28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee to-day:

29 That thine eyes may be opened toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there; that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

30 And "hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place; and when thou hearest, forgive. 31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and tan oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

33 When thy people Israel be 'smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy

g Deut. 12. 11.

or, in. Dan. 6. 10. A 2 Chr, 20. 9. the require an oath of him. Ex. 22. 11. i Ex. 34. 7. Deut. 25. 1. kls. 3. 10. Rom. 2. 13. 7. 9. Deut, 28, 25.

III. The prayer itself was very long, and yet perhaps longer than is here recorded. At the throne of grace, we have liberty of speech, and should use our liberty. It is not making long prayers, but making them for a pretence, that Christ condemns. In this excellent prayer, Solomon does as we should in every prayer:

1. He gives glory to God. This he begins with, as the most proper act of adoration. He addresses himself to God as the Lord God of Israel, a God in covenant with them. And, (1.) He gives him the praise of what he is, in general; the best of beings in himself; " There is no God like thee, none of the powers in heaven or earth to be compared with thee;" and the best of masters to his people, "who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants; not only as good as thy word, in keeping covenant, but better than thy word, in keeping mercy, doing that for them, which thou hast not given them an express promise of, provided they walk before thee with all their heart, are zealous for thee, with an eye to thee." (2.) He gives him thanks for what he had done, in particular, for his family; (v. 24,) Thou hast kept with thy servant David, as with thy other servants, that which thou promisedst him. The promise was a great favour to him, his support and joy, and now, performance is the crown of it: Thou hast fulfilled it, as it is this day. Fresh experiences of the truth of God's promises, call for enlarged praises. 2. He sues for grace and favour from God.

(1.) That God would perform to him and his the mercy which he had promised, v. 25, 26. Observe how this comes in: he thankfully acknowledges the performance of the promise, in part; hitherto, God had been faithful to his word, "Thou hast kept with thy servant David that which thou promisedst him; so far, that his son fills his throne, and has built the intended temple; therefore now keep with thy servant David that which thou hast further promised him, and which yet remains to be fulfilled in its season." Note, The experiences we have of God's performing his promises, should encourage us to depend upon them, and plead them with God: and those who expect further mercies, must be thankful for former mercies. Hitherto, God has helped, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Solomon repeats the promise, (v. 25,) There shall not fail thee a man to sit on the throne, not omitting the condition, so that thy children take heed to their way; for we cannot expect God's performance of the promise, but upon our performance of the condition: and then he humbly begs this entail, (v. 26,) Now, O God of Israel, let thy words be verified, God's promises (as we have often observed) must be both the guide of our desires, and the ground of our hopes and expectations in prayer. David had prayed, (2 Sam. 7. 25,) Lord, do as thou hast said. Note, Children should learn of their godly parents how to pray, and plead, in prayer.

(2.) That God would have respect to this temple which he had now taken possession of, and that his eyes might be continually open towards it, v. 29. That he would graciously own it, and so put an honour upon it. To this purpose, he premises, [1.] An humble admiration of God's gracious condescension; (v. 27,) "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Can we imagine that a Being, infinitely high, and holy, and happy, should stoop so low, as to let it be said of him, that he dwells upon the earth, and blesses the worms of the earth with his presence? The earth, that is corrupt, and overspread with sin! Cursed, and reserved to fire! Lord, how is it?" [2.] An humble acknowledgment of the incapacity of the house he had built, though very capacious, to contain God. The heaven of heavens cannot do that, for no place can include him, who is present in all places; even this house is too little, too mean to be the residence of Him that is infinite in being and glory. Note, When we have done the most we can for God, we must acknowledge the infinite distance and disproportion between us and him, between our services and his perfections.

name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.

