The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 157

servants, oondem.ning [Heh. to make (i.e., Levit. xxvi. 33; Dent. iv. 27 ; xxviii. 64 sqq.] prove) wicked] the wicked, to bring [Heb. a.gain unto the land which thou gavest give, so.me word as below] hlll way [i.e., unto their fa.there. works, fruits] upon hlll head [cf. Ezek. ix. The third petition concerns the plague of 10; xi. 21; same expression] and Justify. drought. Jnst as rain, in the thirsty and mg [Heh. to make righteous. Cf. i,~awvv in N. T. and justum facere] the righteous sunburnt East, he.a ever been accounted one [cognate words arc used in both cases], to of the best gilts of God (Li,vit. xxvi. 4 ; Deut. give him according to hlll righteousness. xi. 11; Job v. 10, and passim; Psa. hviii, The second special petition contemplates 9; cxlvii. 8; Acts xiv. 17), so was drought the case, which was morally certain to occur, denou11.ced as one of His severest scoargcs of Hebrews taken captive in war and carried (Levit. xxvi. 19; Deut. xi. 17; xxviii. 23, 21, to a foreign land. To be separated from &c.) This petition finds an illustration in the co=onwealth, the rites and the bless- the public supplications which are still ings of Israel, was one of the greatest offered in the EBBt, and by men of all calamities which could befal a. Jew (Deut. creeds, for rain. iv. 27, 28; Levit. xxvi. 33; Pea. cxx.xvii.), Ver. 35.-When heaven 1s shut up, a.nd and as such Solomon gives it a prominent there is no ram, because they have sinned place in his prayer. The connexion, how- agaJnst thee ; 1f they pray toward this place [toward, because the inhabitants of ever, which some have imagined to exist the land everywhere would direct their between this prayer and the preceding, viz., prayers toward the holy oracle in Jerusalem that that referred to internal, this to exter- (Psa. xxviii. 2)], a.nd confess [praise] thy nal dangers, is too artificial to have found name, a.nd t = from their s1n, when [or a place in Solomon's thoughts. because, •:;,] thou a.fllictest them. [LXX. Ver. 33.-When thy people Israel be orav ra11'€lVWf11/!; aiirov!;-Humbling shocld smitten doWll before the enemy [cl. Levit. be the result of affliction.] xxvi 7, 17 ; Dent. :xxviii. 25. There is a Ver. 36.-Then hear thou In heaven [see constant reference to these two chapters on ver. 32], a.nd forgive the sin of thy throughout this prayer, or, if no direct re- servants, a.nd of thy people Israel, that fer~nce to them, there a.re unmistakeable thou teach them [rather, becaw;e thou art reminiscences of them], because they have teaching them, &c. The thought is, " For- siiln.ed against thee, and shall turn aga.ln give, because they have learned the lesson to thee, 2.D.d confess [or praise. Pea. !iv. Thy discipline of drought wa.e meant to 8 Heb.; cvi 47; cxxii. 4] thy name, a.nd teach; " because the chastisement has ful- pray, a.nd make supplication unto thee In filled its purpose] the good way [1 Brun. this house. [The me.rg. towards is a mis- xii. 23-] wherein they should walk, and tak_en a._ttempt at avoiding the difficulty gtve ra.ln upon thy land, which thou hast which lies on the surface of the text viz. given to thY people for a.n Inheritance. that persons in a foreign land cou.id not The fourth petition refers to the va.rious pray in ~he temple. But the king obviously plagues mentioned in the law (Levit. x.xvi.; 1s speo.kmg here, not of those taken captive Deut. xxviii.), as the punishment of apos. but of the nation at large (" thy pcopl~ tasy or infidelity. !.srael ") by i_ts ~epresentatives (cf. Joel ii. n. 17), supplicatmg after its defeat. The Ver. 37.-If there be In the land f&I:line idea of captives does not come in until the [Heh. Famine should there be, &c. The next verse. Under the term house the word is emphatic by position. Famine courts a~~ obviously included (Acts ii. 46; is denounced, Levit. xxvi. 20, 26 ; Deut. Luke xvw. 10). Into the edifice the priests xxviii. 33] , if there be pestilence [Levit. a.lone were admitted. xxvi. 25 ; Jer xiv. 12; xxiv. 10; Amos iv. Ver. 34.-Then hear thou 1n heaven, and 10; Ezek. vi. 12, &c.], blasting [same forgive the sin of thy people Israel, a.nd word Gen. xli. ti; Amos iv. 9; Deut, bring the_m [i.e., the captives of Israel, :r.xviii. 22], mildew [lit. palmess, xXw- those carried off by the enemy. There is por'I~, Deut. z. c.], locust, or 1f there be no thought here of the captivity of the ca.terpwar [It is uucerto.in whether ';,,c:,n nation-that is referred to in vers. 46-50- !it., devourer,_ hEl;l"e rendered II caterpi11~:,'- as the prayers to be offered in the temple 1s not en adJective and an appellation of 11rove. Thjs petition is in exact accordance the locust = devouri119 locust. Deut. xxviii. ,,. ith the promises and threatonings of the lo.w, for the former ofwhioh see Levit. xxvi. _38 (1'1fl~v ~J?,[?Q! " the locust shall 4.0-44 ; Deut. xxx, 1-6 ; for the lu.tter, consume it ") certainly favo\lts thi,ij view.  J.56 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [on. vtu. 1-66.