The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 58

xii. 7, 8; of. xxii. 2, 9; xx.xi. 54)." And indeed accepted, by God (ver. 5) was not the use of high places for this purpose was strictly lawful and right. It was an igno- not distinctly condemned in the Law. It is rance that God winked at. The historian, true the Hebrews were commanded to have remembering what the worship of the high but one place of sacrifice (Lev. xvii. 9 ; places became, notices this as an imperfec- Deut. xii. 5, 11, 13, 26, 27 ; cf. Jos. xxii, 29), tion of Solomon's early reign, though he and this no doubt was, if not an indirect does not say that such worship was sinful. prohibition, a discouragement of such Ver. 4.-And the king went to Gibeon sanctuaries. It has been held, however, [Josh. ix. 3 ; x. 2; xviii. 25 ; xxi. 17 ; that this command was purely prospective, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Now known as El-Jib, a, and it is certainly remarkable that even commanding eminence (as thena.me implies) when the Israelites were settled in the pro- some six miles north of Jerusalem. Strictly, mised la.nd, and the tabernacle was set up it consists of two heights, on one of which, (Josh. xviii. 1), altars were constantly built it is conjectured, the town stood, while the and sacrifices offered on high places, o.nd other was the high place. Solomon wag sometimes, as in the case of Gideon (J udg. vi. accompanied to Gibeon by " all the congre- 26), and Manoah (ib. xiii.19, 20), by express gation," including the captains, judges, go- Divine command. Later on we find Samuel vernors, &c. (2 Chron. i. 2, 3] to eacri.flce (1 Sam. vii. 9, 10; xi. 15 ; xvi. 5), Saul there [This religious service was designed (xiii. 9; xiv. 35), David (1 Chron. x.xi. 26), to inaugurate his reign (2 Chrou. i. 13), Solomon and Elijah (1 Kings xviii. 30), offer- after the precedent of 1 Sam. xi. 15; cf. 2 ing sacrifices in various places, which they Sam. vi. 2. His object was e.Iso to suppli- could not possibly have done had it seemed cate the Divine blessing on his undertakings. to them that this was condemned before- If his visit served at the same time o.s a hand by the Law. It is highly probable, farewell, or "honourable funeral to the therefore, that though the contemporaries of tabernacle" (Wordsw.) this was an accidentJ ; Joshua took a different view (as Josh. xxii. for that was the great high place [being 15-31 proves), the men of a later age ex- the place of the tabernacle and brazen cused themselves on the ground stated in e.ltar. In 1 Sam. x.xi. 6 we find the taber- the text, that '' there was no house built nacle at Nob, though without the ark (1 unto the name of the Lord." It has been Sam. iv. 2). After the massacre of the priests held by some that " had they not sacrificed it lost the ephod (1 Se.m. xxii. 20 ; xxiii. 6). o.nd burnt incense on high places, they It could hardly remain in a spot stained by could not have sacrificed or burnt incense at so much blood; but how or when it found its all" (Bp. Horsley); but this seems to over- way to Gibeon, we do not know. See 1 Chron. look the fa.et that there was one place pro- xvi. 37, 39; 2 Chron. i. 3-6] : a thousand bumt vided for sacrifices-the door of the taber- offerings [such numbers were not infrequent nacle-and that for some reason or other at festivals. See on eh.viii. 62, and cf. 2 Chrou. they sacrificed elsewhere. And the reason, xxix. 33, 34. Rawlinson reminds us that no doubt, was the one o.seigned by the his- "Xerxes offered 1000 oxen at Troy" (Herod. torio.n. It should be added that this term vii. 43).] did Solomon offer [not, of course, "high place" (i19-¥) came to be used of al! persono.lly, 11s some (Ewnld, e.g.) ho.ve sup- places of worship, not only on heights, but posed. He is so.id to have "offered" them, even those in valleys (2 Kings xvii. 9 ; Jer. because he (together with the congregation, vii. 31 ; xxxii. 35). The Ba.mah sometimes perhaps) provided them. The immense consisted of an altar only, but o.s o. rule, number nlone shows that he co.nnot have there wo.s a shrine or sanctuo.ry erected hard offered in person. The festival probo.bly by (eh. xiii. 32; 2 Kings xvii. 29; xxiii. 19), lo.sted for seven or eight days, but even then the Beth-Bmnah, £or which the word Barnak a thousand victims can hardly have been is sometimes loosely employed (eh. xi. 7; offered whole (n1'l/) unless the altar was xiv. 23 ; 2 Kings xxi. 3)], because there was greatly enlarged, or additional temporary no house built unto the name of the Lord altars were erected. This latter suppositiora until those days. is not negatived by the next words. See Ver. 3.-And Solomon loved the Lord on eh. viii. 63, 64.] upon that altar. [thus keeping the first and greo.t command- Ver. 5.-In Gibeon the Lord appeared, ment, the " Shema Israel" (Dent. vi. 5 ; cf. unto Solomon 1n a dream [cf. Num. xii. 6. xxx. 16 ; Matt. xxii. 37 ; Luke x. 27], walk- A vision is not necessarily implied (as in Ing 1n the statutes of David his father [i.e., Gen. xxviii. 12; of. xv. 12), though he mo.y those which David had kept (verses 6, 14) and have seen some angelic form (angeltts in commanded him to keep (eh. ii. 4)] : only he Dei na111ine ei appamit loquens. Grotius)- sacr1Jlced and b111'D.t incense 1n high ple.ces. of course, only in his dream. Cf. Matt. [These words clearly show that the worship i. 20; ii. 12. Probably " appeared" is the of the high places, e.lthough condoned, e.nd equivaleut of "revealed Himself." Bahr] 52 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [en. m. 1-15.