2 Chronicles 6:1

_THEN SAID SOLOMON, THE LORD HATH SAID THAT HE WOULD DWELL IN THE THICK DARKNESS._ The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. This introduction to Solomon's address was evidently suggested by the remarkable incident recorded at the close of the last chapter-the phenomenon of a densely opaque and uniformly shaped cloud descending in a slow and majestic manner, and filling the whole area of the temple. He regarded it himself, and directed the people also to regard it, as an undoubted sign and welcome pledge of the divine presence and acceptance of the building reared to His honour and worship. He referred not to any particular declaration of God, but to the cloud having been all along, in the national history of Israel, the recognized symbol of the divine presence (Exodus 16:10;...

CHAPTER VI _Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple_, 1-42. NOTES ON CHAP. VI Verse 2 Chronicles 6:1. _THE LORD HATH SAID THAT HE WOULD DWELL_] Solomon, seeing the cloud descend and fill the house, immediately took for granted that the Lord had accepted the place, and was now present. What occurred now was precisely the same with what took place when Moses reared the tabernacle in the wilderness; see Exodus 40:34-2: _A cloud covered the tent-and the glory of the Lord filled the_ _tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent - because_ _the glory_ of the Lord _filled the tabernacle_. The _Chaldee_ paraphrases thus

Compare Kings (marginal references). Compare Kings (marginal references)....

EXPOSITION The first thirty-nine verses of this chapter (less the thirteenth) correspond very closely with the thirty-eight verses of the parallel that run 1 Kings 8:12-11. For once also the two places are in closer accord in the original than might be augured from our English Version. Our thirteenth verse is not found in the parallel, and this fact, with the phenomenon of its presence here, will be considered under the verse when we reach it. The chapter consists of: _first, _Solomon's remarks addressed to his people (1 Kings 8:1); and _secondly_, the prayer and intercession he offers to God (1 Kings 8:14-11)....

2 Chronicles 5:1....

CHAPTER 6 SOLOMON'S ADDRESS AND DEDICATORY PRAYER _ 1. Solomon's address to the congregation (2 Chronicles 6:1)_ 2. Solomon's dedicatory prayer (2 Chronicles 6:12) The report of Solomon's address is the same as recorded in 1 Kings 8:12. The opening statement of this chapter has been well characterized as a pregnant expression of the king's realization of the mystery of the Being of Jehovah, the all-creative God, as well as the condescension displayed in His self-limitation to dwell amongst men. (See Exodus 19:9; Exod

2 Chronicles 5:2 to 2 Chronicles 7:10. THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE (see notes on 1 Kings 8). The chief points of difference between the Chronicler's account and 1 Kings 8 are: (_a_) that in 2 Chronicles 5:4 the Levites are the bearers of the Ark (_cf._ 1 Chronicles 15:2; 1 Chronicles 15:26 f.) instead of the priests as in 1 Kings 8:3; (_b_) that in...

SAID. The first thirty-nine verses repeat 1 Kings 8:12, with one or two complementary items, 1 Kings 8:51 being omitted, and three verses added. THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4....

_Then said_ R.V. THEN SPAKE (as 1 Kin.). _Then_refers to the moment when Solomon perceived that the cloud had filled the House. _that_he _would dwell in the thick darkness_ No Divine declaration corresponding verbally with this occurs in the O.T., but cp. Exodus 20:21, _Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was_, and _ib._Exodus 19:9, _the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud_. Solomon accepts the coming of the thick darkness as a sign of God's entrance into the Temple....

THE LORD HATH SAID, &C.— _Thou hast promised, O Lord, that thou wouldest dwell._ Houbigant....