4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord . 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 e e oxen and 120,000 e e sheep . Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God . 6 The priests stood at their posts , and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the Lord , which King David had made for giving praise to the Lord -"for His lovingkindness is everlasting "-whenever he gave praise by their means , while the priests on the other side blew trumpets ; and all Israel was standing . 7 Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord , for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering , the grain offering and the fat . 8 So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days , and all Israel with him, a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt . 9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly , for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days and the feast seven days . 10 Then on the twenty-third e day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents , rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the Lord had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel .
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's palace , and successfully completed all that he had planned e e on doing in the house of the Lord and in his palace .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 7:4-11
Chapter Contents
God's answer to Solomon's prayer.
God gave a gracious answer to Solomon's prayer. The mercies of God to sinners are made known in a manner well suited to impress all who receive them, with his majesty and holiness. The people worshipped and praised God. When he manifests himself as a consuming Fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their Light. Nay, they had reason to say, that God was good in this. It is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we should be very thankful. And whoever beholds with true faith, the Saviour agonizing and dying for man's sin, will, by that view, find his godly sorrow enlarged, his hatred of sin increased, his soul made more watchful, and his life more holy. Solomon prosperously effected all he designed, for adorning both God's house and his own. Those who begin with the service of God, are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. It was Solomon's praise, that what he undertook, he went through with; it was by the grace of God that he prospered in it. Let us then stand in awe, and sin not. Let us fear the Lord's displeasure, hope in his mercy, and walk in his commandments.