35 When heaven "is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;

38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

This premised, he prays, in general, First, That God would graciously hear and answer the prayer he was now praying, v. 28. It was an humble prayer, the prayer of thy servant; an earnest prayer, such a prayer as is a cry; a prayer made in faith, "before thee, as the Lord, and my God; Lord, hearken to it; have respect to it, not as the prayer of Israel's king," (no man's dignity in the world, or titles of honour, will recommend him to God,) "but as the prayer of thy servant." Secondly, That God would, in like manner, hear and answer all the prayers that should, at any time hereafter, be made in or toward this house which he had now built, and of which God had said, My name shall be there, (v. 29;) his own prayers, Hearken to the prayers which thy servant shall make; and the prayers of all Israel, and of every particular Israelite, v. 30. Hear it in heaven, that is indeed thy dwelling-place, of which this is but a figure; and when thou hearest, forgive the sin that separates between them and God, even the iniquity of their holy things. 1. He supposes that God's people would ever be a praying people; he resolves to adhere to that duty himself. 2. He directs them to have an eye, in their prayers, to that place where God was pleased to manifest his glory, so as he did not any where else on earth. None but priests might come into that place; but when they worshipped in the courts of the temple, it must be with an eye towards it; not as the object of their worship, (that were idolatry,) but as an instituted medium of their worship, helping the weakness of their faith, and typifying the mediation of Jesus Christ, who is the true Temple, to whom we must have an eye in every thing wherein we have to do with God. They that were at a distance, looked toward Jerusalem, for the sake of the temple, even when it was in ruins, Dan. 6. 10. 3. He begs that God would hear the prayers, and forgive the sins, of all that look this way in their prayers: not as if he thought all the devout prayers offered up to God by those who had no knowledge of this house, or regard to it, were therefore rejected; but he desired that the sensible tokens of the divine presence with which this house was blessed, might always give sensible encouragement and comfort to believing petitioners.

3. More particularly, he here puts divers cases in which he supposed application would be made to God by prayer, in or toward this house of prayer.

(1.) If God were appealed to by an oath for the determining of any controverted right between man and man, and the oath were taken before this altar, he prayed that God would, some, way or other, discover the truth, and judge between the contending parties, v. 31, 32. He prays that, in difficult matters, this throne of grace might be a throne of judgment, from which God would right the injured that believingly appealed to it, and punish the injurious that presumptuously appealed to it. It was usual to swear by the temple and altar, Matt. 23. 16, 18. Which corruption perhaps took its rise from this supposition of an oath taken, not by the temple or altar, but at or near them, for the greater solemnity.

(2.) If the people of Israel were groaning under any national calamity, or any particular Israelite under any personal calamity, he desires that the prayers they should make in or toward this house, might be heard and answered.

1.] In case of public judgments; war, (v. 33,) want of rain, (v. 35,) famine or pestilence, (v. 37;) and he ends, with any plague or sickness; for no calamity befalls other people, which may not befall God's Israel. Now he supposes, First, That the cause of the judgment would be sin, and nothing else: if they be smitten before the enemy, if there be no rain, it is because they have sinned against thee: that is it, that makes all the mischief. Secondly, That the consequence of the judgment would be, that they would cry to God, and make supplication to him, in or toward that house. Those that slighted him before, would

40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 Moreover, concerning a stranger that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;

42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm ;) when he shall come and pray toward this house: 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that "this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.

44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:

45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

46 If they sin against thee, (for "there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry

g I Chr. 28. 9. Ps. 11. 4. Jer. 17, 10, Heb. 4. 12. r Ps. 130. 4. 8 Deut. 4. 34. i2 Kings 19. 19. Pa. 67. 2. 102, 15. thy name is called upon this house. the way of the city. I or, right. u Ec. 7. 20. Jam. 3. 2. 1 John 1. 8, 10. solicit him then: Lord, in trouble have they visited thee: In their affliction they will seek me early, and earnestly. Thirdly, That the condition of the removal of the judgment was something more than bare praying for it. He could not, he would not, ask that their prayer might be answered, unless they did also turn from their sin, (v. 35,) and turn again to God, (v. 33;) that is, unless they did truly repent and reform. On no other terms may we look for salvation, in this world or the other. But, if they did thus qualify themselves for mercy, he prays, 1. That God would hear from heaven, his holy temple above, to which they must look, through this temple. 2. That he would forgive their sin; for judgments are then only removed in mercy, when sin is pardoned. 3. That he would teach them the good way wherein they should walk, by his Spirit, with his word and prophets; and thus they might be both profited by their trouble, (for blessed is the man whom God chastens and teaches,) and prepared for deliverance; which then comes in love, when it finds us brought back to the good way of God and duty. 4. That he would then remove the judgment, and redress the grievance, whatever it is; not only accept the prayer, but give in the mercy prayed for.

