2 Chronicles 4:19

(c) CATALOGUE OF OBJECTS IN GOLD—CONCLUSION

(2Ch_4:19 -2Ch_5:1). 1Ki_7:48-50.

The narrative still coincides in the main with that of Kings, allowing for one or two remarkable alterations.

(19) For the house.—In the houses (without proposition, comp. 2Ch_4:11).

The golden altar also.—Literally, both the golden altar and the tables, and upon them the Presence bread. So LXX. and Vulg. The parallel passage, 1Ki_7:48, says, and the table on which (was) the Presence bread (in) gold. (See Note on 2Ch_4:8, supr., and 1Ch_28:16.) On the one hand, the chronicler in these three passages consistently speaks of tables, although the book of Kings mentions one table only; and, on the other hand, elsewhere he actually speaks himself of “the Pure Table,” and “the Table of the Pile,” as if there were only one such table (2Ch_13:11; 2Ch_29:18).

The difficulty cannot be solved with certainty; but it seems likely that, finding mention of a number of tables in one of his sources, the chronicler has grouped them all together with the Table of Shewbread. thus gaining brevity at the cost of accuracy. In Eze_40:39 eight tables of hewn stone are mentioned, whereon they slew the sacrificial victims.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The golden furniture of the holy place and the gilded doors of the temple. This section is found also in Kg1 7:40-50. The enumeration of the things wrought in brass coincides to a word, with the exception of trifling linguistic differences and some defects in the text, with Kg1 7:40-47. In Ch2 4:12 והכּתרות הגּלּות is the true reading, and we should so read in Kg1 7:41 also, since the גּלּות, circumvolutions, are to be distinguished from the כּתרות, crowns; see on Ch2 3:16. In Ch2 4:14 the first עשׂה is a mistake for עשׂר, the second for עשׂרה, Kg1 7:43; for the verb עשׂה is not required nor expected, as the accusative depends upon לעשׂות, Ch2 4:11, while the number cannot be omitted, since it is always given with the other things. In Ch2 4:16 מזלנות is an orthographic error for מזרקות; cf. Ch2 4:11 and Kg1 7:44. ואת־כּל־כּליחם is surprising, for there is no meaning in speaking of the utensils of the utensils enumerated in Ch2 4:12-16. According to Kg1 7:45, we should read האלּה כּל־הכּלים את. As to אביו, see on Ch2 2:12. מרוּק נחשׁת is accusative of the material, of polished brass; and so also ממרט נח, Kg1 7:45, with a similar signification. In reference to the rest, see the commentary on Kg1 7:40.

Ch2 4:19-21

In the enumeration of the golden furniture of the holy place, our text diverges somewhat more from Kg1 7:48-50. On the difference in respect to the tables of the shew-bread, see on Kg1 7:48. In Ch2 4:20 the number and position of the candlesticks in the holy place are not stated as they are in Kg1 7:49, both having been already given in Ch2 4:7. Instead of that, their use is emphasized: to light them, according to the right, before the most holy place (כּמּשׁפּט as in Ch2 4:7). As to the decorations and subordinate utensils of the candlesticks, see on Kg1 7:49. To זהב, Ch2 4:21 (accus. of the material), is added זהב מכלות הוּא, "that is perfect gold." מכלה, which occurs only here, is synonymous with מכלל, perfection. This addition seems superfluous, because before and afterwards it is remarked of these vessels that they were of precious gold (סגוּר זהב), and it is consequently omitted by the lxx, perhaps also because מכלות was not intelligible to them. The words, probably, are meant to indicate that even the decorations and the subordinate utensils of the candlesticks (lamps, snuffers, etc.) were of solid gold, and not merely gilded.

