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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Kings 8:54 - 8:66
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The Feast Of Dedication
v. 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.
v. 55. And he stood, facing the people once more, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
v. 56. Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto His people Israel, all the uncertainty of the last centuries now being exchanged for the certainty of a definite capital and of an established Sanctuary, according to all that he promised; there hath not failed one word of all His good promise which He promised by the hand of Moses, His servant. Cf Deu_12:10; Jos_21:45; Jos_23:14.
v. 57. the Lord, our God, be with us as He was with our fathers, for with His gracious presence in their midst, they were sure of continued blessings. Let Him not leave us nor forsake us, rather granting help against their enemies always,
v. 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, all His instructions to His people, in whatever form they may have come to them;
v. 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 at all times, as the matter shall require, as the needs of every new day require it;
v. 60. that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
v. 61. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord, our God, being dedicated to Him in undivided allegiance, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day. A real prayer, made in the fervor of a heart trusting in the mercy of Jehovah for Christ's sake, is always acceptable in His sight.
v. 62. And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord, in a grand and impressive service of worship.
v. 63. And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace-offerings, to emphasize the soundness of the covenant relationship and to have the people partake of a great sacrificial feast which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep, a number of sacrificial animals which could easily be handled by the housefathers present, who undoubtedly made use of their priestly prerogatives at that time in assisting the priests by slaughtering animals. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
v. 64. The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, consecrating it as a place where sacrifices might be offered on temporary altars; for there he offered burnt offerings and meat-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings, of which only the fat was burned, the rest being used for food, because the brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings and meat-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings.
v. 65. And at that time Solomon held a feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, in connection with the dedication of the Temple, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath, in the extreme north, on the Orontes, unto the river of Egypt, in the extreme southwest, before the Lord, our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days, doubling the usual number, seven days being devoted to the dedication festival and seven days to the Feast of Tabernacles.
v. 66. On the eighth day, namely, of the Feast of Tabernacles, he sent the people away. And they blessed the king, wishing him the fullness of good fortune, and went unto their tents, returned to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David, His servant, and for Israel, His people. He who has sincerely given thanks to the Lord for all His kindness and mercy may return to his work in cheerfulness and peace.