Then the king and all the peopleThis phrase highlights the unity between the king and the people in worship. In the context of ancient Israel, the king often led the nation in religious observance, reflecting the theocratic nature of the kingdom. The king here is Solomon, who had just completed the construction of the Temple, a significant event in Israel's history. This unity in worship underscores the communal aspect of Israel's covenant relationship with God, where both leadership and laity participate in religious rites.
offered sacrifices
Sacrifices were central to Israelite worship, serving as a means of atonement, thanksgiving, and dedication. The act of offering sacrifices was a tangible expression of devotion and obedience to God. In the context of the Temple's dedication, these sacrifices were likely burnt offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings, which were prescribed in the Mosaic Law. The sheer number of sacrifices offered during this event, as described in the surrounding verses, indicates the magnitude of the celebration and the people's desire to honor God.
before the LORD
This phrase signifies that the sacrifices were made in the presence of God, who was believed to dwell in the Temple. The Temple was seen as the earthly dwelling place of God, where His presence was manifest in a special way. Offering sacrifices "before the LORD" emphasizes the direct relationship between the worshippers and God, facilitated by the Temple. This concept is echoed in other parts of Scripture, where worship and sacrifices are directed towards God as an act of reverence and submission. The presence of God in the Temple also foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ, who is described in the New Testament as the true Temple, where God's presence dwells fully.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
King SolomonThe son of King David, Solomon is the king of Israel who built the temple in Jerusalem. His reign is marked by wisdom, wealth, and the construction of the temple.
2.
The People of IsraelThe nation of Israel, gathered to witness and participate in the dedication of the temple, showing unity and collective worship.
3.
The Temple in JerusalemThe newly constructed temple, a central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people.
4.
SacrificesOfferings made to God, which in this context, are part of the dedication ceremony of the temple, signifying devotion and thanksgiving.
5.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is worshiped and honored through the sacrifices and dedication of the temple.
Teaching Points
The Importance of WorshipThe act of offering sacrifices highlights the centrality of worship in the life of God's people. Worship is not just a ritual but a heartfelt response to God's presence and blessings.
Unity in WorshipThe collective participation of the king and the people underscores the importance of communal worship. As believers, gathering together to worship strengthens our faith and unity.
Sacrificial LivingWhile the Old Testament sacrifices were physical offerings, believers today are called to live sacrificially, offering our lives as living sacrifices to God (
Romans 12:1).
God's PresenceThe dedication of the temple signifies God's dwelling among His people. Today, believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to live in a way that honors His presence within us.
Thanksgiving and DedicationThe sacrifices were an expression of gratitude and dedication. In our lives, we should regularly express our thankfulness to God and dedicate our time, talents, and resources to His service.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 7:4?
2.How does 2 Chronicles 7:4 demonstrate the importance of sacrificial worship to God?
3.What can we learn about communal worship from the actions in 2 Chronicles 7:4?
4.How does the sacrificial act in 2 Chronicles 7:4 connect to New Testament teachings?
5.In what ways can we offer sacrifices of praise in our daily lives today?
6.How can 2 Chronicles 7:4 inspire us to prioritize worship in our communities?
7.What is the significance of Solomon's sacrifices in 2 Chronicles 7:4 for modern worship practices?
8.How does 2 Chronicles 7:4 reflect the relationship between God and Israel?
9.Why were so many sacrifices necessary in 2 Chronicles 7:4?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Chronicles 7?
11.Leviticus 5:6 mandates animal sacrifice for atonement; how does punishing an innocent creature align with modern ethical standards?
12.Who were the Meunites in the Bible?
13.In 2 Chronicles 30:24, how could authorities practically handle the huge numbers of sacrifices without facing sanitary or organizational challenges?
14.Solomon built a facility containing how many baths? Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26) Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)What Does 2 Chronicles 7:4 Mean
Then the king– Solomon responds immediately to God’s fiery approval of the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
– His leadership models prompt obedience; as in1 Kings 8:62-63 he “offered sacrifice before the LORD.”
– A king who bows affirms God, not himself, is Israel’s true Sovereign (Psalm 24:8-10).
– The moment recalls David’s earlier pattern: “Then King David said to the whole assembly, ‘Praise the LORD your God.’ ” (1 Chronicles 29:20).
and all the people• Worship is communal; every Israelite joins, fulfillingExodus 24:3 where “all the people answered with one voice.”
