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英文原文
In this chapter we have God's answer to Solomon's prayer. I. His public answer by fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifices (2Ch 7:1), with which the priests and people were much affected, 2Ch 7:2,3. By that token of God's acceptance they were encouraged to continue the solemnities of the feast for fourteen days, and Solomon was encouraged to pursue all his designs for the honour of God, 2Ch 7:4-11. II. His private answer by word of mouth, in a dream or vision of the night, 2Ch 7:12-22. Most of these things we had before, 1Ki 8:1-9:66
1-11
God's Gracious Answer to Solomon (1004 BC)
神對所羅門的恩典答覆（主前 1004 年）
¹ 所羅門祈禱完了，就有火從天上降下來，燒盡了燔祭和別的祭；耶和華的榮光充滿了殿。 ² 因耶和華的榮光充滿了耶和華的殿，祭司不能進殿。 ³ 那火從天上降下來、耶和華的榮光在殿上的時候，以色列眾人看見，就在鋪石地上俯伏叩拜，敬拜耶和華，稱謝他說：「耶和華本為善，他的慈愛永遠長存。」 ⁴ 王和眾民就在耶和華面前獻祭。 ⁵ 所羅門王獻牛二萬二千、羊十二萬為祭；這樣，王和眾民將神的殿分別為聖。 ⁶ 祭司各供其職；利未人也拿著大衛王所造讚美耶和華的樂器——因他的慈愛永遠長存——就在大衛藉他們的手讚美之時；祭司在他們面前吹號，以色列人都站立。 ⁷ 所羅門將耶和華殿前院當中分別為聖，因為在那裡獻燔祭和和睦祭的脂油；因所羅門所造的銅壇容不下燔祭、素祭和脂油。 ⁸ 那時所羅門和以色列眾人——從哈馬口直到埃及河——一個極大的會眾，一同守節七日。 ⁹ 第八日他們舉行嚴肅會；因為他們奉獻壇的禮用了七日，守節七日。 ¹⁰ 七月二十三日，王遣散百姓各歸本帳棚；他們因耶和華向大衛、所羅門和他民以色列所施的恩惠，心裡喜樂歡暢。 ¹¹ 這樣，所羅門完成了耶和華的殿和王宮；凡他心中所要為耶和華殿和自己宮室所作的，都順利作成了。
此處記載：一、神立即對所羅門的禱告所賜的恩典答覆：「有火從天上降下來，燒盡了祭物」（代下七1）。神正是這樣悅納了摩西（利九24）、基甸（士六21）、大衛（代上二十一26）、以利亞（王上十八38）；一般而言，希伯來語稱悅納燔祭，就是「使它化為灰燼」（詩二十3〔和合本二十篇3節〕）。此處火降下來，不是在宰殺祭物之時，而是在獻上禱告之時。
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這火表明神：（一）自身是榮耀的；因為「我們的神乃是烈火」，甚至在祂的聖所中也是可畏的。這火（大概）從幽暗中迸發出來，更顯可畏，正如在西奈山上（出二十四16、17）。「錫安中的罪人」理當在那景象前戰兢，說：「我們中間誰能與吞滅的火同住？」（賽三十三14）。然而（二）祂對以色列卻滿有恩典；因為這本可公義地燒滅他們的火，竟降在代替他們獻上的祭物上，將其燒盡。神藉此向他們表明：祂悅納了他們的祭物，祂的怒氣已經轉離他們。
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讓我們將此應用於：（一）基督的受苦。耶和華喜悅將祂壓傷、使祂受痛苦時，正是在此表明了祂對人的好意——將我們眾人的罪孽都歸在祂身上。祂的死就是我們的生命；祂被造作成罪和咒詛，使我們得以承受公義和祝福。那祭物被燒盡，使我們得以逃脫。「我在這裡，放這些人走吧。」（二）聖靈的分別為聖之功——祂如火焰降下，燒盡我們的私慾和敗壞（這些是我們必頻獻為祭的「獸」，否則便要滅亡），並在我們心中點燃敬虔感情的聖火，常在心的壇上燃燒不熄。神悅納我們禱告最確切的憑據，就是聖火降在我們身上。「我們的心豈不是火熱的嗎？」（路二十四32）。作為神悅納所羅門禱告的進一步憑據，「耶和華的榮光充滿了殿」。那充滿了對神聖榮耀之敬畏的心——神在其中向其顯明自己的偉大，又（這同樣是祂的榮耀）顯明自己的良善——就被承認為活的聖殿。
二、為神這恩典記號而向祂獻上的感恩回應。
