(22) If a man sin.--Kings, "whatever a man sin."

And an oath be laid upon him.--And he (i.e., his neighbour or, indefinitely, people) lay an oath upon him. (See Exodus 22:11.)

And the oath come before thine altar.--And he (the offender) enter upon an oath before thine altar. (Comp. Ezekiel 17:13.) But all the versions have, "and he come, and swear before thine altar," a difference which involves merely the prefixing of one letter (w) to the Hebrew word rendered "oath."

Verse 22. - And an oath be laid upon him to make him swear. This verse is explained by Exodus 22:9-11; Leviticus 6:1-5. The case of ordeal by self-purgation of oath is supposed. And the oath come. The Septuagint translates here, "and he come and declare by oath," etc. - a translation which a very slight alteration in the Hebrew, consisting in prefixing a vau to the word for swear, will allow. The Vulgate follows the Septuagint.

6:1-42 Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. - The order of Solomon's prayer is to be observed. First and chiefly, he prays for repentance and forgiveness, which is the chief blessing, and the only solid foundation of other mercies: he then prays for temporal mercies; thereby teaching us what things to mind and desire most in our prayers. This also Christ hath taught us in his perfect pattern and form of prayer, where there is but one prayer for outward, and all the rest are for spiritual blessings. The temple typified the human nature of Christ, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The ark typified his obedience and sufferings, by which repenting sinners have access to a reconciled God, and communion with him. Jehovah has made our nature his resting-place for ever, in the person of Emmanuel, and through him he dwells with, and delights in his church of redeemed sinners. May our hearts become his resting-place; may Christ dwell therein by faith, consecrating them as his temples, and shedding abroad his love therein. May the Father look upon us in and through his Anointed; and may he remember and bless us in all things, according to his mercy to sinners, in and through Christ.See Introduction to Chapter 5