[2.] In case of personal afflictions, v. 38-40. "If any man of Israel has an errand to thee, here let him find thee, here let him find favour with thee." He does not mention particulars; so numerous, so various, are the grievances of the children of men: First, He supposes that the complainants themselves would very sensibly feel from their own burden, and would open that case to God, which otherwise they kept to themselves, and did not make any man acquainted with. They shall know every man the plague of his own heart, what it is that pains him; and shall spread their hands, that is, spread their case, as Hezekiah spread the letter, in prayer, toward this house; whether the trouble be of body or mind, they shall represent it before God. Inward burdens seem especially meant; sin is the plague of our own heart, our indwelling corruptions are our spiritual diseases; every Israelite indeed endeavours to know these, that he may mortify them, and watch against the risings of them. These he complains of, this is the burden he groans under; O wretched man that I am! These drive him to his knees, drive him to the sanctuary; lamenting these, he spreads forth his hands in prayer. Secondly, He refers all cases of this kind, that should be brought hither, to God. 1. To his omniscience; "Thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men, not only the plagues of their hearts, their several wants and burdens," (these he knows, but he will know them from us,)" but the desire and intent of the heart, the sincerity or hypocrisy of it. Thou knowest which prayer comes from the heart, and which from the lips only." The hearts of kings are not unsearchable to God. 2. To his justice; Give to every man according to his ways; and he will not fail to do so, by the rules of grace, not the law, for then we were all undone. 3. To his mercy Hear, and forgive, and do, (v. 39,) that they may fear thee all their days, v. 40. This use we should make of the mercy of God to us in hearing our prayers, and forgiving our sins, we should thereby be engaged to fear him while we live Fear the Lord and his goodness; there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared.

[3.] The case of the stranger that is not an Israelite, is next mentioned; a proselyte that comes to the temple to pray to the God of Israel, being convinced of the folly and wickedness of VOL. I.-104

47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying," We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their "cause,

50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

51 For they be thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:

52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.

Deut. 28. 36, 64. Dan. 9. 5, &c.

7.6. Pa. 106. 46.

5 bring back to their heart. w Neh. 1. 6, &c. Ps. 106. 6. Jer. 29. 12-14. Hos 14. 1, 2. y ver. 29. or, right. z Ezra a Deut. 9. 29. b Deut. 4. 20. Jer. 11.4.

worshipping the gods of his country. First, He supposes that there would be many such, (v. 41, 42 ;) that the fame of God's great works which he had wrought for Israel, by which he proved himself to be above all gods, nay, to be God alone, would reach to distant countries; they that live remote, shall hear of thy strong hand, and thy stretched-out arm: and this will bring all thinking considerate people to pray toward this house, that they may obtain the favour of a God that is able to do them a real kindness. Secondly, He begs that God would accept and answer the proselyte's prayer; (v. 43,) Do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for. Thus early, thus ancient, were the indications of favour toward the sinners of the Gentiles: as there was then one law for the native and for the stranger, (Ex. 12. 49,) so there was one Gospel for both. Thirdly, Herein, he aims at the glory of God, and the propagating of the knowledge of him. "Olet the stranger, in a special manner, speed well in his address, that he may carry away with him to his own country a good report of the God of Israel; that all people may know thee, and fear thee, (and, if they know thee aright, they will fear thee,) as do thy people Israel." So far is Solomon from monopolizing the knowledge and service of God, and wishing to have them confined to Israel only, (which was the envious desire of the Jews in the days of Christ and his apostles,) that he prays that all people might fear God as Israel did. Would to God, that all the children of men might receive the adoption, and be made God's children. Father, thus glorify thy name.

