David Guzik Commentary on the Bible

2 Chronicles 5
Verses 1-14
The Ark is brought to the Temple
A. The finished temple.
1. (1) Completion of the work.
So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the LORD was finished; and
Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the
gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
a. All the work that Solomon had done for the house of theLORD was
finished: This was the great achievement of Solomons life. He began this
ambitious project shortly after he came to the throne, and now it was finished,
certainly much to his satisfaction.
b. Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: This
reminds us of just how much David did for the temple. He even designed, made,
and dedicated some the furnishings of the temple.
2. (2-5) The furniture of the temple is brought in before the assembled nation.
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief
fathers of the children of Israel, in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the
covenant of the LORD up from the City of David, which isZion. Therefore all the men of
Israel assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. So all the
elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark. Then they brought up the ark, the
tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The
priests and the Levites brought them up.
a. Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes:
The official installation of the ark of the covenant into the temple was an extremely
important occasion. Solomon wanted representatives of the entire kingdom to
have a part in this memorable event.

b. The priests and the Levites brought them up: This properly respected the
pattern designated by the Mosaic Law. Solomon wanted representatives of the
entire kingdom to witness the event, but not at the expense of disobedience to
Gods command.
3. (6-10) The ark comes into the Most Holy Place of the temple.
Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him
before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered
for multitude. Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its
place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of
the cherubim. For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the
cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. And the poles extended so that the ends
of the poles of the ark could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary;
but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. Nothing was in
the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a
covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt.
a. Sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for
multitude: Solomon went over-the-top in his effort to honor and praise God on this
great day.
b. Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD: The
temple wasnt open until the ark of the covenant was set in the most holy place.
The ark was the most important item in the temple.
c. Under the wings of the cherubim: The interior of the temple was richly
decorated with the designs of cherubim, which surround the throne of God in
heaven. This design of the temple was after the pattern of the tabernacle, which
had woven designs of cherubim on the inner covering.
i. The statement that they are still there today must have been quoted by Ezra
from his sources (2 Chronicles 9:2), particularly from 1 Kings (8:8), out of those
portions that were written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. The
ark had been gone for over a century by Ezras day. (Payne)
d. Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at
Horeb: At an earlier point in Israels history there were three items in the ark of the

covenant. Earlier, inside the ark were the golden pot that had the manna (Exodus
16:33), Aarons rod that budded (Numbers 17:6-11), and the tablets of the
covenant (Exodus 25:16). We dont know what happened to the golden pot of
manna and Aarons rod, but they were not in the ark when Solomon set it in the
most holy place.
e. When the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they
came out of Egypt: The reminder of the deliverance from Egypt is significant,
because there is a sense in which this - some 500 years after the Exodus - is the
culmination of the deliverance from Egypt. Out of Egypt and into the wilderness
Israel, out of necessity, lived in tents - and the dwelling of God was a tent. Now
since Solomon built the temple, the dwelling of God among Israel was a building, a
place of permanence and security.
B. The glory of God fills the temple.
1. (11-12) The praise of the Levites at the installation of the ark of the covenant.
And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests
who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the
Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their
sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having
cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests
sounding with trumpets;
a. For all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without
keeping to their divisions: Normally the priests and Levites worked at the temple
according to a strict schedule. Yet on this day, all the priests and Levites were on
duty before the LORD.
b. And the Levites who were the singers: It was right that on this day praise be
focused to the LORD, and not to Solomon or David. In reality, this was the LORDs
house, not Davids or Solomons.
2. (13-14) The cloud of Gods glory fills the temple.
Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one
sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their
voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised

the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the
house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue
ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
a. That the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud: This was
the cloud of glory, seen often in the Old and New Testaments, sometimes called
the cloud of Shekinah glory. It is hard to define the glory of God; we could call it
the radiant outshining of His character and presence. Here it is manifested in a
cloud.
This is the cloud that stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22).
This is the cloud of glory that God spoke to Israel from (Exodus 16:10).
This is the cloud from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus
19:9, 24:15-18, Numbers 11:25, 12:5, 16:42).
This is the cloud that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10).
This is the cloud from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place
inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2).
This is the cloud of Ezekiels vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness
of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4).
This is the cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus
by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).
This is the cloud present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35).
This is the cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension
(Acts 1:9).
This is the cloud that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in
triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27, Revelation 1:7).
i. It is worthy of note that this great outpouring of the glory of God came in the
context of intense and dedicated praise. God pours out His glory when His
people praise Him. We can never expect to have God in this house, or in our

own houses, or in our own hearts, until we begin to praise him. Unless as a
people we unanimously, with one heart, though with many tongues, extol the
King of kings, farewell to the hope that he will give us his presence in the
future. (Spurgeon)
ii. There is an order in this work which we do well to consider. Work performed
according to the divine order, offered in sacrifice and praise, is acceptable to
God. Such work He receives by possessing it with His own presence and glory.
(Morgan)
b. So that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud:
The extreme presence of the glory of God made normal service impossible. The
sense of the presence of God was so intense that the priests felt it was impossible
to continue in the building.
i. As soon as the temple is opened for business, all the carefully planned
ceremonies and services have to be suspended because God takes over the
entire building for himself. The temple is to be for Gods glory, not for that of
human beings. (Selman)
ii. Jesus Himself was greater than the cloud that filled the temple and
when He came it was fitting for the priests temple service to stop. This showed
that the Levitical ministry should cease when the Lord Christ came. (Trapp)
iii. The glory of God had filled the house, and the priests were set aside. Where
God is, man is forgotten. You will think little of the minister save for his works
sake you will talk the less of the man when you shall see the Master.
(Spurgeon)