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百姓「敬拜讚美神」（代下七3）。他們見神的火從天上降下，並沒有驚惶逃跑，卻在耶和華的院中站穩，並藉此機會：（一）存敬畏之心敬拜神的榮耀：「他們面伏於地敬拜」，以此表達他們對神聖威嚴的可畏戰兢，他們對神權柄的甘心順服，以及他們深感自己不配到神面前、無法在祂的烈怒前站立。（二）存感恩之心承認神的良善；即使耶和華的火降下時，他們仍讚美祂說：「祂本為善，因祂的慈愛永遠長存。」這是一首永遠合時的歌，我們的心和口都當常常以此調和。無論如何，神總是良善的。當祂顯明自己為燒滅罪人的烈火時，祂的百姓仍能以祂為自己的亮光而喜樂。不但如此，他們有理由說：神正是在這事上顯為良善。「我們不致消滅，是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛」——那代替我們獻上的祭物被燒盡了，為此我們理當獻上深切的感謝。
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王和眾百姓獻上了豐盛的祭物（代下七4、5）。他們以此供奉這聖火，歡迎它降在壇上。他們先前已獻過祭，如今卻加增了。請注意：神向我們施恩的記號，當擴大我們事奉祂的心，使我們在事奉上越發加增。王的榜樣激發了百姓。當百姓的領袖親身帶頭時，善工才容易推進。祭物多得祭壇容不下；然而為免任何祭物被退回（雖然我們可推想所有祭牲的血都灑在壇上），燔祭的肉和平安祭的脂油就在「院子的當中」焚燒（代下七7）；所羅門或是特為此事將那地分別為聖，或因這事奉使之成聖。在必要之時，鋪石之地也可作壇。
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祭司盡了自己的本分；他們各供其職，歌唱的和奏樂的也各盡其職（代下七6），用大衛所造的樂器，和「大衛交在他們手中的詩篇」（有人如此讀，意指代上十六7那篇），或照我們的讀法——「大衛藉他們的手讚美之時」。他在此讚美神的工上僱用、指導、鼓勵他們；因此他們的表演被悅納為大衛的作為，就說他是「藉他們的手讚美」。
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全會眾表達了人所難以想像的最大喜樂和滿足。他們為奉獻壇的禮守節七日，從初二到初九；初十是贖罪日，當日他們要為罪刻苦己心，這在他們的歡樂之中並非不合時宜；十五日開始守住棚節，延續到二十二日，直到二十三日他們才散去。我們絕不可吝惜花在敬拜神、與神相交上的時間，也不可覺得時間太長、或對之感到厭倦。
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所羅門繼續他的工程，順利作成了他為裝飾神的殿和自己的宮室所設計的一切（代下七11）。凡以事奉神為開始的，在自己的事上往往也能順利進行。所羅門值得稱讚的是：凡他著手作的，他都作成了；而他能順利成就，乃是由於神的恩典。
英文原文
God's Gracious Answer to Solomon (1004 BC)
¹ Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
² And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.
³ And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
⁴ Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.
⁵ And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
⁶ And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
⁷ Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
⁸ Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.
⁹ And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
¹⁰ And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
¹¹ Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
Here is, I. The gracious answer which God immediately made to Solomon's prayer: The fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, 2Ch 7:1. In this way God testified his acceptance of Moses (Le 9:24), of Gideon (Jdg 6:21), of David (1Ch 21:26), of Elijah (1Ki 18:38); and, in general, to accept the burnt-sacrifice is, in the Hebrew phrase, to turn it to ashes, Ps 20:3. The fire came down here, not upon the killing of the sacrifices, but the praying of the prayer.
