(6) And Solomon went up thither to the "brasen altar.--So Vulg. incorrectly. Rather, And Solomon offered there on the brasen altar; so LXX. and Syriac.

Before the Lord.--The altar stood before the entry of the Lord's dwellingplace (Exodus 40:6). (Comp. Judges 20:23; Judges 20:26.)

Which was at the tabernacle of the congregation.--Which altar belonged to the tent of tryst. In 1Kings 6:22 the golden altar is said in like manner to belong to the Holy of holies, before which it stood. (The Vulg. seems to have read "the brasen altar, before the Lord's tent of meeting"; comp. 2Chronicles 1:3.)

And offered.--He offered (I say). The verb is repeated before its object for clearness' sake.

Verse 6. - A thousand burnt offerings. The first instance of the burnt offering is Genesis 8:20, and thereafter in the same book Genesis 15:9, 17; Genesis 22:2, 7, 13. It was manifestly the chiefest of the eucharistic kind of sacrifices, and for manifest reasons also was preceded by a "sin" offering (Exodus 29:36-38; Leviticus 8:14, etc.). (For full details of the ceremonial, sac Leviticus 1, 6, 7, 8, passim) The extraordinary number of the burnt offerings on this and some similar occasions may well excite our wonder (Numbers 7:3, 17; 1 Kings 8:64; 2 Chronicles 4:1 compared with 2 Chronicles 7:7. See also Herod., 'Hist.,' 7:43). The priests, of course, performed the sacrifices at the command of Solomon.

1:1-17 Solomon's choice of wisdom, His strength and wealth. - SOLOMON began his reign with a pious, public visit to God's altar. Those that pursue present things most eagerly, are likely to be disappointed; while those that refer themselves to the providence of God, if they have not the most, have the most comfort. Those that make this world their end, come short of the other, and are disappointed in this also; but those that make the other world their end, shall not only obtain that, and full satisfaction in it, but shall have as much of this world as is good for them, in their way. Let us then be contented, without those great things which men generally covet, but which commonly prove fatal snares to the soul.And Solomon went up thither,.... To the high place at Gibeon:

to the brasen altar before the lord; where he used to be, and accept the sacrifices of his people, though the ark, the symbol of his presence, was not there:

which was at the tabernacle of the congregation; that is, which altar was there; or rather "who", that is, God, was there, as Osiander, hearing the prayers of his people, and accepting their offerings:

and offered a thousand offerings upon it; by the priests, see 1 Kings 3:4.