1 Kings 8:12

And then spake Solomon,.... Perceiving by this symbol that the Lord was come into his house, to take up his dwelling in it, and seeing the priests and people in consternation at it, spake the

Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. Then spake Solomon.

Perceiving both priests and people struck with horror and wonder at this darkness, he minds them that this was no sign of God’ s dislike or disfavour, as some of them might possibly imagine; but a token of his approbation, and grace, and special presence among them. The Lord said; not in express words, but by plain consequence, because he hath declared, both by his words and actions, that he would manifest his presence with and dwelling among his people by a dark cloud, in which he would appear. See ,22 24:16 40:35 5:22 97:2.

1 Kings 8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.Ver. 12. The Lord hath said that he would dwell.] He hath said it, and he hath often done it, for man’ s sake, who can far less look upon God in his excellency, than he can upon the sun in rota, in the circle wherein it runneth. These words therefore Solomon uttereth in the rapture of his joy for that glorious sight of God which he beheld from the brazen scaffold that was built for him in the outward court.

(12) The Lord said . . .—The words of Solomon, though—as is natural in a moment of mingled awe and thankfulness—somewhat broken and abrupt, are clear enough in their general meaning and connection. He refers to the frequent declarations made in old time that the cloud is the symbol of God’s indwelling presence (such as Exodus 19:9, and Leviticus 16:2); he recognises in the appearance of the cloud the sign that the Divine presence is granted to the Temple; and accordingly he exults in the proof that his foreordained work is accomplished by the building of a house, a “settled habitation” for the Lord. The description of the cloud as “thick darkness,” in no way contradicts the idea of the glory shining through it; for human eyes are easily “darkened by excess of light.” This mingled light and darkness symbolises—perhaps more strikingly than even the literal darkness of the Most Holy Place—the mystery which veils the presence of God, known to be, and to be infinitely glorious, but in its nature incomprehensible.Thenius, from a single Chaldee version, suggests for “thick darkness” the correction “Jerusalem;” dwelling on the closer harmony of the reading with 1 Kings 8:16, quoting the promise of Psa 132:13-14 (closely connected there with the great promise of David), and urging the likelihood of the citation of this promise by Solomon, and the greater simplicity thus given to his whole utterance. The suggestion is ingenious; but it lacks authority, both external and internal. The LXX., in the Alexandrine MS. (for the Vatican MS. omits the whole), and the Vulg. agree with the Hebrew text; and Josephus, though he gives a verbose paraphrase of the prayer, evidently had our reading before him, for he contrasts the mystery and ubiquity of the Divine presence with the material shrine. Nor is it easy to conceive how from a passage so simple and prosaic, as this would be with the reading “Jerusalem,” the more difficult, but far more striking, reading of the present text could have arisen.

Verse 12. The Lord said - he would dwell] It was under the appearance of a cloud that God showed himself present with Israel in the wilderness; see Exodus 14:19-20. And at the dedication of the tabernacle in the wilderness, God manifested himself in the same way that he did here at the dedication of the temple; see Exodus 40:34-35.

12–21. Solomon’s opening blessing (2 Chronicles 6:1-11) 12. The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness] Better, as in 2 Chronicles 6:1, ‘The Lord hath said, &c.’ The king’s words are called forth by what he sees: the house enveloped in a thick cloud such that none could remain within nor enter. The allusion is to Leviticus 16:3, where God says ‘I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.’ Cf. Psalms 97:2, ‘Clouds and darkness are round about Him.’ So too God speaks of coming to Moses ‘in a thick cloud,’ Exodus 19:9; Exodus 20:21.

Rather, “The Lord spake of dwelling in the thick darkness” (margin reference).

12. The Lord said — A reference to such Scriptures as Exodus 19:9; Exodus 20:21; Leviticus 6:2; Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:22.