Wesley Corpus

Chapter VIII The chief men of Israel called together, ver. 1, 2. The ark fixt in the most holy place, ver. 3 - 9. God takes possession of it by a cloud, ver. 10 - 12. Solomon tells the people the occasion of their meeting, ver. 13 - 21. The prayer of dedication, ver. 22 - 53. He dismisses the assembly with a blessing and an exhortation, ver. 54 - 61. Offers abundance of sacrifices, ver. 62 - 66. Elders - The senators, and judges, and rulers. Heads - For each tribe had a peculiar governor. Chief - The chief persons of every great family in each tribe. Jerusalem - Where the temple was built. Bring the ark - To the top of Moriah, upon which it was built; whither they were now to carry the ark in solemn pomp. City of David - Where David had placed the ark, which is called Zion, because it was built upon that hill. All Israel - Not only the chief men, but a vast number of the common people. The feast - The feast of the dedication, to which Solomon had invited them. Seventh month - Which time he chose with respect to his peoples convenience, because now they had gathered in all their fruits, and were come up to Jerusalem, to celebrate the feast of tabernacles. But the temple was not finished till the eighth month, chap.6:38, how then could he invite them in the seventh month This was the seventh month of the next year. For although the house in all its parts was finished the year before, yet the utensils of it were not then fully finished: and many preparations were to be made for this great and extraordinary occasion. The priests - For although the Levites might do this, Numb 4:15, yet the priests did it at this time, for the greater honour of the solemnity; and because the Levites might not enter into the holy - place, much less into the holy of holies, where it was to be placed, into which the priests themselves might not have entered, if the high - priest alone could have done it.