2 Chronicles 8 commentary

It sometimes requires more wisdom and resolution to govern a family in the fear of God, than to govern a kingdom with reputation. The difficulty is increased, when a man has a hinderance instead of a help meet in the wife of his bosom. Solomon kept up the holy sacrifices, according to the law of Moses. In vain had the altar been built, in vain had fire come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought. Spiritual sacrifices are required of us, which we are to bring daily and weekly; it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. When the service of the temple was put into good order, it is said, The house of the Lord was perfected. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was unfinished till all this was done. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold The Israelites were a wise people, but must be beholden to the king of Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas. Grace, and not gold, is the best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, the best knowledge. Leaving the children of this world to scramble for the toys of this world, may we, as the children of God, lay up our treasure in heaven, that where our treasure is, our hearts also may be.

CHAPTER 8

2Ch 8:1-6. Solomon's Buildings.

2. cities which Huram had restored ... Solomon built them, &c.--These cities lay in the northwest of Galilee. Though included within the limits of the promised land, they had never been conquered. The right of occupying them Solomon granted to Huram, who, after consideration, refused them as unsuitable to the commercial habits of his subjects (see on 1Ki 9:11). Solomon, having wrested them from the possession of the Canaanite inhabitants, repaired them and filled them with a colony of Hebrews.

3-6. And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah--Hamath was on the Orontes, in Coele-Syria. Its king, Toi, had been the ally of David; but from the combination, Hamath and Zobah, it would appear that some revolution had taken place which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous Palmyra in the same region. Various other cities along the frontiers of his extended dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from foreign invasion (see on 2Ch 1:14; 1Ki 9:15).

2Ch 8:7-11. The Canaanites Made Tributaries.

7. all the people that were left, &c.--The descendants of the Canaanites who remained in the country were treated as war prisoners, being obliged to "pay tribute or to serve as galley slaves" (2Ch 2:18), while the Israelites were employed in no works but such as were of an honorable character.

10. two hundred and fifty that bare rule--(Compare 1Ki 9:23). It is generally agreed that the text of one of these passages is corrupt.

11. Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her--On his marriage with the Egyptian princess at the beginning of his reign, he assigned her a temporary abode in the city of David, that is, Jerusalem, until a suitable palace for his wife had been erected. While that palace was in progress, he himself lodged in the palace of David, but he did not allow her to occupy it, because he felt that she being a heathen proselyte, and having brought from her own country an establishment of heathen maid-servants, there would have been an impropriety in her being domiciled in a mansion which was or had been hallowed by the reception of the ark. It seems she was received on her arrival into his mother's abode (So 3:4; 8:2).

2Ch 8:15-18. Solomon's Festival Sacrifices.

15. they departed not from the commandment of the king--that is, David, in any of his ordinances, which by divine authority he established.

unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures--either in regulating the courses of the priests and Levites, or in the destination of his accumulated treasures to the construction and adornment of the temple.

17. Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth--These two maritime ports were situated at the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, now called the Gulf of Akaba. Eloth is seen in the modern Akaba, Ezion-geber in El Gudyan [Robinson]. Solomon, determined to cultivate the arts of peace, was sagacious enough to perceive that his kingdom could become great and glorious only by encouraging a spirit of commercial enterprise among his subjects; and, accordingly, with that in mind he made a contract with Huram for ships and seamen to instruct his people in navigation.

18. Huram sent him ... ships--either sent him ship-men, able seamen, overland; or, taking the word "sent" in a looser sense, supplied him, that is, built him ships--namely, in docks at Eloth (compare 1Ki 9:26, 27). This navy of Solomon was manned by Tyrians, for Solomon had no seamen capable of performing distant expeditions. The Hebrew fishermen, whose boats plied on the Sea of Tiberias or coasted the shores of the Mediterranean, were not equal to the conducting of large vessels laden with valuable cargoes on long voyages and through the wide and unfrequented ocean.

four hundred and fifty talents of gold--(Compare 1Ki 9:28). The text in one of these passages is corrupt.

At the end of twenty years - He employed seven years and a half in building the temple, and twelve and a half, or thirteen, in building his own house. - Compare this with 1Kgs 7:1.

The cities which Huram had restored - See the note on 1Kgs 9:11.

Hamath-zobah - "Emessa, on the river Orontes." - Calmet.

Tadmor - Palmyra. See the note on 1Kgs 9:18, for an account of this superb city.

All the store cities - See the note on 1Kgs 9:19.

But of the children of Israel - See the note on 1Kgs 9:21.

