The prayer of Solomon at I. KINGS. the dedication of the temple. A. M. 3000. their way, that they walk before me || house night and day, even toward A. M. 3000. as thou hast walked before me. the place of which thou hast said, B. C. 1004. B. C. 1004. My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make "toward this place. 8 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, forgive. 9 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: 'Or, in this place. 2 Chron. xx. 9; Neh. i. 6. Or, in this place. -9 Heb. and he require an oath of him, Lev. v. 1. y Exod. xxii. 11. aters, they rendered themselves unworthy of this this house was blessed, might always give sensible privilege, and forfeited all right to the inheritance encouragement and comfort to believing petitioners. of the kingdom, being no longer David's genuine Verse 30. When they shall pray toward this children. And therefore, according to Solomon's place-None but the priests might enter that place, own acknowledgment, after he and Rehoboam had but when the people worshipped in the courts of departed from the worship of God, and began to the temple, it was to be with an eye toward it, not follow idols, God might justly have taken away the with a superstitious regard or veneration, as though kingdom from their posterity. And indeed when it were holy in itself, or in any respect the ground all Israel forsook the Lord, and worshipped the gods of their confidence in their worship, which would of the nations round about them, he did forsake have been idolatry; but, as an instituted medium their land, and would no longer dwell among them. of their worship, helping the weakness of their Verse 27. But will God indeed dwell on earth? faith, and typifying the mediation of Jesus Christ, -Is it possible that the great and high and holy who is the true temple, and to whom we must have God, the infinite, the eternal, should stoop so low as an eye in all our approaches to, and intercourse to take up his dwelling among men? Behold the with, God. Hence, the pious Jews that were at a heaven, &c.--All this vast space of the visible hea- distance looked toward Jerusalem for the sake of ven; nay, the third and highest, therefore most ex- || the temple, even when it lay in ruins, Dan. vi. 10. tensive heaven, called, for its eminence and com- Hear thou in heaven-Which he adds to direct prehensiveness, the heaven of heavens, cannot con-them, in their addresses to God in or looking totain thee--For thy essence reacheth far beyond ward this temple, to lift up their eyes above it, even them, being omnipresent. Much less this house—to heaven, where God's most true and most proper Which, therefore, was not built as if it were proportionable to thy greatness, or could contain thee, but only that therein we might serve and glorify thee. Verses 28, 29. Yet have thou respect, &c.-Though thou art not comprehended within this place, yet show thyself to be graciously present here, by accepting and granting my present request here offered unto thee. That thine eyes may be open toward this house-To behold it with favourable regards, and have a gracious respect unto all that come to present their petitions here. Thou hast said, My name shall be there-My presence, glory, and grace. Hearken to the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place-This temple, to which Solomon now looked, and to which he directs the people to look in their prayers. Not as if he thought all the devout prayers, offered up to God by those who had no knowledge of this house, or regard to it, were therefore rejected; but he desired that the sensible tokens of the divine presence, with which dwelling-place is. When thou hearest, forgiveThe sins of thy people praying, and even of their prayers; which sins, if not pardoned, will certainly hinder the success of all their prayers, and the course of all thy blessings. Verse 31. If any man, &c.-He now puts divers cases in which he supposed application would be made to God in prayer, in or toward this house of prayer; and first that of God's being appealed to by an oath for the determining of any controverted right between man and man. If any man trespass against his neighbour—If a man be accused of a trespass. And an oath be laid upon him-Either by the judge, or by the party accusing him, or by the accused person himself, claiming the privilege of perjuring himself by an oath from the trespass laid to his charge, which was usual when there were no witnesses. Solomon seems here to refer chiefly to the case of those who were accused of denying that which was said to be deposited with them by their neighbour. And the oath come before thine The prayer of Solomon at B. C. 1004. CHAPTER VIII. the dedication of the temple. B. C. 1004. A. M. 3000. 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and || if they pray toward this place, and A. M. 3000. do, and judge thy servants, con- confess thy name, and turn from their demning the wicked, to bring his way upon sin, when thou afflictest them: his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 33When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee 10 in this house : 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given thy people for an inheritance. b ditar-Where God, who was appealed to as a wit- Verse 32. Then hear thou in heaven, and do, Gud, judge-Discover the truth, and judge between the contending parties. He prays that in difficult matters his throne of grace might be a throne of judgment, from which God would right the injured that believingly appealed to it; and punish the injurious that presumptuously appealed to it. To bring his way upon his head--The just recompense of his wicked action and course. And justifying the righteous, to give him, &c.-To vindicate him, and manifest his integrity. 