Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
2 Chronicles 5:3. Unto the king in the feast, &c.— Unto the king on the feast day, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. Houbigant. See 1 Kings 8:2.
And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
2 Chronicles 5:11. For all the priests that were present were sanctified, &c.— For all the priests then present had purified themselves, nor did any one wait for his course: that is, being all desirous of ministering at this solemn assembly, they did not observe the particular turn or course of waiting which was appointed for them. Houbigant.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, This solemnity we met with 1 Kings 8:2. The treasures that his father had dedicated, besides what were used in the building, or for the vessels, Solomon laid up in the temple for any future occasion. The pious and charitable bequests of our parents we must carefully discharge. The ark he brought up with great ceremony, at a general convention assembled for that purpose, with all the appurtenances belonging to it, and placed it under the cherubims in the most holy place; where it continued to the day when the records were written whence Ezra made this extract.
The sacrifices on this occasion were immense, and sacred festal joy was universally diffused around. Note; (1.) The most gorgeous structure, without the presence of God, is not to be compared with a poor tent where he is pleased to manifest his glory. (2.) Wherever the faithful assemble, there Jesus hath promised to be in the midst of them. This ark, probably, was carried into captivity with the people, and is long since lost; but he is with us always to the end of the world. (3.) When the Divine Spirit is pleased to come and take up his abode in our heart, then shall we taste greater joys, unspeakable and full of glory.
2nd, Not all the gold or jewels could be compared with the presence of the celestial inhabitant whose glory filled the temple. No sooner were the priests retired from the holy place, and the song of thanksgiving with united voice and instruments had begun to sound, than lo! the present Deity appears, answering their grateful acknowledgments, that his mercy endureth for ever; testifying how pleasing the work of praise was to him, and that he intended to take up his abode with them, as he did with their fathers in the wilderness. The priests, who were all assembled on this occasion, with the courses of Levites and singers, were no longer able to minister by reason of the cloud: a proof of their infirmity, and an intimation of the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood. Note; (1.) When with united voice we join in prayer and praise, then shall the cloud of glory be in the midst of us. (2.) The enduring mercy of God deserves to be the subject of our continual songs. (3.) Great as the glory of the first temple was, the glory of the second was greater; as being favoured with the visits of Him in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
