THE TEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS, THE TEN TABLES, THE HUNDRED GOLDEN BOWLS, AND THE COURTS (2Chronicles 4:7-9).

This section is peculiar to Chronicles.

(7) And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form.--And he made the golden lampstands ten, according to their rule, or, prescribed manner. (Comp. 1Kings 7:49; and Exodus 25:31-40, where their type is described.) So the Vulg., "secundum speciem qua jussa erant fieri." Syriac and Arabic, "according to their laws." Others explain "as their use required," which is less likely.

In the temple.--And before the chancel (1Kings 7:49; 2Chronicles 4:20, infra).

Verse 7. - Ten candlesticks of gold. The only allusion to these in the parallel is found later on in part of the forty-ninth verse of 1 Kings 7. According to their form. This expression, though so vague, might point to the fact that the form of the old candlestick of the tabernacle was adhered to (Exodus 25:31). But considering the recurrence of the same words (ver. 20), there can be no doubt that the phrase is identical in its meaning with the use found in such passages as Leviticus 5:10; Leviticus 9:16, and means "according to the prescribed ordinance,"

4:1-22 The furniture of the temple. - Here is a further account of the furniture of God's house. Both without doors and within, there was that which typified the grace of the gospel, and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ. There was the brazen altar. The making of this was not mentioned in the book of Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. The people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifices burned. They might thus be led to consider the great Sacrifice, to be offered in the fulness of time, to take away sin, and put an end to death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And, with the smoke of the sacrifices, their hearts might ascend to heaven, in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ. The furniture of the temple, compared with that of the tabernacle, showed that God's church would be enlarged, and his worshippers multiplied. Blessed be God, there is enough in Christ for all.See Introduction to Chapter 4