37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their "cities, whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be ; 38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, d Psa. xxv. 4; xxvii. 11; xciv. 12; cxliii. 8.- 1 Sam. xii. 23. Lev. xxvi. 16, 25, 26; Deut. xxviii. 21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52; 2 Chron. xx. 9.—11 Or, jurisdiction. the wind, (Psalm cxxxv. 7,) so the rain, out of this treasury. Verse 36. That thou teach them the good wayThe way of their duty, which is good in itself, and both delightful and profitable to those that walk in it. But this clause is better translated, 2 Chron. vi. 27, (where the Hebrew words are the same with these here,) When thou hast taught them the good way wherein they should walk, namely, when their afflictions have had the desired effect to teach them better obedience. And give rain upon the land— The order of Solomon's prayer is very observable; first and chiefly, he prays for their repentance and forgiveness, which is the chief blessing, and the only solid foundation of all other mercies; and then he prays for temporal mercies, thereby teaching us what to desire principally in our prayers; which also Christ hath taught us in his perfect prayer, wherein there is but one petition for outward, and all the rest are for spiritual blessings. Verses 33, 34. When thy people be smitten-This is the second case he puts. If the people of Israel were in general groaning under any national calamity, he desires that the prayers which they should Verse 37. If there be in the land famine-Which make in or toward that house might be heard and arose sometimes from other causes besides want of answered. Shall turn again to thee, and confess rain. If their enemy besiege them in the land of thy name--Not only shall acknowledge thee to be their cities-In their gates, whereby they should God alone, renouncing all false gods; but shall give be so straitened, that none could go in or out. Whatglory to thy name by acknowledging their sins and soever plague-The word ',negang, here renderthy justice; by accepting the punishment of their ed plague, properly signifies some extraordinary iniquity; and by trusting to thy power and good-stroke by the hand of God. Whatsoever sickness ness alone for deliverance. And make supplication there be-For Solomon believed whatever calamity to thee in this house-Trusting in thee, and expect- befel other people, might light on Israel. ing help from thee alone. Then hear, and bring them again, &c.—Deliver them out of the captivity into which their enemies may have carried them, and restore them to their own country. Verse 35. When heaven is shut up-The lower or aerial heaven, in which the clouds are. This is compared to a great storehouse in God's keeping, out of which nothing can be obtained so long as it is close shut up. And as he is said to bring He Verse 38. What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man-Distressed through national calamities, or private and personal troubles. now comes to speak of the case of individual Israelites. If any man of Israel has an errand to thee, here let him find thee, here let him find favour with thee. He does not instance in particulars; so numerous, so various are the grievances of the children of men. Which shall know every man the The prayer of Solomon at I. KINGS. the dedication of the temple. B. C. 1004. A. M. 3000. which shall know every man the 42 (For they shall hear of thy great A. M. 3000. 40 h That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 ¶ Moreover, concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; 1 Samuel xvi. 7; 1 Chronicles xxviii. 9; Psalm xi. 4; Jeremiah xvii. 10; Acts i. 24. Psalm cxxx. 4.-i Deut. iii. 24. plague of his own heart-His sinfulness, the corruption of his nature, which may be called the plague of his own heart, in opposition to the other plagues here mentioned: and so the sense is, Who by their afflictions are brought to a true and serious sense of the inward plague of their sins, which are most fitly called the plague of the heart, because the heart is both the principal seat of sin, and the fountain from whence all sinful thoughts, words, and actions flow. Now every true Israelite labours to know his heart, and the sinfulness and depravity of it, that he may resist and mortify the lusts, passions, and corrupt inclinations thereof, and may watch against the first risings of evil within him. Of these things he complains: these drive him to his knees and to the sanctuary, and, lamenting and seeking deliverance from these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer, as Hezekiah spread his letter before the Lord. Reader, is this thy practice? Verses 39, 40. Give to every man according to his ways-According to his repentance or impenitency. As if he had said, I pray with the greater hope and confidence, because I do not desire that thou wouldst deliver such as are insensible of their sins and of thy judgments, but only those that are truly brought to know the plague of their own hearts in the manner before explained. Whose heart thou knowestThou art acquainted not only with the plague of their hearts, their several wants and burdens, (these he knows, but he will know them from us,) but with the desire and intent of the heart, the sincerity || or hypocrisy of it; thou knowest who are truly penitent, and who are not, and therefore the granting my request will be no dishonour to thy government, nor injury to thy holy nature. That they may fear thee all their days-That when thou hast first smitten them, and then so eminently delivered them, and that in answer to their prayers, they may hereby be taught to fear thee, to stand in awe of thy justice, and to adore thy goodness. 