5.9. Numb: 4: 6: but in part. 7 Either, Firſt, Properly to called : which place was indeed before the Oracle, Bur how then could it be ſaid, that they were not ſeen without, to wit, in the Holy place ? For that they ſhould be ſeen withour, to wir, in the Court. was fo ridicu- Jous a conceit, that it had been abſurd to ſuppoſe it, or to ſay any thing ro prevent it. Nor is it much better what others ſay, that theie ends of the ſtaves did diſcover themſelves thorough the veil, which they rhurſt forward, though they did not pierce thorough it. For neither in that caſe had they been ſeen ; and beſides, there was a Wall as well as a Veil in that place. Orrather, Secondly, In the moſt Holy place, which is oft called by way of eminency, the Holy place, as Exod; 29: 30: and 39: 1; Levit: 6: 3o: and 10: 18: and 16. 2, 16, 17, 20. And the Hebrew words rendred before the Oracle, may be as well rendred, within che Oracle, the Phraſe, al pence, being ſo uſed, Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters, 1. e- in the Waters, or in that confuſed heap of Earth and Water, in which God was now working, that he might bring it into order and uſe ; and Gen. 1- 20. where it-1s well rendred, :» the open Firmament of Heaven, 1. e. of the Air. And thus the whole is molt true, They were ſeen out, to wit, without the Ark, and the Che- rubims which covered all the other parts, but they were not ſeen without the Oracle, to wit, in the Holy place, ſtrialy ſo called. For how could they be ſeen there, when there was both a Wall and a thick Veil between that place and the Oracle ? And theſe Staves were left in this poſture, that the High-Prieſt might hereby
| be certainly guided to that very particular place where he was one day in a year to ſprinkle Bood, and to offer Incenſe before the Ark. which otherwiſe he might miſtake in that dark place, where the Ark was wholly covered with the Wings of the great Cheribims which ſtood between him and the Ark when he entred thither. Some conceive that the Door of the Oracle ſtood always open ( which os very improbable ; ) and that they who were near the Door, might ſee the ends of the Staves. though, by reaſon ofthe darkneſs of the place they could ſee nothing elie there.
'* Exod. * There was nothing in the ark «, fave the two ' 25. 21, tables of ſtone, which * Moſes put there at Horeb, || | Deut 20+ when the LORD made @ covenant with the children
$y of Iſrael, when they came out of the land of [Orwhere » Striftly and properly ; for in a more __ ſenſe, as in is oft : : taken for by or near, as is confeſſed, and hath been proved before ;
ſo the pot of Manns, and Aaron's Red were alſo in it, Heb. 9.4 5. e. by it, to wit, in the moſt Holy place, before the Ark of the Teftimony, where God commanded Moſes to put them, as it is expreſſed, Exod. 16. 33, 34. Numb. 17. 10. and not ſtriftly in it. But of this more, God afliſting, on Hebs 9. 4.
Iv And it came to pals when the prieſts were __
N G S. Chap. Vit F out of the holy place x, that the cloud y * filled the , houſe of the LORD =. Exod.
x Either, Firſt, The moſt Holy place, into which the Prieſts hag ©3935 now entred to carry in the Ark. Or rather, Secondly, The Ho] place, where they might have food rv minifter, if the Cloud had not hindred them, as may. be gathered from the next Verſe. » The uſual token of God's glorious preſence. See Exod. 16. 10, and 24. 15,16 Numb. 9g. 15. % Partly, in teſtimony of his gracious acceptance of this Work, and their Service ; and partly, ro beger an = pag reverence in them, and in all others, when they approach to God. ;
11 v0 that the prieſts could not ſtand to miniſter, becauſe of the cloud & : for the glory of the LOR D had filled the houſe ot the LORD.
a Becauſe the Cloud was either ſo bright that it dazled their eyes: or rather ſo dark, that it ſtruck them with horror aftid as mazment, as is implied in the next Verſe.
12 { Then ſpake Solomon b, The LORD * ſaid c that he would dwell * in the thick darkneſs. -
b Perceiving both Prieſts and People truck with horror and won- * Leyir der at this darkneſs, he minds them, that this was no ſign of God's 16, ,, © diſlike or disfavour, as ſome of them mighr poſlibly imagine ; buta * token ofhis Approbation, and Grace, and ſpecial Preſence among them. c Not in expreſs words, but by plain conſequence, becauſe he hath declared both by his Words and Aftions, that he would manifeſt his prefence with, and dwelling among his People, by a dark Cloud, in which he would appear. See Exod, 13. 21, 22, and 24. 16. and 40+ 35. Numb. 9,15. Deur. 4.11, and 5.22, Pſal. 18, 12. and 97. 2.
12 I have ſurely built thee an houſe to dwell in 4,
a ſettled place for thee to abide in for ever e.
d T perceive by this thick darkneſs, that thou art coming amon us, and therefore make haſte and come, O thou Bleſſed Gueſt, into the dwelling-place which I have built by thy Command, and for thy Service. « Not a Tabernacle, which was made to be car-= ried from place to place z buta durable, and, I hope, perpetual Habiration.
14 And the king turned his face about f, and bleſſed all the congregation of Iſrael g ; { and all the congrega- tion of Iſrael ftood h. )
f From the Temple, rowards which he was looking to obſerve that thick and extraordinary darkneſs, to the Body of the Congree gation. g Or, Bleſſed, ( ro wit, the Lord, which is cafily underſtood trom the following words; in which he only bleſſeth or praiſeth God, but doth nor bleſs the people at all ) with ( ſo the Hebrew eh is oft uſed, as hath been ſhewed before ) al the Congregation, Althougle he might do both, firſt bleſs the Congregation, which poſſibly he mighr do in that ſolemn and appointed Form, N»mb. 6. whicle therefore it was needleſs to repeat here ; and then bleſſed God. And indeed he doth both here below, where theſe ſame words are uſed, Verſe 55, 56, &c. h Partly, in way of Devotion to God, whom they adored : and partly, out of reſpe& tothe King.
I5 And he ſaid, Blefſed be the LOR D God of Ifrael, which ſpake with his mouth unto David my
father, and hath with his hand fulfilled ir 5, ſaying, i Praiſed be God both for his Grate in making ſuch a promiſe, and for his Goodneſs and Truth in fulfilling it. |