1. This fire intimated that God was, (1.) Glorious in himself; for our God is a consuming fire, terrible even in his holy places. This fire, breaking forth (as it is probable) out of the thick darkness, made it the more terrible, as on Mount Sinai, Ex 24:16,17. The sinners in Sion had reason to be afraid at that sight, and to say, Who among us shall dwell near this devouring fire? Isa 33:14. And yet, (2.) Gracious to Israel; for this fire, which might justly have consumed them, fastened upon the sacrifice which was offered in their stead, and consumed that, by which God signified to them that he accepted their offerings and that his anger was turned away from them.
2. Let us apply this, (1.) To the suffering of Christ. When it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief, in that he showed his good-will to men, having laid on him the iniquity of us all. His death was our life, and he was made sin and a curse that we might inherit righteousness and a blessing. That sacrifice was consumed that we might escape. Here am I, let these go their way. (2.) To the sanctification of the Spirit, who descends like fire, burning up our lusts and corruptions, those beasts that must be sacrificed or we are undone, and kindling in our souls a holy fire of pious and devout affections, always to be kept burning on the altar of the heart. The surest evidence of God's acceptance of our prayers is the descent of the holy fire upon us. Did not our hearts burn within us? Lu 24:32. As a further evidence that God accepted Solomon's prayer, still the glory of the Lord filled the house. The heart that is thus filled with a holy awe and reverence of the divine glory, the heart to which God manifests himself in his greatness, and (which is no less his glory) in his goodness, is thereby owned as a living temple.
II. The grateful return made to God for this gracious token of his favour.
1. The people worshipped and praised God, 2Ch 7:3. When they saw the fire of God come down from heaven thus they did not run away affrighted, but kept their ground in the courts of the Lord, and took occasion from it, (1.) With reverence to adore the glory of God: They bowed their faces to the ground and worshipped, thus expressing their awful dread of the divine majesty, their cheerful submission to the divine authority, and the sense they had of their unworthiness to come into God's presence and their inability to stand before the power of his wrath. (2.) With thankfulness to acknowledge the goodness of God; even when the fire of the Lord came down they praised him, saying, He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. This is a song never out of season, and for which our hearts and tongues should be never out of tune. However it be, yet God is good. When he manifests himself as a consuming fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their light. Nay, they had reason to say that in this God was good. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we are bound to be very thankful."
2. The king and all the people offered sacrifices in abundance, 2Ch 7:4,5. With these they feasted this holy fire, and bade it welcome to the altar. They had offered sacrifices before, but now they increased them. Note, The tokens of God's favour to us should enlarge our hearts in his service, and make us to abound therein more and more. The king's example stirred up the people. Good work is then likely to go on when the leaders of a people lead in it. The sacrifices were so numerous that the altar could not contain them all; but, rather than any of them should be turned back (though we may suppose the blood of them all was sprinkled upon the altar), the flesh of the burnt-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings were burnt in the midst of the court (2Ch 7:7), which Solomon either hallowed for that service or hallowed by it. In case of necessity the pavement might be an altar.
3. The priests did their part; they waited on their offices, and the singers and musicians on theirs (2Ch 7:6), with the instruments that David made, and the hymn that David had put into their hand, as some think it may be read (meaning that 1Ch 16:7), or, as we read it, when David praised by their ministry. He employed, directed, and encouraged them in this work of praising God; and therefore their performances were accepted as his act, and he is said to praise by their ministry.
4. The whole congregation expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable. They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar seven days, from the second to the ninth; the tenth day was the day of atonement, when they were to afflict their souls for sin, and that was not unseasonable in the midst of their rejoicings; on the fifteenth day began the feast of tabernacles, which continued to the twenty-second, and they did not separate till the twenty-third. We must never grudge the time that we spend in the worship of God and communion with him, nor think it long, or grow weary of it.