"When

[4.] The case of an army going forth to battle, is next recommended by Solomon to the divine favour. It is supposed that the army is encamped at a distance, somewhere a great way off, sent by divine order against the enemy, v. 44. they are ready to engage, and consider the perils and doubtful issues of battle, and put up a prayer to God for protection and success, with their суе toward this city and temple, then hear their prayer, encourage their hearts, strengthen their hands, cover their heads, and so maintain their cause, and give them victory." Soldiers in the field must not think it enough that they who tarry at home pray for them, but must pray for themselves, and they are here encouraged to hope for a gracious answer. Praying should always go along with fighting.

[5.] The case of poor captives, is the last that is here mentioned, as a proper object of divine compassion. First, He supposes that Israel would sin. He knew them, and himself, and the nature of man, too well to think this a foreign supposition: for there is no man that sinneth not, that does not enough to justify God in the severest rebukes of his providence; no man but what is in danger of falling into gross sin, and will, if God leave him to himself. Secondly, He supposes what may well be expected, if Israel revolt from God, that God will be angry with them, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, to be carried captive into a strange country, v. 46. Thirdly, He then supposes that they will bethink themselves, will consider their ways; for afflictions put men upon consideration; and when once they are brought to consider, they will repent and pray, will confess their sins, and humble themselves, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, (v. 47 ;) and will return to God in the land of their enemies, whom they had forsaken in their own land. Fourthly, He supposes that in their prayers they will look toward their own land, the holy land, Jerusalem the holy city, and the temple the holy house, and ( 825 )

all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering pin of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart, for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

CHAPTER IX.

In this chapter, we have, I. The answer which God, in a vision, gave to Solomon's

grateful kindnesses between Solomon and Hiram, v. 10-14. 111. His workmen and buildings, v. 15-24. IV. His devotion, v. 25. V. His trading navy, v. 26-28.

A

ND it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house,' and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do.

2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually, 4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have com

d Num. 34. 5, 8. or, thanked. Ps. 106. 4, 5. 122, 6-9. a 2 Chr. 7. 11, &c. 6 c. 7. 1. e 2 Chr. 8.6. d c. 3. 5. e 2 Kings 20. 5. 1 John 5. 14. fc. 8. 29. g Deut. 11. 12. A c. 2. 4. 6. 12. 15.5. i Prov. 10. 9. 28. 18.

down when the solemnity was over; others think, on the bare ground: they that will be generous in serving God, need not stint themselves for want of room and occasion to be so. (2.) He kept a feast, the feast of tabernacles, as it should seem, after the feast of dedication, and both together lasted fourteen days; (v. 65,) yet they said not, Behold, what a weariness is it! 2. They carried this joy and satisfaction with them to their own houses. When they were dismissed, they blessed the king, (v. 66,) applauded him, admired him, and returned him the thanks of the congregation, and then went to their tents, joyful and glad of heart, all easy and pleased; God's goodness was the matter of their joy, so it should be of ours at all times; they rejoiced in God's blessing, both on the royal family and on the kingdom; thus should we go home, rejoicing, from holy ordinances, and go on our way, rejoicing for God's goodness to our Lord Jesus, (of whom David his servant was a type,) in the advancement and establishment of his throne, pursuant to the covenant of redemption, and to all believers, his spiritual Israel, in their sanctification and consolation, pursuant to the covenant of grace; if we rejoice not herein always, it is our own fault.

NOTES TO CHAPTER IX.

