Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 5

Verse 1

Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.

The gold — The remainder of those vast sums mentioned, 1 Chronicles 22:14.

Verse 5

And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

The ark — The ark was a type of Christ, and a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, does in effect bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we claim it by faith and prayer. And this we should be earnest for: the temple itself, if Christ leave it, is a desolate place.

Those … — As many of them as were fit for use, it is probable, were still used. The rest were carefully laid up, as monuments of antiquity.

Verse 9

And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.

To this day — When this history was first written; not when it was reviewed by Ezra: for after the return from Babylon, neither staves nor ark were any more seen.

Verse 11

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:

By course — According to David’s appointment, 1 Chronicles 24:1-31; 1 Chronicles 25:1-22, which was only for the ordinary service, but in extraordinary solemnities, such as this, they all came together.

Verse 14

So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Glory of the Lord — And this beautified it more than all the gold with which it was overlaid, or the precious stones with which it was garnished. Yet even that was no glory, in comparison of the glory of the gospel-dispensation.