And offered, at the dedication of this house of God,
an
hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred
lambs
Hecatombs of various sorts, which were always reckoned grand
sacrifices, even among Heathens, of which Homer sometimes speaks;
some of these were for burnt offerings, and others peace
offerings, by way of thankfulness to God for the finishing of the
temple; part of which belonging to the offerers, they feasted
upon it with great gladness of heart:
and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats,
according to
the number of the tribes of Israel;
for though the ten tribes were carried captive by Shalmaneser,
yet, as before observed, there were some of them that remained in
the land, and others that went and returned with the two tribes;
and therefore a sin offering was made for them all, for the
typical expiation of guilt contracted since they had been in an
Heathen land, and, temple service had ceased.