V.1-9. God had given a real answer to Solomon's prayer, and tokens of his acceptance of it immediately, by the fire from heaven which consumed the sacrifices, (as we find, 2 Chr. 7. 1;) but here we have a more express and distinct answer to it. Observe,

I. In what way God gave him this answer; he appeared to him, as he had done at Gibeon, in the beginning of his reign, in a dream or vision, v. 2. The comparing of it with that, intimates that it was the very night after he had finished the solemnities of his festival, for so that was, 2 Chr. 1. 6, 7. And then v. 1, speaking of Solomon's finishing all his buildings, which was not till many years after the dedication of the temple, must be read thus, Solomon finished, (as it is 2 Chr. 7. 11;) and v. 2 must be read, and the Lord had appeared.

hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a by-word among all people:

8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why Phath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.

10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD and the king's house,

12 Sam. 7. 14. o Deut. 28. 37. r Jer. 12. 7, 8.

Ps. 89. 30, &c. m Deut. 4. 26. Ps. 44. 14. p Deut. 29. 24, 26. 2 Chr. 8. 1,'&c.

k 1 Chr. 22. 9, 10. Ps. 132. 12. 2 Kings 17. 23. n Jer. 7. 14. Jer. 22. 8, 9. g Zeph. 1.4, 5. he did, in integrity of heart and uprightness," (for that is the main matter, no religion but sincerity,) "then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom, and not otherwise;" for on that condition the promise was made, Ps. 132. 12. If we perform our part of the covenant, God will not fail to perform his; if we improve the grace God has given us, he will confirm us to the end. Let not the children of godly parents expect the entail of the blessing, unless they tread in the steps of those that are gone before them to heaven, and keep up the virtue and piety of their ancestors.

(2.) That the ruin of his kingdom would be the certain consequence of his or his children's apostacy from God; (v. 6,) "But know thou, and let thy family and kingdom know it, and be admonished by it, that if you shall altogether turn from following me," (so it is thought it should be read,) "if you forsake my service, desert mine altar, and go and serve other gods," (for that was the covenant-breaking sin,) "if you or your children break off from me, this house will not save you.' But, [1.] Israel, though a holy nation, will be cut off, (v. 7,) by one judgment after another, till they become a proverb and a by-word, and the most despicable people under the sun, though now the most honourable: this supposes the destruction of the royal family, though it is not particularly threatened; the king is, of course, undone, if the kingdom be. [2.] The temple, though a holy house, which God himself had hallowed for his name, should be abandoned and laid desolate, v. 8, 9. This house which is high; they prided themselves in the stateliness and magnificence of the structure, but let them know that it is not so high as to be out of the reach of God's judgments, if they vilify it so as to exchange it for groves and idol temples, and yet, at the same time, magnify it so as to think it secures the favour of God to them, though they ever so much corrupt themselves. This house which is high; they that now pass by it are astonished at the bulk and beauty of it; the richness, contrivance, and workmanship, are admired by all spectators, and it is called a stupendous fabric; but if you forsake God, its height will make its fall the more amazing, and they that pass by will be as much astonished at its ruins, while the guilty, self-convicted, self-condemned, Israelites, will be forced to acknowledge, with shame, that they themselves were the ruin of it; for when it shall be asked, Why hath the Lord done thus to this house? they cannot but answer, It was because they forsook the Lord their God. See Deut. 29. 24, 25. Their sin will be read in their punishment, they deserted the temple, and therefore God deserted it; they profaned it with their sins, and laid it common, and therefore God profaned it with his judgments, and laid it waste: God gave Solomon fair warning of this, now that he had newly built and dedicated it, that he and his people might not be high-minded, but fear.

V. 10-14. What agreement was made between Solomon and Hiram, when the building work was to be begun, we read before, ch. 5. Here we have an account of their fair and friendly parting, when the work was done.

1. Hiram made good his bargain to the utmost; he had furnished Solomon with materials for his buildings, according to all his desire, (v. 11,) and with gold, v. 14. So far was he from envying Solomon's growing greatness and reputation, and being jealous of him, that he helped to magnify him; Solomon's power, with Solomon's wisdom, needs not to dreaded by any of his neighbours; God honours him, therefore Hiram will,