The daughter of Pharaoh - "And Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, Solomon brought up from the city of David to the palace which he had built for her." - T.

Because the places are holy - Is not this a proof that he considered his wife to be a heathen, and not proper to dwell in a place which had been sanctified? Solomon had not yet departed from the true God.

Three times in the year - These were the three great annual feasts.

The commandment of the king - The institutions of David.

Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber - See the notes on 1Kgs 9:26-28 (note), for conjectures concerning Ezion-geber and Ophir.

Knowledge of the sea - Skilful sailors. Solomon probably bore the expenses and his friend, the Tyrian king, furnished him with expert sailors; for the Jews, at no period of their history, had any skill in maritime affairs, their navigation being confined to the lakes of their own country, from which they could never acquire any nautical skill. The Tyrians, on the contrary, lived on and in the sea.

The house - He built this house for her; because the ark was now in the house of David, which therefore ought to be kept pure and free from the very danger and appearance of pollution.

Man of God - A prophet inspired by God in these matters, whose commands therefore are the commands of God.

Prepared - All the materials were procured, and in all points fitted and compleated before - hand.

2 That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon , Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.

Which Solomon gave to Hiram, who not being pleased with them, 1 Kin. 9. 12, 13. here returns them to him again.

4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness , and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

Of this and the following Verses see on 1 King. 9. 18, &c.

11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David, unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come .

Not because every place where once the Ark came was thereby consecrated to God, and might not after the Ark was gone be put to any common use; for then both the House of Obed-edom and all other places where the Ark either rested or passed were made Holy thereby, and unlawful for Men to dwell in; but either 1. Because she was a Woman, and attended by many other Women, who besides the common Pollutions of all, are subject to many and frequent Ceremonial Pollutions peculiar to their Sex, and either she, or at least many of her followers might be Heathens at this time; and therefore he thought it indecent that such persons should come as it were in Gods stead, and succeed him in the place where he had dwelt. Or, 2. He speaks not of the Time when the Ark was gone, but whilest it was there; and these words contain a Reason not of the more remote words, why he now brought her up thither, but of the words immediately preceding▪ why he built this House for her; because the Ark was now in the House of David, which therefore ought to be kept pure and free from the very Danger and Appearance of Pollution.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 span].

14 And he appointed according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.

i. e. A Prophet inspired by God in these Matters, whose Commands therefore are the Commands of God.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 24. 1.; [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 25. 1.; 1 Chr. 9. 17. & 26. 1.; Heb. so was the commandment of David the man of God.

16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished: so the house of God was perfected.

All the Materials were procured, and in all points squared and fitted and compleated before hand.

17 Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber , and to Eloth, at the sea-side in the land of Edom.

Of this and the next Verse see the Notes on 1 King. 9. 26▪ &c.

Marginal references: Or, Elath, Deut. 2. 8

Solomon’s City-Building, Statute Labour, Arrangement of Public Worship, and Nautical Undertakings - 2 Chronicles 8

The building of the temple was the most important work of Solomon’s reign, as compared with which all the other undertakings of the king fall into the background; and these are consequently only summarily enumerated both in the book of Kings and in the Chronicle. In our chapter, in the first place, we have, (a) the building or completion of various cities, which were of importance partly as strongholds, partly as magazines, for the maintenance of the army necessary for the defence of the kingdom against hostile attacks (2Ch 8:1-6); (b) the arrangement of the statute labour for the execution of all his building works (2Ch 8:7-11); (c) the regulation of the sacrificial service and the public worship (2Ch 8:12-16); and (d) the voyage to Ophir (2Ch 8:17, 2Ch 8:18). All these undertakings are recounted in the same order and in the same aphoristic way in 1 Kings 9:10-28, but with the addition of various notes, which are not found in our narrative; while the Chronicle, again, mentions several not unimportant though subordinate circumstances, which are not found in the book of Kings; whence it is clear that in the two narratives we have merely short and mutually supplementary extracts from a more elaborate description of these matters.

2Ch 8:1 The city-building. - 2Ch 8:1. The date, “at the end of twenty years, when Solomon ... had built,” agrees with that in 1Ki 9:10. The twenty years are to be reckoned from the commencement of the building of the temple, for he had spent seven years in the building of the temple, and thirteen years in that of his palace (1Ki 6:38; 1Ki 7:1).

