessed its downfall or perceived that it was imminent. 1 Kings 8:1 is, however, probably from the early record of how the house of Yahweh was dedicated by Solomon, of which 1 Kings 8:62 is the continuation, the prayer of Solomon being Deuteronomic. In 1 Kings 8:12 f. we may have preserved an authentic poetic utterance of Solomon himself in the words of the dedication of the Temple. As they are given in the LXX they read as follows: Yahweh set the sun in heaven,...

IF. When, or Whosoever shall. TRESPASS. See App-44. This shows an acquaintance with the Pentateuch. See 1 Kings 8:33, and App-47. AND THE OATH COME. Omitted by Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate versions....

_If any man trespass_ Here Solomon enters on a series of specific petitions, the first of which is concerning any case of trespass, in which he implores that God would uphold the sanctity of an oath. The sense of -trespass" in this verse must be = -be supposed to have trespassed." The person presumed to have offended is to be challenged to take an oath, and to God is left the punishment of the guilty and the acquittal of the innocent. Cf. Exodus 22:7-11. _and the oath come_ It is better to take both words as verbs and supply a copulative. Render " AND HE COME AND SWEAR....