1 Kings 6:19

1Ki 6:19 And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

Ver. 19. To set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.] This was a most precious piece. The Palladium at Troy, the Pessinuntium at Rome, the Image at Ephesus, made by Canetias, an ancient craftsman, and said by the covetous priests to have fallen down from Jupiter, {Act 19:35} are not worthy to be named in the same day with this ark of the covenant; the principle evidence of God’s gracious presence, and, besides, a very lively type of Christ, and therefore kept in the innermost part of God’s house.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 6:19-20. And the oracle — Or, rather, the most holy place. He prepared — That is, he adorned and fitted it for the reception of the ark. Solomon made every thing new but the ark: that, with its mercy-seat, was still the same that Moses made. This was the token of God’s presence, which is with his people, whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with their condition. And the oracle in the forepart — That is, in the innermost part, before mentioned, which is called the forepart, because it was before him that entered into the house. And he overlaid it with pure gold — Not merely gilded it, but covered it with plates of gold. For the gold amounted to six hundred talents, as is said 2Ch 3:8. And so covered the altar — That is, the altar of incense, with gold, chap. 1Ki 7:48; 1Ch 28:18.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the oracle Heb. an oracle. Heb. rybiD probably from rbD speak. Sc Jerome, oraculum; and Aquila and Symm. crhmatisthrion. Gesenius, Bahr, al., however, interpret the word to mean the hinder part, adytum he prepared in the house within lit. in the midst of the house within, i.e., between the Holy Place and the end structure to set there the principal purpose which the oracle served. Teti = tTe with repeated syllable. Cf. 1Ki_17:14, Ken the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.

This temple of Solomon, so "exceeding magnifical," this "holy and beautiful house," "of fame and glory throughout all lands why was it built? what its primary purpose? It was above everything else a home for the ark, (1Ki_8:1, 1Ki_8:6) a place for the Divine Glory which hovered over it.

In this temple, unlike the shrines of Paganism, there was no statue, no similitude of God. Here was no "image which fell down from Jupiter," no Baal or Asherah, no Apis or Osiris. We may imagine how this would impress the Phoenician workmen. We know how it impressed Pompeius and the Romans. There is deep significance in those words of the Roman historian: Inania arcana, vacua sedes. Nothing but the ark. And this ark, what was it? It was a coffer, a chest. It was nothing in itself; but it was meant to contain something. It was the casket of a rare jewel. "There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone, etc.. (1Ki_8:9) It was the "ark of the testimony. So that the temple was properly and primarily the shrine and depository of the tables of the law graven with the "ten words," "the words of the covenant". (Deu_4:13)

Now we have just seen that the temple was the archetype of the Church: we have seen, too, that everything in Judaism has its analogue in Christianity. What, then, let us ask, was the significance of the ark? To what does it correspond in the new dispensation?

In the Church, to nothing. The "words of the covenant" are no longer kept in the dark. No; we now inscribe them on our chancel walls. In the "sanctuary" of the Gothic church the ten commandments are "writ large*" for men to see.

But if Judaism was really the outline of Christianity, then there must be something in Christianity answering to that ark which was the core and centre of the Mosaic system. Certainly. But it is to be found, not in "temples made with hands," but in those other "temples" of the Christian faith, the bodies of believers, the temples of the Holy Ghost. (1Co_3:16 1Co_6:19) The ark was the soul of Judaism. It may fittingly represent the souls which Christ has redeemed. Temple, ark, tables of the law these severally correspond to the "body, soul, spirit" of the Christian man. Within the temple was the ark; within the ark the tables. Within the swma is the yuch; within the yuch the pneuma. Nor is this so fanciful as it seems. For are not our bodies the "temples of the Holy Ghost"? And are not our heartsi.e. , our inmost being, our spiritual part (1Pe_3:4) the fleshy tables on which He writes His law? Yes, in the "new covenant" God writes His law in the heart, and puts it in the inward parts (see Jer_31:33; cf. Eze_11:19, Eze_11:20; 2Co_3:8) In the face of these scriptures, who can deny that the ark and its tables have their analogues in the New Testament? Such, then, being the symbolism and significance of temple, ark, and tables of law, what are their lessons? Among others these:

1. That God dwells within us. No longer in temples made with hands, but "with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit". (Isa_57:15) Did theShechinch brood over the mercy seat? Not less truly does God"s Spirit (Rom_8:9) and witness (ver. 16) with our spirit. Men say the Shechinah has left the world. On the contrary, It has enshrined Itself in the soul. Christ in you; (Col_1:27) God dwelling in us; (1Jn_4:2) this is the last best gospel of our religion. The Old Testament, Neander says, tells of a God who is for man. In the Gospels we hear of Emmanuel, God with man. But the Epistles speak to us of God in man.