5. Solomon went on in his work, and prosperously effected all he designed for the adorning both of God's house and his own, 2Ch 7:11. Those that begin with the service of God are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. It was Solomon's praise that what he undertook he went through with, and it was by the grace of God that he prospered in it.
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God's Promises to Solomon (1004 BC)
神給所羅門的應許（主前1004年）
¹² 夜間耶和華向所羅門顯現，對他說：「我已聽了你的禱告，也揀選這地方作為歸我名的殿，作為獻祭之所。 ¹³ 我若使天閉塞不下雨，或若吩咐蝗蟲吞吃這地，或若使瘟疫流行在我民中； ¹⁴ 這稱為我名下的子民，若是自卑、禱告，尋求我的面，轉離他們的惡行，我必從天上垂聽，赦免他們的罪，醫治他們的地。 ¹⁵ 我必睜眼看、側耳聽在此處所獻的禱告。 ¹⁶ 現在我已選擇這殿，分別為聖，使我的名永在其中。我的眼、我的心也必常在那裡。 ¹⁷ 至於你，你若效法你父大衛所行的，遵行我所吩咐你的一切，謹守我的律例典章， ¹⁸ 我就必堅固你國度的王位，照我與你父大衛所立的約說：你的國位上必不缺人治理以色列。 ¹⁹ 倘若你們轉去丟棄我擺在你們面前的律例誡命，去事奉敬拜別神， ²⁰ 我就必將以色列人從我所賜給他們的地上拔出根來，並且我為己名所分別為聖的殿，也必從我眼前捨棄不顧，使它在萬民中作笑談、作譏誚的俗語。 ²¹ 這殿雖然甚高，將來經過的人必驚訝，說：『耶和華為何向這地和這殿如此行呢？』 ²² 人必回答說：『是因為這地的人離棄耶和華——他們列祖的神，就是領他們出埃及地的神，去親近別神，敬拜事奉他，所以耶和華使這一切災禍臨到他們。』」
神悅納了所羅門的禱告，這從天上降下的火已顯明。然而禱告雖蒙悅納，未必照字面所求應允；因此神在夜間向他顯現，正如從前一次那樣（代下一7），同樣是在獻祭之日以後，並特特地回答了他的禱告。其內容要旨我們前已見於王上九2-9。
一、他應許承認這殿為「獻祭的殿」和「萬民禱告的殿」（賽五十六7）：「我的名必永在其中」（代下七12、16），意思是「在那裡我要使人認識我，在那裡我要被人求告」。
二、他應許應允他百姓隨時在那地方所獻的禱告（代下七13-15）。此處假設了國家的審判（代下七13）：饑荒、瘟疫，也許還有戰爭，因為「蝗蟲吞吃這地」所指的也可能是如蝗蟲般貪婪、將一切都毀壞的仇敵。2. 也要求國家的悔改、禱告和改革（代下七14）。神期望那些稱為他名下的百姓，若已因罪孽羞辱了他的名，便當因接受罪所受的責罰來榮耀他的名。他們必須在他的手下自卑，必須為撤去刑罰而禱告，必須尋求神的面與恩；然而這一切都還不夠，除非他們轉離他們的惡行，歸向他們所背棄的神。3. 於是應許了國家的憐憫：神必赦免那使刑罰臨到的罪，然後醫治他們的地，補救他們一切的苦情。赦免之恩為醫治之恩開路（詩一○三3，太九2）。
三、他應許使所羅門的國位長久，條件是他要在本分上堅忍（代下七17-18）。他若盼望得著神與大衛所立之約的恩益，就必須效法大衛的榜樣。然而神也將死與生、咒詛與祝福並陳在他面前。1. 神假設縱然他們為尊榮神而建了這殿，仍可能被引誘去敬拜別神（代下七19）。神知道他們何等容易退後陷入此罪。2. 神警告說，若他們如此行，就必定是教會與國家雙雙的毀滅。（一）這將是他們國家的毀滅（代下七20）：「雖然他們在這塊美地上深深扎根、扎根已久，我卻必將他們連根拔起，全族滅絕，如同人從園中拔出雜草一般，扔在糞堆上。」（二）這將是他們教會的毀滅。這聖所不再成為他們的聖所，不能如他們所想像的那樣保護他們免受神的審判，他們卻說：「這是耶和華的殿」（耶七4）。「這殿雖然甚高」，無論是因建築的宏偉，還是因所設計的目的與用處，「將來必成為令人驚訝之物，必然奇妙地傾覆」（哀一9），使一切鄰舍都驚駭。
英文原文
God's Promises to Solomon (1004 BC)
¹² And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.