2Ch 8:2-4 2Ch 8:2 must be regarded as the apodosis of 2Ch 8:1, notwithstanding that the object, the cities which ... precedes. The unusual position of the words is the result of the aphoristic character of the notice. As to its relation to the statement 1Ki 9:10-13, see the discussion on that passage. בּנה, 2Ch 8:2, is not to be understood of the fortification of these cities, but of their completion, for, according to 1Ki 9:10, 1Ki 9:13, they were in very bad condition. ויּושׁב, he caused to dwell there, i.e., transplanted Israelites thither, cf. 2Ki 17:6. The account of the cities which Solomon built, i.e., fortified, is introduced (2Ch 8:3) by the important statement, omitted in 1 Kings 9: “Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.” על חזק, to be strong upon, that is, prevail against, conquer; cf. 2Ch 27:5. Hamath-zobah is not the city Hamath in Zobah, but, as we learn from 2Ch 8:4, the land or kingdom of Hamath. This did not lie, any more than the city Hamath, in Zobah, but bordered on the kingdom of Zobah: cf. 1Ch 18:3; and as to the position of Zobah, see the Commentary on 2Sa 8:3. In David’s time Hamath and Zobah had their own kings; and David conquered them, and made their kingdoms tributary (1Ch 18:3-10). Because they bordered on each other, Hamath and Zobah are here bound together as a nomen compos. עליה יחזק signifies at least this, that these tributary kingdoms had either rebelled against Solomon, or at least had made attempts to do so; which Solomon suppressed, and in order to establish his dominion over them fortified Tadmor, i.e., Palmyra, and all the store cities in the land of Hamath (see on 1Ki 9:18.); for, according to 1Ki 11:23., he had Rezon of Zobah as an enemy during his whole reign; see on that passage.

2Ch 8:5-6

Besides these, he made Upper and Nether Beth-horon (see on 1Ch 7:24) into fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars. מצור ערי is the second object of ויּבן, and וגו חומות is in apposition to that. Further, he fortified Baalah, in the tribe of Dan, to defend the kingdom against the Philistines, and, according to 1Ki 9:15-17, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer also, - which are omitted here, while in 1Ki 9:17 Upper Beth-horon is omitted, - and store cities, chariot cities, and cavalry cities; see on 1Ki 9:15-19.

2Ch 8:7-8 On the arrangement of the statute labour, see on 1Ki 9:20-23. - This note is in Chr. abruptly introduced immediately after the preceding. 2Ch 8:7 is an absolute clause: “as regards the whole people, those.” מן־בּניהם (2Ch 8:8) is not partitive: some of their sons; but is only placed before the אשׁר: those of their sons (i.e., of the descendants of the whole Canaanite people) who had remained in the land, whom the Israelites had not exterminated; Solomon made a levy of these for statute labourers. The מן is wanting in 1 Kings, but is not to be struck out here on that account. Much more surprising is the אשׁר after שׂראל מן־בּני, 2Ch 8:9, which is likewise not found in 1 Kings, since the following verb נתן לא is not to be taken relatively, but contains the predicate of the subject contained in the words ישׂ מן־בּני. This אשׁר cannot be otherwise justified than by supposing that it is placed after ישׂ בני מן, as in Psa 69:27 it is placed after the subject of the relative clause, and so stands for ישׂ בני מן בן אשׂר: those who were of the sons of Israel (i.e., Israelites) Solomon did not make ... The preplacing of בּניהם מן in 2Ch 8:8 would naturally suggest that ישׂ בני מן should also precede, in order to bring out sharply the contrast between the sons of the Canaanites and the sons of Israel.

2Ch 8:9-10 שׁלישׁיו ושׁרי should be altered into ושׁלישׁיו שׂריו as in 1Ki 9:22, for שׁלישׁים are not chariot combatants, but royal adjutants; see on Exo 14:7 and 2Sa 23:8. Over the statute labourers 250 upper overseers were placed. נציבים שׂרי, chief of the superiors, i.e., chief overseer. The Keth. נציבים, praefecti, is the true reading; cf. 1Ch 18:13; 2Ch 17:2. The Keri has arisen out of 1Ki 9:23. These overseers were Israelites, while in the number 550 (1Ki 9:23) the Israelite and Canaanite upper overseers are both included; see on 2Ch 2:17. בּעם refers to כּל־העם, 2Ch 8:7, and denotes the Canaanite people who remained.