2. That God writes His law upon us. We have seen that in the Church there is neither ark nor tables of stone. It is because there is no need of either. This is the age of that "new covenant" of which the prophet spoke, when the finger of God should write the law upon the spirit, and when the Bath Kol should speak within. The laws of our country are so voluminous that no man can hope to know or to remember them, and their "glorious uncertainty" is proverbial But God"s law is but one (Rom_13:9, Rom_13:10; Heb_8:10 Heb_10:16) and that sweet and blessed statute the Spirit graves within us. Now observe

3. The ark, led by God, conducted Israel to victory, and rest. In the journeyings of Israel the ark went before them. (Num_10:33) At the Jordan it opened a way for them. (Jos_3:14-17) Before Jericho it led them on to victory. (Jos_6:9-11) Even so the soul, guided and taught of God, passes safely through its pilgrimage, conquers its foes, and gains its heavenly rest. Let us yield ourselves to be "led by the Spirit of. (Rom_8:14)

1. The ark, led by man, conducted Israel to disaster and defeat. When the Israelites, instead of following the ark, would lead it, (1Sa_4:3) it landed them in a "very great slaughter." It proved to be no fetish, as they had hoped; it only led them to a shameful death. "It is one thing to want to have truth on our side; another to want to be on the side of truth" (Whately). It is of no avail to have the commandments of God, unless we keep them; to know His will, unless we do it. And if we lean to our own understandings, the soul will make shipwreck. Reason, it is true, is "the candle of the Lord;" but revelation is the lamp to our feet and the light to our path" (Psa_119:105; cf. Pro_3:5, Pro_3:6)

2. The ark, the pride of Israel, on two occasions became its plague. The men of Bethshemesh looked into it, and died. Uzzah put forth his hand to steady it, and was smitten for his error. (2Sa_6:7) So the ark teaches the much needed lesson of reverence reverence for God and the things of God. It also suggests that dishonour done to God, or disregard of His law, has a sure retribution. If we stifle our convictions or quench the Spirit"s light, the law written within may hereafter become the "instrument to scourge us.

3. In the second temple there was no ark. A stone is said to have taken its place. The venerable relic of the wilderness life, the sacred chest, and its still more sacred contents, both perished in the sack of Jerusalem (2Ki_25:9 sqq.) May we not see here a lesson against impenitence? Over how many souls may "Ichabod" be written? The ark of God is taken! The soul is led captive of the devil The heart of flesh, the "fleshy tables" on which the Spirit loves to write, has given place to a heart of stone a heart as cold, as hard, as senseless, as void of all grace and blessing as this stone which stood in the oracle in the room of the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6:19-22 Following the pattern of the Tabernacle, the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid . . . inside with solid gold, was separated from the main room of the Temple by a curtain (2 Chr 3:14) and gold chains. Like the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle, the inner sanctuary was a perfect cube. It housed the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant that symbolized God’s presence. The place of atonement was atop the Ark (Exod 25:17); the high priest annually made propitiation for the Israelites by sprinkling the sacrificial blood of the atonement on it (Lev 16:1-19). • The altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place stood in the main room. The priests burned incense there daily (Exod 30:34-38; 37:25-29). The altar was made of cedar and covered with gold. • Like the inner sanctuary, the main room was also completely overlaid with gold, which reminded the priests that Almighty God was present. The main room also housed ten golden lampstands, ten tables (2 Chr 4:7-8), and other furnishings (1 Kgs 7:48-50).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, in the most inward place of the house.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 19. The oracle he prepared] See the description of the temple at the end of this chapter. 1Kg 6:38.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. And the oracle, &c.] Read, ‘And he prepared an oracle.’

to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord] Which was at present in the city of David. See 1Ki_3:15 note.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the oracle in the forepart,.... Which stood in the forepart of the temple, before a man's face as he entered into it, and went on; or the forepart of the holy of holies, next to the holy place, was of the dimensions as follows, when the back part of it might be higher at least, and be equal to the holy place, even thirty feet; the forepart being lower, and left open to let in the light of the candlesticks, and the smoke of the incense, out of the holy place: this

was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and was a perfect square, and as the most holy place may be an emblem of the church triumphant, it may denote the perfection of its heavenly state; so the new Jerusalem is a foursquare, Rev 21:16;

and he overlaid it with pure gold; make it rich, glorious, and magnificent, and may denote the glory of the heavenly state, Rev 21:21; and so Florus (z), the Roman historian, calls it the golden heaven, as it were, into which Pompey went, and saw the great secret of the Jewish nation, the ark:

and so covered the altar which was of cedar; the altar of incense, which is here mentioned, because it was near the most holy place, Kg1 6:22; this altar by Moses was made of shittim wood, but Solomon's was of cedar it seems; unless, as the words will bear to be rendered, "he covered the altar with cedar" (a); though made of shittim wood, it had a covering of cedar over it; or if of stone, such a covering was on it, that it might better receive the gold which was afterwards put upon it.

(z) De Gest. Roman. l. 3. c. 5. (a) "operuit cedro", Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He prepared, i.e. adorned and fitted it for the receipt of the ark.

In the house, Heb. in the middle of the house, or building; not the middle mathematically or exactly, but in general within the house, as that phrase, in the middle, oft signifies; as Deu 4:11; Jos 7:21; Dan 3:26.

Within, or, in the uttermost part of the house; for so this was, the entrance into the house being at the other end.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Prepared - That is, adorned and fitted it for the receipt of the ark. Solomon made every thing new, but the ark. That with its mercy seat was still the same that Moses made. This was the token of God's presence, which is with his people, whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with their condition.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Solomon prepared ... Solomon overlaid

Solomon would have commanded his workers to do this work. AT: "They prepared ... They overlaid" (See: Metonymy)

twenty cubits

"9.2 meters"

covered the altar with cedar wood

This altar would be used for burning incense.

translationWords

ark of the covenant

pure

gold

altar

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the Holy of Holies within the Beis Hamikdosh. The “Amoh Traksin” partition.

To place. [It has the same meaning] as לתת.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.