1 Kings 8:12

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.

1 Kings 8:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:12

And then spake Solomon
Perceiving by this symbol that the Lord was come into his house, to take up his dwelling in it, and seeing the priests and people in consternation at it, spake the following words to their comfort:

the Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness;
and now was fulfilling his promise, and therefore to be considered not as a token of his displeasure, but of his gracious presence; this was done for the greater awe of the divine Majesty, and to denote the darkness of the former dispensation; reference may be had to ( Leviticus 16:2 ) or rather this was now said by the Lord, that is, it appeared to be his resolution and determination to dwell in this manner; the Targum is,

``the Lord is pleased to cause his Shechinah or divine Majesty to dwell in Jerusalem,''

in the temple there. This was imitated by the Heathens; hence the Lacedemonians had a temple dedicated to Jupiter Scotitas, or the dark, as Pausanias ^F21 relates; and the Indian Pagans to this day affect darkness in their temples, and are very careful that no light enter into them but by the door, which is commonly strait and low, and by little crevices in the windows ^F23.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Laconica, sive, I. 3. p. 178.
F23 Agreement of Customs between the East-Indians and Jews, art. 5. p. 35.

1 Kings 8:12 In-Context

10 And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD,

11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.

13 I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever."

14 Then the king faced about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.