1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.

And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.

And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.

Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;

18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;

20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.

21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?

22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

Commentary

Verse 1

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
The fire &c. - In token of God's acceptance of his prayer. The surest evidence of God's acceptance of our prayers is the descent of his holy fire upon us. As a farther token that God accepted Solomon's prayer, the glory of the Lord filled the house; the heart that is filled with an holy awe and reverence of the divine glory, to which God manifests his greatness, and (which is no less his glory) his goodness, is thereby owned as a living temple.
McArther Bible Commentary
fire came down. This also occurred when the tabernacle was dedicated (Lev 9:23-24). This was the genuine dedication, because only God can truly sanctify.
Bible Cross References
Exodus 19:18 Leviticus 9:23 Leviticus 9:24 1 Kings 8:10 1 Kings 8:54 1 Kings 18:24 1 Kings 18:38 Malachi 3:4

Verse 2

Bible Cross References
1 Kings 8:10 2 Chronicles 5:14

Verse 3

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
With their faces - Thus expressing their awful dread of the Divine Majesty, their chearful submission to the Divine authority, and the sense they had of their utter unworthiness to enter into his presence. Upon - The cloud first came down upon the house, and then entered into the house, and was seen both within it by the priests, and without it by the people.
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 16:34 2 Chronicles 5:13 2 Chronicles 20:21 Ezra 3:11 Psalm 100:5 Psalm 106:1 Psalm 107:1 Psalm 118:1 Psalm 136:1 Jeremiah 33:11

Verse 4

McArther Bible Commentary
See note on 1Ki 8:62.
Bible Cross References
1 Kings 8:62 1 Kings 8:63 2 Chronicles 7:5 Ezekiel 46:10

Verse 5

Bible Cross References
2 Chronicles 7:4 2 Chronicles 7:6 Ezra 6:16

Verse 6

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
David praised - For David composed the psalms or hymns, and appointed them to be sung by the Levites, and instrumental music to be joined to their voices.
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 15:16 1 Chronicles 16:42 2 Chronicles 5:12 2 Chronicles 7:5

Verse 7

Bible Cross References
Numbers 29:39 1 Kings 8:64

Verse 8

McArther Bible Commentary
Solomon's celebration included the special assembly to dedicate the altar on the eighth through the fourteenth days of the seventh month (September - October) which included the Day of Atonement. It was immediately followed by the Feast of Tabernacles (fifteenth through the twenty-first) and a special assembly on the eighth day, i.e., twenty-second day of the month.
Bible Cross References
Genesis 15:18 1 Kings 8:2 1 Kings 8:65 2 Chronicles 5:3 2 Chronicles 30:26 Nehemiah 8:17 Ezekiel 45:25 Ezekiel 47:20

Verse 9

Bible Cross References
Leviticus 23:36 Numbers 7:10 2 Chronicles 7:10

Verse 10

Bible Cross References
2 Chronicles 7:9 2 Chronicles 7:11 Ezekiel 45:25

Verse 11

McArther Bible Commentary
See note on 1Ki 9:1-2. Perhaps years had passed since the dedication of the temple in chapter 6 during which Solomon had also built "the King's house" (cf. 2Ch 8:1). After all that time, God confirmed that He had heard Solomon's prayer (2Ch 7:12).
Bible Cross References
1 Kings 9:1 2 Chronicles 7:10

Verse 12

Bible Cross References
Deuteronomy 12:5 Deuteronomy 12:11 2 Kings 21:7 2 Chronicles 7:16 Malachi 3:4

Verse 13

McArther Bible Commentary
This section is almost all unique to 2 Chronicles (cf. 1Ki 9:3), and features the conditions for national forgiveness of Israel's sins: (1) humility; (2) prayer; (3) longing for God; and (4) repentance. 2Ch 7:14 and America "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Unlike ancient Israel, America is not a covenant nation. God has made no promise to our physical ancestors that guarantees our national status. If Israel had to fulfill the conditions for divine blessing, even though God had covenanted with them as His chosen people, America certainly has no inviolable claim on the blessing of God. As long as unbelief and disobedience to the Word of God color the soul of our nation, we cannot expect the blessing of God. Israel didn't get it in her unbelief. But for those of us who are Christians, the covenant blessings do apply. "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:29). All the promises of salvation, mercy, forgiveness of sins, and spiritual prosperity are ours to claim as long as we remain faithful to God. That is why the spiritual state of the church in our nation is the key to the blessing of the nation as a whole. If God is going to bless America, it will not be for the sake of the nation itself. He blesses the nation, and has always done so, for the sake of His people. If we who are called by His name are not fulfilling the conditions for divine blessing, there is no hope whatsoever for the rest of the nation. On the other hand, if the church is fit to receive God's blessing, the whole nation will be the beneficiary of that, because the Word of God will be proclaimed with power, God will add to His church, and spiritual blessings of all kinds will result. And those are the truest blessings of all.
Bible Cross References
Deuteronomy 11:17 2 Chronicles 6:26 Amos 4:7

Verse 14

Bible Cross References
James 4:10 Numbers 6:27 Deuteronomy 28:10 2 Chronicles 6:33 2 Chronicles 6:37 Psalm 60:2 Ezekiel 33:12

Verse 15

Bible Cross References
1 Kings 8:29 2 Chronicles 6:20 2 Chronicles 6:40

Verse 16

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
This house - There will I make myself known, and there will I be called upon.
Bible Cross References
2 Kings 21:7 2 Chronicles 7:12 2 Chronicles 7:17 2 Chronicles 33:4 2 Chronicles 33:7

Verse 17

McArther Bible Commentary
. See notes on 1Ki 9:4-9.
Bible Cross References
2 Chronicles 7:16 2 Chronicles 7:18 Psalm 119:5

Verse 18

Bible Cross References
1 Kings 2:4 2 Chronicles 6:16 2 Chronicles 7:17 Jeremiah 33:21

Verse 19

Bible Cross References
Leviticus 26:14 Leviticus 26:33 Numbers 32:15 Deuteronomy 28:15 Jeremiah 9:13

Verse 20

Bible Cross References
Numbers 32:15 Deuteronomy 28:37 Deuteronomy 29:28 1 Kings 14:15 Jeremiah 16:13 Jeremiah 22:8 Jeremiah 44:8 Ezekiel 7:24

Verse 21

Bible Cross References
Deuteronomy 29:24 1 Kings 9:8 Jeremiah 19:8

Verse 22

Bible Cross References
Judges 2:13 Jeremiah 16:11

Verse 59

EGW SDA Bible Commentary
; 20:36; 21:5; Ezra 9:5, 6; Psalm 95:6; Ephesians 3:14 quoted.]...Both in public and private worship it is our duty to bow down upon our knees before God when we offer our petitions to Him. This act shows our dependence upon God....[

Verse 60

EGW SDA Bible Commentary
; 20:36; 21:5; Ezra 9:5, 6; Psalm 95:6; Ephesians 3:14 quoted.]...Both in public and private worship it is our duty to bow down upon our knees before God when we offer our petitions to Him. This act shows our dependence upon God....[