2 Chronicles 5
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
Ch. 2 Chronicles 5:1. David his father had dedicated] Cp. 1 Chronicles 18:11. all the instruments] R.V. all the vessels.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2–10 (= 1 Kings 8:1-9). The Ark brought into the Sanctuary

This section is taken almost verbatim from 1 Kings.

2. Then Solomon assembled] The same verb in the Hebrew as in 1 Chronicles 15:3 (see note there) and in 1 Chronicles 28:1.

the chief of the fathers] R.V. the princes of the fathers’ houses.

the city of David] See 1 Chronicles 11:5, note on the castle of Zion.

Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
3. the feast] i.e. the Feast of Tabernacles.

in the seventh month] In 1 Kings the name of the month is given as Ethanim, but this word was perhaps obsolete when the Chronicler wrote; at any rate we know that in post-biblical times the seventh month was called Tisri.

And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
4. the Levites took up the ark] According to 1 Kings the, priests performed this duty. Cp. 1 Chronicles 15:2; 1 Chronicles 15:12-13. It is clear from these passages that the Chronicler believed that in the days of David and Solomon, as in his own, the Levites were regarded as a class subordinate to the priests, having special duties distinct from those of the true “priests.” It is however more probable that in these early days all Levites were possible priests, Levi being the name of the priestly clan, and not of a lower order of priests.

And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5. the tabernacle of the congregation] R.V. the tent of meeting.

the priests and the Levites] R.V. the priests the Levites. The A.V. emends the text from 1 Kings 8:4, but R.V. gives the correct translation of the text of Chronicles.

Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
7. to the oracle] See 2 Chronicles 3:16, note.

For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
And they drew out the staves of the ark, 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.
9. And they drew out the staves of the ark] R.V. And the staves were so long.

from the ark] Read (with LXX. and 1 Kings 8:8) from the holy place. One standing in the holy place and looking towards the Holy of Holies could see the heads of the staves.

And there it is unto this day] These words are taken over with the loss of one letter (which here makes the difference between singular and plural) from 1 Kings 8:8, but they are out of place in Chron., for when the Chronicler wrote the ark had long ago disappeared. The vessels which were brought back from the Babylonian captivity are specified in Ezra 1:9-10, but the ark of the covenant is not reckoned among them.

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
10. which Moses put therein] Exodus 40:20.

at Horeb] Deuteronomy 5:2.

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
11–14 (= 1 Kings 8:10-11). The Descent of the Glory of the Lord

11. out of the holy place] The priests could remain neither in the Holy of Holies where they had deposited the ark, nor even in the holy place, but were driven altogether out of the Temple building into the Temple court (cp. 2 Chronicles 5:14).

and did not then wait by course] R.V. and did not keep their courses. Cp. 1 Chronicles 24:1-19.

Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
12. of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons] R.V. even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons. Cp. 1 Chronicles 25:1-7.

being arrayed in white linen] R.V. arrayed in fine linen.

psalteries … harps] See 1 Chronicles 13:8, notes.

at the east end of the altar] Looking westward, facing the Holy of Holies. To face the East was to turn the back upon the sanctuary; Ezekiel 8:16.

trumpets] See 1 Chronicles 15:24, note.

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
13. instruments of musick] Rather as R.V. mg. instruments for song.

for his mercy endureth for ever] 1 Chronicles 16:41.

was filled with a cloud] Exodus 40:34-35.

So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
14. had filled] R.V. filled.

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