=1‒11= (= 1 Kings viii. 12‒21). SOLOMON’S BLESSING. ¹Then spake Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. ²But I have built thee an house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in for ever. ³And the king turned his face, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. ⁴And he said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hands fulfilled it, saying, =1, 2.= These somewhat obscure verses come from 1 Kings, the only important variation being, _But I have built_ (Chronicles), for _I have surely built_ (1 Kings). They seem to have been taken originally from some old source of a poetical character, possibly the _Book of Jashar_ (see Burney, _Notes on Hebrew Text of 1 Kings_, pp. 111 f.). =1.= _Then_] i.e. at the moment when Solomon perceived that the cloud had filled the House. _that he would dwell in the thick darkness_] No Divine declaration corresponding verbally with this occurs in the Old Testament, but compare Exodus xx. 21, _Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was_, and Exodus xix. 9, _the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud_. =2.= _But I have built_] The adversative _but_ is awkward, and the text in Kings (see above) is more suitable: Solomon has built a house in which the dark shrine seems a fitting abode for Him who wills to dwell in the “thick darkness.” ⁵Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince¹ over my people Israel: ⁶but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. ¹ Or, _leader_. =5.= _neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel_] The Chronicler regards Saul as rejected rather than chosen; 1 Chronicles x. 13, 14. _that my name might be there_] “Name” is used, as regularly in this connection, to signify the Divine character――God conceived as that which He has revealed Himself to be. ⁷Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁸But the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart: =7.= _in the heart of David_] Compare 1 Chronicles xvii. 1, 2, xxii. 7. ⁹nevertheless thou shall not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. ¹⁰And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.