Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/253

Rh Then spake Solomon, The hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built thee an house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in for ever. And the king turned his face, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. And he said, Blessed be the, the God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hands fulfilled it, saying, 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 an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel: but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the, the God of Israel. But the said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart: nevertheless

1, 2. These somewhat obscure verses come from 1 Kings, the only important variation being, But I have built (Chron.), for I have surely built (1 Kin.). They seem to have been taken originally from some old source of a poetical character, possibly the Book of Jashar (see Burney, Notes on Heb. Text of 1 Kings, pp. 111 f.).

1. Then] i.e. at the moment when Solomon perceived that the cloud had filled the House.

that he would dwell in the thick darkness] No Divine declaration corresponding verbally with this occurs in the O.T., but cp. Ex. xx. 21, Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was, and ib. xix. 9, the said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud.

2. But I have built] The adversative but is awkward, and the text in Kings (see above) is more suitable: Solomon has built a house in which the dark shrine seems a fitting abode for Him who wills to dwell in the "thick darkness."

5. neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel] The Chronicler regards Saul as rejected rather than chosen; 1 Chr. x. 13, 14.

that my name might be there] "Name" is used, as regularly in this connection, to signify the Divine character—God conceived as that which He has revealed Himself to be.

7. in the heart of David] Cp. 1 Chr. xvii. 1, 2, xxii. 7.