The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 150

fo.lle nbout the time of the eo.rly ro.ins-o.nd he.ve been uncovered, bnt this is very im- equinox (Bottcher)], which 1s the seventh probable. Why, we may e.ek, were cover- month. [This is added beco.uee the month ings provided, o.nd their use prescribed wo.s subsequently known e.s Tisri (see on (Num. iv. 5-15), if they were to be arbi- eh. vi. 1), or to show tho.t "the fenst" wns trarily dispensed with? He o.lso adds that the feo.st of taberno.oles.] Levites were not a.llowed to enter the most Ver. 3.-And all the elders oflsrael came holy plo.ce. But neither, it may be added, [Not o. mere repetition. The men who were wo.s this la.wfnl for the priests. Levites and summoned to Jeruso.Iem (ver. 1) were e.ll priests might enter that day, because the present, of their own e.ccord, to witness the house was not then dedicated. The clond removal] , and the priests took up the ark. (ver. 10) claimed it for God. [In the pare.lie! e.cconnt in 2 Chron. v. 4, Ver. 4.-And they brought up the ark of we read thnt "the Levites took up the ark." the Lord [which had now been for nearly But there is no contra.diction, o.s he.a been 40 years " in the te.bernacle that David had too readily supposed. For ver. 7 of the pitched for it " on the Mount Zion (2 Sa.m. Chronicles," the priests brought in the n.rk," vi. 17)] , and the tabernacle of the congre- &c., confirms the statement of the text. gation [Heb. " the taberno.cle of meeting" And the explo.nation is suggested in ver. 5 (Exod. :uix. 42, 46. See Diet. Bib. ii. p. of the same chapter, " These did the priests, 1414; Bii.hr, Symbolik, i. 80, 81). This had the Levites (so the Heb.) bring up." So.me been for many years at Gibeon. (Cf. eh. iii. expression in Josh. iii. 3. All the priests 4 ; 2 Chron. i. 3 ; 1 Chron. xvi. 39. See were Levites-Keil translates, " the Leviti- note on eh. iii. 4.) The tabemo.cle of Mount cal priests "-and this somewho.t singule.r Zion is never called " the taberno.cle of the expression is no doubt used to remind us congrega.tion"-indeed, it is expressly dis- that such wa.s the ce.se. Nor need it cause tinguished from it, 2 Chron. i. 3, 4. The us any surprise to find the priests employed ark and the tabernacle were now reunited in this service. It is true that the ark wns in the temple of Solomwi,.. thus " mo.rk- given into the charge of the Kohe.thite ing the identity and continuity of the life Levites (Num. iii. 30, 31) ; o.nd it we.a their and rituo.l of the Hebrew Chnrch" (Words- duty to ben.r it (ib. iv. 15 ; vii. 9 ; x. 21 ; worth)] , and all the holy vessels that were of. 1 Chron. xv. 2, 11, 12). But the reo.l In the tabernacle [Perhaps the brazen o.lto.r. ea.re and supervision of the ark always Certainly the o.lto.r of incense, the table of belonged to the sons of Aaron. It we.a shewbreo.d, the candlestick, and o.lso the their office, e.g., to put on or take o:ti the brazen serpent (Sto.nley)], even those did covering of the ark and of the vessels, which the priests and Levites briilg up. [We are the Levites were forbidden directly to touch hardly justified in saying (as Keil, al.) that (Num. iv. 5-15). It was quite in accord- the Levites carried all bnt the o.rk. The ance with the spirit of these provisions that text rather fo.voUIB the view tho.t the priests Solomon now entrusted the ce.rrie.ge of the assisted in bringing np the taberne.cle o.nd ark to the superior order. But more tho.n its furniture. So 2 Chron. v. 6. Neither tho.t, Solomon wo.s not without precedent to the taberno.ole nor its vessels were designed justify his choice. Indeed, we may see in for further use in the temple ; the le.tter his selection of the priests a minute mark ho.d been replaced by vessels better suited of truth, amounting almost to an nude- to the enlarged sanctuary-they were simply signed coincidence. For we find that on preserved, so far as we know, as relics of the occrisions of extro.ordino.ry solemnity - at past, in the treasury or side-chambers. the crossing of the Jordan, e.g. (Josh. iii. Ver. 6.-And king Solomon, and all the 6, 16, 17), and at the siege of Jericbo (Josh. congregation cflsrael, that were assembled vi. 6), the priests had borne the ark (cf. unto him were with him, before the ark 1 Sam. iv. 4 ; 1 Chron. xv. 11, 12). It [Prayers and so.orifices o.li.ke were offered wa.s no doubt these fo.milie.r precedents toward the mercy seat (Psa. xxviii. 2 ; cf. guided Solomon, or the ecclesiastical au- Exod. xxv. 22)] , sacrtllcing sheep and oxen thorities, in their selection of the priests on [apparently the nrk rested tn route (cf. this occasion. A " settled place," a " house 2 Sa.m. vi 13) whilst the sacrifices were of cedars" (2 Sam. vii. 7), "having now been offered. The object of the sacrifice was to found for the ark" to abide iu, after it had testify the grateful joy of the people at the " dwelt in curtains" for 500 years, it was proximate realization of their hopes. There ta.king its last journey, and in order to may lmve been also in the background the mo.rk this journey as exceptiono.1, in order idea of averting the Divine anger, of ma.king to show both the ark and the house the o. propitintion for possible errors and imper- groatcr reverence, it was determined that it fections in their service. Th~e were trage- should be borne for the last time by the dies connected with the removal of the o.rk priest~. KeU suggests that the ark may in time past (1 Sam. iv. 17; vi.19 ; 2 Sam.  THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [oH. vm.1-68.