1 Kings 8:9

8:1-11 The bringing in the ark, is the end which must crown the work: this was done with great solemnity. The ark was fixed in the place appointed for its rest in the inner part of the house, whence they expected God to speak to them, even in the most holy place. The staves of the ark were drawn out, so as to direct the high priest to the mercy-seat over the ark, when he went in, once a year, to sprinkle the blood there; so that they continued of use, though there was no longer occasion to carry it by them. The glory of God appearing in a cloud may signify, 1. The darkness of that dispensation, in comparison with the light of the gospel, by which, with open face, we behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord. 2. The darkness of our present state, in comparison with the sight of God, which will be the happiness of heaven, where the Divine glory is unveiled.

There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb,.... That is, there were no other writings; or, as Ben Gersom says, no other part of the law, but the decalogue otherwise he observes there were in it Aaron's rod and the pot of manna, according to Hebrews 9:4 though the particle there may be rendered "at", or "with", or "by"; see Gill on Hebrews 9:4 and so they might be not within it, but in some place on the sides of it, see Deuteronomy 31:26 , when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt; about two months after.

1 Kings 8:9 . There was nothing in the ark, &c. — Strictly and properly speaking. But in a looser sense, the pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod were also in or by it, ( Hebrews 9:4 ,) being placed by Moses, as God commanded, ( Numbers 17:10 ,) before the ark of the testimony, in the most holy place.

(9) There was nothing. —The emphasis of this (repeated in 2Chronicles 5:10 ) is remarkable, and seems intended to make it clear that the various things laid up “before the testimony”—the pot of manna ( Exodus 16:33-34 ), the rod of Aaron ( Numbers 17:10 ), the copy of the Law ( Deuteronomy 31:24-26 )—were not in the ark, but (as in the last case is actually stated), at “the side of the ark.” Unless any change afterwards took place—which is highly improbable—this clear statement must determine the interpretation of the well-known passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews ( 1Kings 9:4 ), in which no stress need be laid on the literal accuracy of the word “wherein;” for its purpose is simply a general description of the Temple, its chief parts, and its most sacred furniture. The command to deposit the tables in the ark is recorded in Exodus 25:16 , and the actual deposit of them there in Exodus 40:20 , immediately after the erection of the Tabernacle. There is something singularly impressive in the especial hallowing of the granite tables of the Law of Righteousness, as the most sacred of all the revelations of the Nature of God; thus indissolubly binding together religion and morality, and showing that God is best known to man, not in His omnipotence, or even in His infinite wisdom, which man can only in slight degree imitate, but in His moral nature, as the very Truth and Righteousness, of which all that in man is called true and righteous is but the reflection.

The one main object of all prophetic teaching was to bring out the truth here implied, thus writing the law on the heart and on the mind (Jeremiah 31:33), and rebuking moral evil at least as strongly as religious error and apostasy. The very name of the Messiah for whom they prepared is “Jehovah our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).

There was nothing in the ark {e} save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. (e) For it is likely that the enemy when they had the ark in their hands took away the rod of Aaron and the pot of manna.

9 . There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone ] We read in Hebrews 9:4 that in the ark of the covenant ‘was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded’ as well as the tables of the covenant, and we may be sure that the writer there speaks according to tradition. The Old Testament narrative ( Exodus 16:34 ) says that the pot of manna was laid up ‘before the testimony’ and the same expression is used ( Numbers 17:10 ) concerning Aaron’s rod. This does not define whether they were put inside or on the outside of the ark. But it is most probable that during the time when the ark was moved from place to place they were kept inside it, but as soon as it was placed within the Temple they were removed. For the tables of stone were alone intended to be stored in the ark, being ‘the testimony ( Exodus 25:16 ) which God had given to Israel.’ The other things would still be ‘before the testimony’ if they were placed outside. when the Lord made a covenant] There is no word for ‘covenant’ in the Hebrew, but the verb is the technical term used in this sense, meaning literally ‘to cut’ in allusion to the sacrifices which usually accompanied covenant-making. No doubt by this time the verb alone had come to have the sense of ‘making a covenant.’ So the italics of the A. V. are rather misleading. The same verb without any noun following is found in this sense 1 Samuel 11:2 ; 1 Samuel 20:16 ; 1 Samuel 20:18 and in other places.

The verse is a little expanded but not changed in sense in the LXX. Josephus adds here an account of the other furniture of the Temple, with the position which it occupied, and adds, what no doubt he had seen in his own time, that the brazen altar stood before the shrine, straight opposite the outer door, so that when that was thrown open the altar was visible, and the priestly acts and the completion of the sacrifice could all be seen. This is, in a way, a comment on 1 Kings 8:8 . The people outside could see through all the length of the holy place, but only one coming near to the partition, could, when the door into the most holy was open, notice the extended heads of the staves.

Comparing this statement with Hebrews 9:4 , it would seem that Solomon, now that the sacred chest had reached its final resting-place, and stood in a large chamber surrounded by tables 2 Chronicles 4:8 , removed the pot of manna and the rod from the interior, and set them elsewhere in the holy of holies.

Nothing in the ark; strictly and properly: for in a more large sense, as in is oft taken for by or near , as is confessed, and hath been proved before; so the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were also in it , Hebrews 9:4 , i.e. by it, to wit, in the most holy place, before the ark of the testimony, where God commanded Moses to put them, as it is expressed, Exodus 16:33,34 Num 17:10 , and not strictly in it. But of this more, God assisting, on Hebrews 9:4 .

Verse 9. - There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there [ Exodus 25:16 ; Exodus 40:20 ; Deuteronomy 10:5 . This statement appears to be at variance with Hebrews 9:4 , which mentions "the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded," as in the ark, along with "the tables of the covenant." And it is to be observed that, while our text excludes these relics from the ark ( temp . Solomon), no other scripture save that just cited expressly includes them. In Exodus 16:34 and Numbers 17:25 (Heb. A.V., Numbers 17:10) they are commanded to be laid up "before the testimony," words which no doubt may mean, as they were long interpreted to mean, "before the tables of testimony in the ark" - observe, the words are "before the testimony ," not "before the ark" - but which are now generally thought to import "in front of the ark which con-rained the testimony." We know the book of the law was put "at the side ( מִצַּד ) of the ark" ( Deuteronomy 31:26 ), and hence it is held by some that the golden pot, etc., occupied a similar position. It seems preferable, however, considering the distinct statement of St. Paul, or the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which, to say the least, embodies Jewish tradition, to adhere to the ancient interpretation that the golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod were in the ark.