Ch2 4:22

מזמּרות, knives, probably used along with the snuffers for the cleansing and trimming of the candlesticks and lamps, are not met with among the utensils of the tabernacle, but are here mentioned (Chr. and Kings), and in Kg2 12:14 and Jer 52:18, among the temple utensils. Along with the מזרקות, sacrificial vessels (see on Ch2 4:8), in Ch1 28:17 מזלנות, forks of gold, are also mentioned, which are not elsewhere spoken of. Among the utensils of the tabernacle we find only מזלגות of brass, flesh-forks, as an appurtenance of the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:3; Exo 38:3; Num 4:14; cf. Sa1 2:13.), which, however, cannot be intended here, because all the utensils here enumerated belonged to the holy place. What purpose the golden forks served cannot be determined, but the mention of golden knives might lead us to presuppose that there would be golden forks as well. That the forks are not mentioned in our verse does not render their existence doubtful, for the enumeration is not complete: e.g., the ספּות, Kg1 7:50, are also omitted. כּפּות, vessels for the incense, and מחתּות, extinguishers, as in Kg1 7:50. Instead of דּלתותיו הבּית וּפּתח הבּית , "and as regards the opening (door) of the house, its door-leaves," in Kg1 7:50 we have הבּית לדלתות והפּתת, "and the hinges of the door-leaves of the house." This suggests that פתח is only an orthographical error for פּתת; but then if we take it to be so, we must alter דּלתותיו into לדלתותיו. And, moreover, the expression הבּית פּתת, door-hinges of the house, is strange, as פּות properly denotes a recess or space between, and which renders the above-mentioned conjecture improbable. The author of the Chronicle seems rather himself to have generalized the expression, and emphasizes merely the fact that even the leaves of the doors in the most holy place and on the holy place were of gold; - of course not of solid gold; but they were, as we learn from Ch2 3:7, overlaid with gold. This interpretation is favoured by the simple זהב being used without the predicate סגוּר. To the sing. פּתח no objection can be made, for the word in its fundamental signification, "opening," may easily be taken collectively.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

4:19 The Bread of the Presence symbolized God’s provision for his people. It was placed before God on the tables (4:8) as a type of offering, demonstrating that it belonged to God and that Israel’s provision came from God’s “table.” Some of the bread was eaten by the priests (Lev 24:5-9), and the rest was burned; this meal symbolized the covenant meal of fellowship between God and his people (see Exod 24:9-11).

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

In Hebrew, the bread of the faces, because they were set before the Ark, where the Lord showed his presence.

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

19–5:1 (= 1Ki_7:48-51). The Vessels of Gold. The Completion of the Work

19. that were for the house] R.V. that were in the house.

the tables whereon the shewbread was set] R.V. the tables whereon was the shewbread. In 1Ki_7:48 (parallel passage), the table (sing.); a reading probably to be accepted here also; cp. note on 2Ch_4:8.

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.

The tables - A single table only is mentioned in 1Ki 7:48; 2Ch 29:18. It is supposed that Solomon made ten similar tables, any one of which might be used for the showbread; but that the bread was never placed on more than one table at a time.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Which were of gold; and so are distinguished from those ten tables mentioned 2Ch 4:8, which seems to have been made of silver. Compare 1Ch 28:16.

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

shewbread

(See Scofield "Exo 25:30").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Solomon made

The readers should understand that Solomon probably commanded other people to do the actual work. AT: "Solomon's workers made" (See: Metonymy)

all the furnishings

This refers to all of the bowls and tools that were used in the house of God.

the tables on which the bread of the presence was to be placed

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the tables on which the priests were to place the bread of the presence" (See: Active or Passive)

the bread of the presence

This is a reference to the 12 loaves of bread that were placed in front of the altar. See how you translated this in 2 Chronicles 2:4.

that were designed to burn before the inner room

This can be stated in active form. AT: "to burn before the inner room" or "in which the priests put oil to burn in front of the inner room" (See: Active or Passive)

the inner room

This is another name for "the holy of holies" or "the very holy place."

the flowers, the lamps

The "flowers" and "lamps" were part of the lampstands.

the tongs

This is a tool made from two sticks of wood or metal connected at one end and used for picking up objects.

translationWords

gold

altar

bread

lampstand

lamp

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