¹³ If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
¹⁵ Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
¹⁶ For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
¹⁷ And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
¹⁸ Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
¹⁹ But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
²⁰ Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
²¹ And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
²² And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
That God accepted Solomon's prayer appeared by the fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted and yet not answered in the letter of it; and therefore God appeared to him in the night, as he did once before (2Ch 1:7), and after a day of sacrifice too, as then, and gave him a peculiar answer to his prayer. We had the substance of it before, 1Ki 9:2-9.
I. He promised to own this house for a house of sacrifice to Israel and a house of prayer for all people (Isa 56:7): My name shall be there for ever (2Ch 7:12,16), that is, "There will I make myself known, and there will I be called upon."
II. He promised to answer the prayers of his people that should at any time be made in that place, 2Ch 7:13-15. National judgments are here supposed (2Ch 7:13), famine, and pestilence, and perhaps war, for by the locusts devouring the land meant enemies as greedy as locusts, and laying all waste. 2. National repentance, prayer, and reformation, are required, 2Ch 7:14. God expects that his people who are called by his name, if they have dishonoured his name by their iniquity, should honour it by accepting the punishment of their iniquity. They must humble themselves under his hand, must pray for the removal of the judgment, must seek the face and favour of God; and yet all this will not do unless they turn from their wicked ways, and return to the God from whom they have revolted. 3. National mercy is then promised, that God will forgive their sin, which brought the judgment upon them, and then heal their land, redress all their grievances. Pardoning mercy makes ways for healing mercy, Ps 103:3, Mt 9:2.
III. He promised to perpetuate Solomon's kingdom, upon condition that he persevered in his duty, 2Ch 7:17,18. If he hoped for the benefit of God's covenant with David, he must imitate the example of David. But he set before him death as well as life, the curse as well as the blessing. 1. He supposed it possible that though they had this temple built to the honour of God, yet they might be drawn aside to worship other gods, 2Ch 7:19. He knew their proneness to backslide into that sin. 2. He threatened it as certain that, if they did so, it would certainly be the ruin of both church and state. (1.) It would be the ruin of their state, 2Ch 7:20. "Though they have taken deep root, and taken root long, in this good land, yet I will pluck them up by the roots, extirpate the whole nation, pluck them up as men pluck up weeds out of their garden, which are thrown to the dunghill." (2.) It would be the ruin of their church. This sanctuary would be no sanctuary to them, to protect them from the judgment of God, as they imagined, saying, The temple of the Lord are we, Jer 7:4. "This house which is high, not only for the magnificence of its structure, but for the designed ends and uses of it, shall be an astonishment, it shall come down wonderfully (La 1:9), to the amazement of all the neighbours."
在本章中，我們看到神對所羅門禱告的回應。一、祂公開的回應——從天上降下火來，燒盡了祭物（代下七1），祭司和百姓因此大受感動，代下七2、3。藉著這神悅納的記號，他們大得鼓勵，得以延續節期的莊嚴典禮共十四日；所羅門也受激勵，繼續推行一切為榮耀神而作的計畫，代下七4～11。二、祂私下的回應——藉著異象或夜間的夢，以言語向他顯明，代下七12～22。這些事大部分我們已在前書讀過，王上八1～九66。