Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/259

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II CHRONICLES VI. 42—VII. 6
195

away the face of thine anointed; remember the [1]mercies of David thy servant.
7Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house. 3And all the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD was upon the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. 5And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6And the priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also


remember the mercies of David] i.e. either show David's son the mercies thou didst show to David himself (Is. lv. 3), or (as mg.), remember the good deeds, or "mercies" (so also xxxii. 32), which David did, and reward his son.

Ch. VII. 13 (not in 1 Kings). The Sacrifices consumed
by Fire from Heaven.

1. the fire came down from heaven] As the discovery of the spot, approved by Jehovah, for the site of the Temple was ratified by the sign of fire from heaven (see 1 Chr. xxi. 26, note), so tradition or the Chronicler thought that the conclusion of the dedication must have been marked by the same sign of Divine favour.

consumed the burnt offering] Cp. Lev. ix. 24; 1 Kin. xviii. 38.

2. the priests could not enter] Cp. v. 14.

410 (= 1 Kin. viii. 62—66). The Great Feast of Dedication.

5. twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep] These high numbers appear also in 1 Kings.

6. This verse, which is characteristic of the Chronicler, does not appear in 1 Kings.

  1. Or, good deeds See ch. xxxii. 32.