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to 1 fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that 12 this house which I have builded is called by thy name. 1 44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD 13 toward 1 Sam. xyii. 46; 2 Kings xix. 19; Psa. lxvii. 2.cii. 15.- Heb. thy name is called upon this house. the way of the city. Psalm 13 Heb. mentioned; a proselyte that might come to the temple to pray to the God of Israel, being convinced of the folly and wickedness of worshipping the gods of his country. He supposes there would be many such; that the fame of God's great works which he had wrought for Israel; by which he had proved himself to be above all gods, nay, to be God alone, would reach distant countries. They shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand—And this will bring such as are thinking and considerate among them to pray toward this house, that they may obtain the favour of a God that is able to confer on them real blessings. Verse 43. Do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for-That is, so far as is agreeable to thy word and will. It is observable, that his prayer for the stranger is more large and comprehensive than for the Israelites; that thereby he might both show his public spirit, and encourage strangers to the worship of the true God. Thus early were the indications of God's favour toward the sinners of the Gentiles. As there was then one law for the native and for the stranger, so there was one gospel for both. That all the people of the earth may know thy name-Hereby we learn how sincerely and heartily the ancient and godly Jews desired the conversion of the Gentiles; whereas the latter and degenerate Jews, in the days of Christ and of the apostles, out of pride, envy, and malice, opposed and fretted at it. That they may know that this house is called by thy name-Is owned not only by us, but by thyself as thy house; the only place in the world to which thou wilt vouchsafe thy special presence and protection, and where thou wilt be publicly and solemnly worshipped. Verses 44, 45. If thy people go out to battle—In a just cause, and by thy warrant and commission. This is the next case recommended by Solomon to the divine favour. Whithersoever thou shalt send them-In this is implied, that it was unlawful for Verses 41, 42. Moreover, concerning a stranger—them to undertake any war merely for their own The case of an alien, who is not an Israelite, is next || pleasure or profit, or the gratification of their own The prayer of Solomon at CHAPTER VIII. the dedication of the temple. B. C. 1004. A. M. 3000. the city which thou hast chosen, and || heart, and with all their soul, in the A. M. 3000. toward the house that I have built land of their enemies which led them B. C. 1004. for thy name: 45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their 14 cause. 46 If they sin against thee, (m for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives" unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 ° Yet if they shall 15 bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, Psaying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; away captive, and pray unto thee toward their | land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their 16 cause, 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: 51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, 48 And so return unto thee with all their " from the midst of the furnace of iron: Or, right.- 2 Chron. vi. 36; Prov. xx. 9; Eccles. vii. 20; Jam. 2; 1 John i. 8, 10.- Lev. xxvi. 34, 44; Deut. xxviii. 3664 Levit. xxvi. 40.- 15 Heb. bring back to their heart. worldly or ambitious desires; or to enlarge their empire beyond its due bounds; and that they could not, with a good conscience, pray to God for his blessing on such a war. And shall pray unto the Lord-Whereby he instructs them that they should not trust either to the strength or justice of their arms, but only to God's help and blessing, for which they were to pray. Toward the city which thou hast chosen-For thy dwelling-place, and the seat of thy temple. Toward the house which I have built-For to it they were to turn their faces in prayer; to profess themselves worshippers of the true God, in opposition to idols; and to strengthen their faith in God's promises and covenant, the tables whereof were contained in that house. Soldiers in the field must not think it enough that others pray for them; they must pray for themselves; and they are here encouraged to expect a gracious answer. Praying should always go along with fighting. Maintain their cause-Declare the justice of their cause by giving them the victory. Verse 46. If they sin against thee-The universal corruption of man's whole race and nature, makes me presage that they will fall into sins; and withal makes me hope that thou wilt not be severe to deal with them as their sins deserve. For there is no man that sinneth not-That doth not fall short of his duty in many respects, "that doth not enough," says Henry," to justify God in the severest rebukes of his providence." And "no man but what is in danger of falling even into gross sin, and will, if God leave him to himself." Thus the Hebrew, P Neh. i. 6; Psa. cvi. 6; Dan. ix. 5.-9 Jer. xxix. 12, 13, 14. r Dan. vi. 10.16 Or, right.— — Ezra vii. 6; Psalm cvi. 46. t Deut. ix. 29; Neh. i. 10.