2 Chronicles 5

1 When all of Solomon's work on the LORD's temple was finished, he brought the silver, gold, and all the objects his father David had dedicated and put them in the treasuries of God's temple.

Solomon dedicates the temple

2 Then Solomon assembled Israel's elders, all the tribal leaders, and the clan chieftains of Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the chest containing the LORD's covenant from Zion, David's City.

3 Everyone in Israel assembled before the king in the seventh month, during the festival.

4 When all Israel's elders had arrived, the Levites picked up the chest.

5 They brought the chest, the meeting tent, and all the holy objects that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up,

6 while King Solomon and the entire Israelite assembly that had joined him before the chest sacrificed countless sheep and oxen.

7 The priests brought the chest containing the LORD's covenant to its designated spot beneath the wings of the winged creatures in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the most holy place.

8 The winged creatures spread their wings over the place where the chest rested, covering the chest and its carrying poles.

9 The carrying poles were so long that their tips could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, though they weren't visible from outside. They are still there today.

10 Nothing was in the chest except the two stone tablets Moses placed there while at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they left Egypt.

11 Then the priests left the holy place. All the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, regardless of their divisions.

12 All the levitical musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families and relatives—were dressed in fine linen and stood east of the altar with cymbals, harps, and zithers, along with one hundred twenty priests blowing trumpets.

13 The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD as one. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they began to sing, praising the LORD: Yes, God is good! Yes, God's faithful love lasts forever! Then a cloud filled the LORD's temple.

14 The priests were unable to carry out their duties on account of the cloud because the LORD's glory filled God's temple.

2 Chronicles 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

The ark placed in the temple. (1-10) The temple filled with glory. (11-14)

Verses 1-10 The ark was a type of Christ, and, as such, a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, does, in effect, bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we by faith and prayer plead that promise; and this we should be most earnest for. When Christ is formed in a soul, the law written in the heart, the ark of the covenant settled there, so that it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, there is true satisfaction in that soul.

Verses 11-14 God took possession of the temple; he filled it with a cloud. Thus he signified his acceptance of this temple, to be the same to him that the tabernacle of Moses was, and assured his people that he would be the same in it. Would we have God dwell in our hearts, we must leave room for him; every thing else must give way. The Word was made flesh; and when he comes to his temple, like a refiner's fire, who may abide the day of his coming? May he prepare us for that day.

Footnotes

• [a]. September–October, Tishrei
• [b]. LXX; MT the levitical priests
• [c]. LXX; MT the chest
• [d]. Cf LXX; MT the temple, the LORD’s temple

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 5 & 6

The words with which chapter five begins are the same with 1Ki 7:51, and what is contained in that and chapter six is much the same with 1Ki 8:1-66 on which see the notes; the blessing of Solomon on the people of Israel, which is there, is here omitted, and two verses are here added, much the same with Ps 132:8-10.

\\See Gill on "1Ki 8:1"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:2"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:3"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:4"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:5"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:6"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:7"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:8"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:9"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:10"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:11"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:12"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:13"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:14"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:15"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:16"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:17"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:18"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:19"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:20"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:21"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:22"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:23"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:24"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:25"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:26"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:27"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:28"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:29"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:30"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:31"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:32"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:33"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:34"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:35"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:36"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:37"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:38"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:39"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:40"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:41"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:42"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:43"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:44"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:45"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:46"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:47"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:48"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:49"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:50"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:51"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:52"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:53"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:54"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:55"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:56"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:57"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:58"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:59"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:60"\\. \\See Gill on "1Ki 8:61"\\. \\See Gill on "Ps 132:8"\\ \\See Gill on "Ps 132:9"\\. \\See Gill on "Ps 132:10"\\. 19228-950108-0815-2Ch5.2