2Ch 8:11

The remark that Solomon caused Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married (1Ki 3:1), to remove from the city of David into the house which he had built her, i.e., into that part of his newly-built palace which was appointed for the queen, is introduced here, as in 1Ki 9:24, because it belongs to the history of Solomon’s buildings, although in the Chronicle it comes in very abruptly, the author not having mentioned Solomon’s marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh (1Ki 3:1). The reason given for this change of residence on the part of the Egyptian princess is, that Solomon could not allow her, an Egyptian, to dwell in the palace of King David, which had been sanctified by the reception of the ark, and consequently assigned to her a dwelling in the city of David until he should have finished the building of his palace, in which she might dwell along with him. המּה is, as neuter, used instead of the singular; cf. Ew. §318, b. See also on 1Ki 3:1 and 1Ki 9:24.

2Ch 8:12 The sacrificial service in the new temple. Cf. 1Ki 9:25, where it is merely briefly recorded that Solomon offered sacrifices three times a year on the altar built by him to the Lord. In our verses we have a detailed account of it. אז, at that time, scil. when the temple building had been finished and the temple dedicated (cf. 2Ch 8:1), Solomon offered burnt-offerings upon the altar which he had built before the porch of the temple. He no longer now sacrifices upon the altar of the tabernacle at Gibeon, as in the beginning of his reign (2Ch 1:3.).

2Ch 8:13 “Even sacrificing at the daily rate, according to the direction of Moses.” These words give a supplementary and closer definition of the sacrificing in the form of an explanatory subordinate clause, which is interpolated in the principal sentence. For the following words וגו לשּׁבּתות belong to the principal sentence (2Ch 8:12): he offered sacrifices ... on the sabbaths, the new moons, etc. The ו before בּדבר is explicative, and that = viz.; and the infin. להעלות, according to the later usage, instead of infin. absol.; cf. Ew. §280, d. The preposition בּ (before דּבר) is the so-called b essentiae: consisting in the daily (rate) to sacrifice (this); cf. Ew. §299, b. The daily rate, i.e., that which was prescribed in the law of Moses for each day, cf. Lev 23:37. למּועדות is further explained by the succeeding clause: on the three chief festivals of the year.

2Ch 8:14

He ordered the temple service, also, entirely according to the arrangement introduced by David as to the service of the priests and Levites. He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, i.e., according to the ordinance established by David, the classes of the priests (see on 1 Chron 24) to that service, and the Levites to their stations (משׁמרות as in 2Ch 7:6), to praise (cf. 1 Chron 25), and to serve before the priests (1Ch 23:28.), according to that which was appointed for every day, and the doorkeepers according to their courses, etc. (see 1 Chron 27:1-19). With the last words cf. Neh 12:24.

2Ch 8:15-16

This arrangement was faithfully observed by the priests and Levites. The verb סוּר is here construed c. accus. in the signification to transgress a command (cf. Ew. §282, a), and it is therefore not necessary to alter מצות into ממּצות. על־הכּהנים depends upon מצות: the king’s command concerning the priests and the Levites, i.e., that which David commanded them. וגו לכל־דּבר, in regard to all things, and especially also in regard to the treasures; cf. 1Ch 26:20-28. - With 2Ch 8:16 the account of what Solomon did for the public worship is concluded: “Now all the work of Solomon was prepared until the (this) day, the foundation of the house of Jahve until its completion; the house of Jahve was finished.” מלאכת is explained by מוּסד. היּום is the day on which, after the consecration of the completed temple, the regular public worship was commenced in it, which doubtless was done immediately after the dedication of the temple. Only when the regular worship according to the law of Moses, and with the arrangements as to the service of the priests and Levites established by David, had been commenced, was Solomon’s work in connection with the temple completed, and the house of God שׁלם, integer, perfect in all its parts, as it should be. The last clause, בית י שׁלם, is connected rhetorically with what precedes without the conjunction, and is not to be regarded as a subscription, “with which the historian concludes the whole narrative commencing with 2Ch 2:1” (Berth.); for שׁלם does not signify “ended,” or to be at an end, but to be set thoroughly (perfectly) in order.

2Ch 8:17-18 Voyage to Ophir. Cf. 1Ki 9:26-28, and the commentary on that passage, where we have discussed the divergences of our narrative, and have also come to the conclusion that Ophir is not to be sought in India, but in Southern Arabia. By אז the date of this voyage is made to fall in the period after the building of the temple and the palace, i.e., in the second half of Solomon’s reign.

Solomon's Buildings. (b. c. 992.)

1 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the Lord , and his own house, 2 That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it. 4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath. 5 Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion. 7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel, 8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day. 9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen. 10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. 11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.

This we had 1 Kings ix. 10-24, and therefore shall only observe here,

I. Though Solomon was a man of great learning and knowledge, yet he spent his days, not in contemplation, but in action, not in his study, but in his country, in building cities and fortifying them, in a time of peace preparing for a time of war, which is as much a man's business as it is in summer to provide food for winter.