- "Deut. iv. 20; Jer. xi. 4. of the original. And, thus understood, the words do not contradict the declaration of St. John, that he who is born of God, sinneth not; that is, doth not commit known and actual sin; but has power over it, and is careful to shun the appearance of evil. See notes on 1 John iii. 4-10, and v. 18; Rom. vi. 14. Solomon did not mean that the weakness of human nature, and its proneness to sin, would excuse known and wilful offences against God, expecially apostacy from him and his service, which was the cause of all the calamities of the Israelites. Verses 47-49. If they shall bethink themselves— Consider their ways, and reflect on their past conduct as the cause of their sufferings. Hebrew, If they shall bring back their hearts from their idols and vanities; from going out after, and trusting in, any creature. And repent-Afflictions are calculated to bring men, first to serious consideration, and then to repentance; and when they are truly penitent, they will confess their sins and humble themselves. Saying-Sensibly, and with an honest heart; we have sinned and done perversely. And return unto thee with all their heart and all their soul-Sincerely, universally, and steadfastly. Then hear thou, and maintain their cause-Hebrew, their right against their invaders and oppressors; for they had forfeited all their rights to God only, but not to their enemies; whom though God used as scourges to chastise his people's sins, yet they had no pretence of right to their land. Verses 50, 51. That they may have compassion. on them-Treat them mercifully while they continue , asher lo jecheta, who may not, or will not, their slaves, and give them liberty to return to their openly and wilfully, if divine grace pre-own land. God has the hearts of all men in his Tent not. This last sense of the clause seems best hands, and, can, when he pleaseth, turn the strongest to suit the context, as well as to express the meaning stream the contrary way, and cause those to pity rin, even Solomon ends his prayer, A. M. 3000. B. C. 1004. 52 That thine eyes may be open || promised: there hath not 1 failed one A. M. 3000. unto the supplication of thy servant, word of all his good promise, which and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. to hearken unto them in all that they call for 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was unto thee. with our fathers; let him not leave us, nor 53 For thou didst separate them from among|| forsake us: all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD. 54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he Exodus xix. 5; Deuteron. xii. 10; a Deuteron. xxxi. 6; cutors. Deut. ix. 26, 29; xiv. 2.- -y 2 Sam. vi. 18. his people, who have been their most cruel perseFor they be thy people-How much soever they may sin against thee, or suffer from men, yet still remember they are thy peculiar people, received into covenant with thee, and taken under thy care and protection. And thine inheritance-From whom, more than from any other nation, thy rent and tribute of glory arises. Which thou broughtest from the furnace of iron-From cruel bondage, and painful labours. For he compares Egypt to a furnace in which iron and other metals are melted, or which, being made of iron, is more hot and terrible than one of brick and stone, to signify the misery and torment which the Israelites endured there. Verse 53. For thou didst separate them to be thine inheritance-Thou hast begun a work of great and glorious mercy to them; do not give occasion to thine enemies to think thou wast unable to finish it; or that thou art inconstant in thy ways and purposes, or unkind to thy own children. a 58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59 And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel 18 at all times, as the matter shall require: 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. b Psalm cxix. 3618 Heb. the thing of a day in his day. Joshua iv. 24; 1 Sam. xvii. 46; 2 Kings xix. 19.—d Deut. iv. 35, 39. Verse 58. That he may incline our hearts unto him-That he may not only bless us with outward prosperity and glory; but especially with spiritual blessings; and that as he has given us his word to teach and direct us; so he would, by his Holy Spirit, effectually incline us to obey it. Verse 59. Let these my words be nigh unto the Lord our God, day and night-Let a gracious return be made to every prayer that shall be made there, and that will be a constant answer to this prayer. That he maintain the cause of his servant and of his people-Of me their king, and consequently of all my successors, and of the whole kingdom. As the matters shall require―According to mine or their various necessities and exigences. What Solomon asks here, with regard to his prayer, is still granted in the intercession of Christ, of which his supplication was a type; that powerful, prevailing intercession, is before the Lord our God day and night. For our great Advocate attends continually to this very thing, and we may depend on him to maintain our cause, against the adversary that accuseth us day and night, (Rev. xii. 10,) and the common cause of his people Israel at all times, upon all occasions, as the matter shall require, so as to speak for us the word of the day in its day, as the original here reads it, from which we shall receive grace sufficient, suitable and seasonable in every time of need. Verses 55, 56. He stood and blessed all the congregation, &c.-He spoke what follows standing, that he might be the better heard, and because he blessed as one having authority. Never were words more pertinently spoken; never was a congregation dismissed with that which was more likely to affect them, and to abide with them. Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest, &c., according to all that he promised-Thus he, as it were, writes a receipt in full on the back of the bonds of the divine promises. Verse 60. That all the people of the earth may There hath not failed one word of all his good pro- || know that the Lord (Hebrew, Jehovah) is God—That mises-This discharge he gives in the name of all both by our virtuous and holy lives, to which his Israel, to the everlasting honour of the divine faith- grace inclines us; and by the eminent manifestafulness, and the everlasting encouragement of all || tions of his power and goodness in defending and those who build on the divine promises. delivering us from the assaults and devices of our |