2 Chronicles 7:7

7 Solomon set apart the central area of the courtyard in front of God's Temple for sacred use and there sacrificed the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, and fat from the Peace-Offerings - the Bronze Altar was too small to handle all these offerings.

2 Chronicles 7:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 7-10. Moreover, Solomon hallowed the middle of the court
From hence, to the end of ( 2 Chronicles 7:10 ) is the same with ( 1 Kings 8:64-66 ) . (See Gill on 1 Kings 8:64), (See Gill on 1 Kings 8:65), (See Gill on 1 Kings 8:66), only mention is made in ( 2 Chronicles 7:9 ) of the dedication of the altar, as if distinct from the dedication of the house, and hallowing the middle of the court, see ( Numbers 7:10 ) in imitation of which the Heathens dedicated their altars, in which they used ashes and water, as Pausanias F25 relates, and had also feasts, as here, at the dedication of their temples F26, in which they have been imitated by Christians; and many of our country feasts, as they are called, were first kept at the dedication of churches to such and such a saint.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Eliac, 1. sive, l. 5. p. 312.
F26 Plin. Ep. l. 4. ep. 1.

2 Chronicles 7:7 In-Context

5 King Solomon worshiped by sacrificing 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep at the dedication of The Temple.
6 The priests were all on duty; the choir and orchestra of Levites that David had provided for singing and playing anthems to the praise and love of God were all there; across the courtyard the priests blew trumpets. All Israelites were on their feet.
7 Solomon set apart the central area of the courtyard in front of God's Temple for sacred use and there sacrificed the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, and fat from the Peace-Offerings - the Bronze Altar was too small to handle all these offerings.
8 This is how Solomon kept the great autumn Feast of Booths. For seven days there were people there all the way from the far northeast (the Entrance to Hamath) to the far southwest (the Brook of Egypt) - a huge congregation.
9 They started out celebrating for seven days, and then did it for another seven days, a week for dedicating the Altar and another for the Feast itself - two solid weeks of celebration!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.