Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 8:12-21
Here, I. Solomon encourages the priests, who came out of the temple from their ministration, much astonished at the dark cloud that overshadowed them. The disciples of Christ feared when they entered into the cloud, though it was a bright cloud (Luk 9:34), so did the priests when they found themselves wrapped in a thick cloud. To silence their fears, 1. He reminds them of that which they could not but know, that this was a token of God's presence (Kg1 8:12): The Lord said he would dwell in the thick darkness. It is so far from being a token of his displeasure that it is an indication of his favour; for he had said, I will appear in a cloud, Lev 16:2. Note, Nothing is more effectual to reconc…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 8:14
the king turned his face about--From the temple, where he had been watching the movement of the mystic cloud, and while the people were standing, partly as the attitude of devotion, partly out of respect to royalty, the king gave a fervent expression of praise to God for the fulfilment of His promise (Sa2 7:6-16).
Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 8:16
Since the day, etc. - Mention is here made, says Dr. Kennicott, of some one place and some one person preferred before all others; and the preference is that of Jerusalem to other places, and of David to other men. In consequence of this remark, we shall see the necessity of correcting this passage by its parallel in Ch2 6:5, Ch2 6:6, where the thirteen Hebrew words now lost in Kings are happily preserved. Let us compare the passages: -
1 Kings 2 Chronicles Since to day that I brought forth my people Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no City out of the land of Egypt, I chose no City out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, among all the tribe…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on 1 Kings 8:18
And the Lord said unto David my father,.... By Nathan the prophet:
whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart; his design was good, and so far it was acceptable to the Lord, that he thought of such a thing, though it was not his pleasure that should do it, as follows.
