1 Kings 8:65

65 Therefore Solomon made in that time a solemn feast, and all Israel with him, a great multitude, from the entering of Hamath unto the strand of Egypt, before our Lord God, in seven days and seven days, that is, fourteen days (altogether). (And so Solomon, and all Israel with him, a great multitude from the entering of Hamath unto the River of Egypt, celebrated the Feast of Shelters before the Lord our God, for seven days altogether.)

1 Kings 8:65 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:65

And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with
him
Partaking of the parts of the peace offerings which belonged to him, and were offered by way of thanksgiving on the occasion, together with whatsoever he might as a liberal prince provide for this entertainment:

for it was for a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath
unto the river of Egypt;
consisting of a number of people, gathered together from Hamath, which was on the northern border of the land of Israel, to the river of Egypt; either the Nile, or Rhinoculura, a branch of it, which lay on the southern border of the land: and this was kept

before the Lord;
as in his presence, with thankfulness to him, and with a view to his glory:

seven days and seven days, even fourteen days;
seven days for the dedication of the house, and seven days for the feast of tabernacles, as the Targum; which agrees with ( 2 Chronicles 7:9 ) , the feast of dedication was first, and began perhaps on the seventh day of the month, as the feast of tabernacles did on the fifteenth: within this time, namely, on the tenth, was a fast day, the day of atonement; which was either observed between the two feasts, or was omitted, which is not likely; or they did not eat and drink until the evening of that day. The Septuagint version, according to the Vatican copy, reads "seven days" only once; see ( 2 Chronicles 7:8 ) .

1 Kings 8:65 In-Context

63 And Solomon slew peaceable sacrifices, which he offered to the Lord; of oxes two and twenty thousand, and of sheep sixscore thousand; and the king and the sons of Israel hallowed the temple of the Lord. (And Solomon killed the peace offerings, which he offered to the Lord; yea, they killed twenty-two thousand oxen, and sixscore thousand sheep; and so the king and the Israelites dedicated the Temple of the Lord.)
64 In that day the king hallowed the middle of the great street, that was before the house of the Lord; for he made there burnt sacrifice[s], and offering(s), and the inner fatness of peaceable things; for the brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little, and it might not take the burnt sacrifice(s), and the offering(s), and the inner fatness of peaceable things. (On that day the king dedicated the center of the great courtyard that was before the House of the Lord; for he offered there the burnt sacrifices, and the offerings, and the inner fatness of the peace offerings; for the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small, and it could not take, or handle, all the burnt sacrifices, and the offerings, and the inner fatness of the peace offerings.)
65 Therefore Solomon made in that time a solemn feast, and all Israel with him, a great multitude, from the entering of Hamath unto the strand of Egypt, before our Lord God, in seven days and seven days, that is, fourteen days (altogether). (And so Solomon, and all Israel with him, a great multitude from the entering of Hamath unto the River of Egypt, celebrated the Feast of Shelters before the Lord our God, for seven days altogether.)
66 And in the eighth day he delivered the peoples, which blessed the king, and went forth into their tabernacles, and they were glad and of joyful heart on all the goods that God had done to David, his servant, and to Israel, his people. (And on the eighth day he let the people go, who blessed the king, and went back to their homes, and they were glad and had joyful hearts for all the good things that God had done for his servant David, and for his people Israel.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.