II. As he was a man of business himself, and did not consult his own ease, so he employed a great many hands, kept abundance of people to work. It is the interest of a state by all means possible to promote and encourage industry, and to keep its subjects from idleness. A great many strangers there were in Israel, many that remained of the Canaanites; and they were welcome to live there, but not to live and do nothing. The men of Laish, who had no business, were an easy prey to the invaders, Judg. xviii. 7.

III. When Solomon had begun with building the house of God, and made good work and quick work of that, he prospered in all his undertakings, so that he built all that he desired to build, v. 6. Those who have a genius for building find that one project draws on another, and the latter must amend and improve the former. Now observe, 1. How the divine providence gratified even Solomon's humour, and gave him success, not only in all that he needed to build and that it was for his advantage to build, but in all that he had a mind to build. So indulgent a Father God is sometimes to the innocent desires of his children that serve him. Thus he pleased Jacob with that promise, Joseph shall put his hand on thy eyes. 2. Solomon knew how to set bounds to his desires. He was not one of those that enlarge them endlessly, and can never be satisfied, but knew when to draw in; for he finished all he desired, and then he desired no more. He did not sit down and fret that he had not more cities to build, as Alexander did that he had not more worlds to conquer, Hab. ii. 5.

IV. That one reason why Solomon built a palace on purpose for the queen, and removed her and her court to it, was because he thought it by no means proper that she should dwell in the house of David (v. 11), considering that that had been a place of great piety, and perhaps her house was a place of great vanity. She was proselyted, it is likely, to the Jewish religion; but it is a question whether all her servants were. Perhaps they had among them the idols of Egypt, and a great deal of profaneness and debauchery. Now, though Solomon had not zeal and courage enough to suppress and punish what was amiss there, yet he so far consulted the honour of his father's memory that he would not suffer that place to be thus profaned where the ark of God had been and where holy David had prayed many a good prayer and sung many a sweet psalm. Not that all the places where the ark had been were so holy as never to be put to a common use; for then the houses of Abinadab and Obed-edom must have been so. But the place where it had been so long, and had been so publicly attended on, was so venerable that it was not fit to be the place of so much gaiety, not to say iniquity, as was to be found, I fear, in the court that Pharaoh's daughter kept. Note, Between things sacred and things common the ancient landmarks ought to be kept up. It was an outer-court of the temple that was the court of the women.

Solomon's Devotion. (b. c. 992.)

12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord , which he had built before the porch, 13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. 14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded. 15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord , and until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was perfected. 17 Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom. 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Here is, I. Solomon's devotion. The building of the temple was in order to the service of the temple. Whatever cost he was at in rearing the structure, if he had neglected the worship that was to be performed there, it would all have been to no purpose. Assisting the devotion of others will not atone for our own neglects. When Solomon had built the temple, 1. He kept up the holy sacrifices there, according to the law of Moses, v. 12, 13. In vain had the altar been built, and in vain had fire come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought as the food of the altar and the fuel of that fire. There were daily sacrifices, a certain rate every day, as duly as the day came, weekly sacrifices on the sabbath, double to what was offered on other days, monthly sacrifices on the new moons, and yearly sacrifices at the three solemn feasts. Those are spiritual sacrifices that are now required of us, which we are to bring daily and weekly; and it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. 2. He kept up the holy songs there, according to the law of David, who is here called the man of God, as Moses was, because he was both instructed and authorised of God to make these establishments; and Solomon took care to see them observed as the duty of every day required, v. 14. Solomon, though a wise and great man and the builder of the temple, did not attempt to amend, alter, or add to what the man of God had, in God's name, commanded, but closely adhered to that, and used his authority to have that duly observed; and then none departed from the commandment of the king concerning any matter, v. 15. He observed God's laws, and then all obeyed his orders. When the service of the temple was put into this good order, then it is said, The house of the Lord was perfected, v. 16. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was unfinished till all this was done.

II. Solomon's merchandise. He did himself in person visit the sea-port towns of Eloth and Ezion-geber; for those that deal much in the world will find it their interest, as far as they can, to inspect their affairs themselves and to see with their own eyes, v. 17. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold; the Israelites were a wise and understanding people, and yet must be beholden to the king of Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas, v. 18. Yet Canaan was God's peculiar land, and Israel God's peculiar people. This teaches us that grace, and not gold, is the best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, not with arts and sciences, the best knowledge.