Day 120: 2 Chronicles 4-6

(The previous post covered Solomon's asking God for wisdom and Solomon's building of the temple.)

2 Chronicles 4

(This chapter covered the furnishings for the temple.)

¹ Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

(The altar of brass was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.)

(Verses 2-6: the washing basins for the temple.)

² Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass; and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.

(The molten sea (round basin) was 15 feet across, 7 1/2 feet deep and, about 45 feet in circumference.)

³ And under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
⁴ It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.
⁵ And it was a handbreadth thick; and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held three thousand baths.

(The round basin was able to hold about 16,500 gallons of water.)

⁶ He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to the burnt-offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

(The ten lavers (smaller basins) were for washing the utensils for burnt-offerings. The round basin was for the priests to bath in.)

⁷ And he made the ten candlesticks of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
⁸ He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made a hundred basins of gold.
⁹ Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.
¹⁰ And he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

(The "molten sea" (the large round basin) was placed in the southeast corner of the temple.)

(Verses 11-17: the work of Huram from Tyre.)

¹¹ And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of God:
¹² the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,
¹³ and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars.
¹⁴ He made also the bases, and the lavers made he upon the bases;
¹⁵ one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.
¹⁶ The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh-hooks, and all the vessels thereof, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house of Jehovah of bright brass.

(Huram made all these things as Solomon had commanded.)

¹⁷ In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

(Verses 18-22: the summary of the furnishings in the temple.)

¹⁸ Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

(There was so much brass used that its weight could not be found out.)

¹⁹ And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon was the showbread;
²⁰ and the candlesticks with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;
²¹ and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold;
²² and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the firepans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, were of gold.

(This listed all the vessels that were made for inside the temple.)




2 Chronicles 5

(This chapter covered the Ark of the Covenant being brought to the temple.)

¹ Thus all the work that Solomon wrought for the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
² Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' houses of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion.

(The temple was complete, so Solomon gathered the congregation to bring up the Ark of the Covenant.)

³ And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.
⁴ And all the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark;
⁵ and they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests the Levites bring up.
⁶ And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

(There was so many sheep and oxen sacrificed that they could not be numbered.)

⁷ And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
⁸ For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
⁹ And the staves were so long 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.
¹⁰ There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

(The two tablets were placed in the Ark.)

(Verses 11-14: the Glory of God filled the temple.)

¹¹ And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, (for all the priests that were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their courses;
¹² also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brethren, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets;)
¹³ it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Jehovah; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Jehovah, saying, For he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Jehovah,

(The trumpeters and singers were as one and made one sound praising and thanking God. The temple filled with a cloud which was the Glory of God. This represented God's agreement with this event.)

¹⁴ so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of God.

(The temple was so filled with the cloud that the priests could not stand to minister.)




2 Chronicles 6

(This chapter covered Solomon's prayer of dedication.)

¹ Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
² But I have built thee a house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in for ever.

(Verses 3-9: Solomon blessed the people and blessed God.)

³ And the king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.

(Remember, God is light. Therefore He dwells in the thick darkness because there is no light apart from Him. In other words, since God is the Light, He has no choice but to dwell in darkness. Solomon blessed the whole congregation and they all stood.)

⁴ And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hands fulfilled it, saying,
⁵ Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel:
⁶ but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

(God chose Jerusalem as the place to put His Name and David to rule His people.)

⁷ Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.
⁸ But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:

(2 Samuel 7:5-16 did not document God stating David's heart was right in wanting to build God a temple. In fact, God asked if He had ever said, "Why build ye not me an house of cedar?" However 1 Kings 8:18 documented Solomon stated the same thing that Solomon stated here in verse 8.)

⁹ nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

(Verses 10-11: Solomon presented the finished temple unto the Lord.)

¹⁰ And Jehovah hath performed his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

(Solomon declared God’s promise to David as being fulfilled.)

¹¹ And there have I set the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with the children of Israel.

(Verses 12-42: Solomon's prayer.)

(Verses 12-14: humility before and praise unto the Lord.)

¹² And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands;
¹³ (for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;)

(Solomon kneeled before the entire congregation of Israel, spreading his hands towards heaven. Remember, the Ark was present. Solomon was praying to God in front of the people.)

¹⁴ and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven, or on earth; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart;

(Solomon knew that God kept His covenants and lovingkindness with those who walked before them with all their heart. Solomon recognized he was praying to God.)

(Verses 15-17: Solomon recognized God as the promise keeper.)

¹⁵ who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.

(Solomon built his faith through experience.)

¹⁶ Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me.

(Solomon referenced Justice by stating the promise God had made including the condition required of the Israelites.)

¹⁷ Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.

(Solomon made a request: for God to keep His promise.)

(Verses 18-21: request that God would dwell in this place and honor those who seek Him there.)

¹⁸ But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded!
¹⁹ Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee;

(Solomon humbled himself before he asked that God have respect on his prayer.)

²⁰ that thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.
²¹ And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest forgive.

(Solomon asked that God would turn His Eyes to this place and listen to the prayers of those who prayed towards the temple. God's Eyes represented His understanding. God's Ears represented His obeying/granting the prayer.)

(Verses 22-39: Solomon covered different circumstances in which he requested that God hear the prayer.)

²² If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this house;
²³ then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

(Solomon asked for God to equal out Justice.)

²⁴ And if thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
²⁵ then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
²⁶ When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:
²⁷ then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

(Solomon mentioned confession and repentance in verse 26.)

²⁸ If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness there be;
²⁹ what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house:
³⁰ then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling-place and forgive, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men;)

(God knows the hearts of men.)

³¹ that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
³² Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thine outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house:
³³ then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

(Remember, this Dispensation of the Law focused on all people who obeyed the Law, even people who were not of Israel.)

³⁴ If thy people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatsoever way thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;
³⁵ then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
³⁶ If they sin against thee (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 captive unto a land far off or near;

(Every man is a sinner.)

³⁷ yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;
³⁸ if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:

(Solomon asked God to take Israel into captivity and then to hear the prayers of those who were held captive if they return to God with their whole heart. We know God did fulfill this prayer. Why did people not realize their captivity was supposed to be a sign that they ought to return to God with their whole heart?)

³⁹ then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee.

(Verses 40-42: Solomon's conclusion.)

⁴⁰ Now, O my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place.
⁴¹ Now therefore arise, O Jehovah God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.
⁴² O Jehovah God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember thy lovingkindnesses to David thy servant.

(Solomon finished his prayer in which he asked that God pay close attention to the prayers in and towards the temple with His Eyes and Ears...His understanding and obedience.)

(This post covered the completion of the temple and Solomon's dedication of the temple.)

Day 121