• This unity mirrors the earlier dedication scene: “The trumpeters and singers joined in unison… and the glory of the LORD filled the house of God” (2 Chronicles 5:13-14).
• God’s covenant expected national participation (Deuteronomy 27:9-10); here that expectation is met joyfully.
offered sacrifices– Their gifts are tangible expressions of gratitude for answered prayer and manifested glory (2 Chronicles 7:1).
–Leviticus 1–7 had spelled out burnt, fellowship, and peace offerings; Solomon follows that blueprint literally.
–Hebrews 9:22 reminds us “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,” foreshadowing Christ, the once-for-all sacrifice yet upholding the Old Testament’s accuracy.
–Psalm 50:14 links sacrifice to thanksgiving: “Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.”
before the LORD• All activity happens in God’s presence, the covenant name emphasizing His personal, relational reality.
•Psalm 96:8-9 calls, “Bring an offering and enter His courts… worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.”
•Isaiah 6:1-5 shows the awe of standing “before the LORD”; Chronicles records a parallel temple vision of glory.
• New-covenant believers still come “with confidence to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16), yet with the same reverence.
summary2 Chronicles 7:4 captures a moment when king and nation, unified and humbled, respond to God’s manifest presence with prescribed sacrifices. Solomon leads; the people follow; worship is active, obedient, and centered solely on the LORD. The verse showcases rightful leadership, communal devotion, blood-bought atonement, and reverent nearness to God—timeless truths that still invite every believer to wholehearted, Scripture-shaped worship today.
(4-10) THE SACRIFICES AND THE FESTIVAL. (Comp.
1Kings 8:62-66.) The two narratives are again mainly coincident.
(4)Then.--And.
Offered sacrifices.--Were sacrificing a sacrifice. LXX.,??????? ??????. Vulg., "immolabant."
Verses 4, 5. - These two verses bring us again into company with the parallel in its vers. 62, 63. Let it be noticed that in both these verses the compiler of Chronicles avoids the words, "all Israel," and "all the children of Israel;" in favour of
all the people. The parallel tells us that the
sacrifices in part were
peace offerings, eatable, therefore, by priests and people. Large as the numbers of the
oxen and sheep sacrificed, yet indications in the narrative round about do something to sustain them, as
e.g. the number of people who had come together; the fact that all the people are said to offer sacrifices; the fact that Solomon, Because of the press for room (ver. 7), hallowed the
middle of the court,
i.e. probably the court itself, in order to find place for the "burnt offerings, meat offerings, and fat" (ver. 7); further, the number of mouths of people that certainly would need filling, not only on one day, but on days more than one, while on the third day (
Leviticus 19:6) any part of a peace offering still left was to be destroyed by fire. Nevertheless, the thought of the scene of butchery is, to our modern imagination, amazing to the last degree. An assemblage of people in Jerusalem, all making also for its temple, of a hundred and twenty thousand people, and a minimum of another twenty-two thousand people, is startling; but add to these a
sheep apiece for the former number, and an
ox apiece for the latter (a computation itself necessarily under the mark), and allow several days to be covered by the- killing and sacrificing, and one feels that the key and explanation of the present words of the Bible text in this very passage are scarcely in hand. The interesting note in the 'Speaker's Commentary' on
1 Kings 8:63 scarcely assists us. Its instances of the "profusion" of the "sacrifices of antiquity" are altogether and immensely distanced by the narrative before us, not only in the number of victims, but in respect of the time in which the victims had to be despatched and disposed of, and the place and space within which, if not the slaughtering, yet certainly the offering, had to be done.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Then the kingוְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ(wə·ham·me·leḵ)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428:A kingand allוְכָל־(wə·ḵāl)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe peopleהָעָ֑ם(hā·‘ām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockofferedזֹבְחִ֥ים(zō·ḇə·ḥîm)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2076:To slaughter for sacrificesacrificesזֶ֖בַח(ze·ḇaḥ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2077:A slaughter, the flesh of an animal, a sacrificebeforeלִפְנֵ֥י(lip̄·nê)Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440:The facethe LORD.יְהוָֽה׃(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
Links
2 Chronicles 7:4 NIV2 Chronicles 7:4 NLT2 Chronicles 7:4 ESV2 Chronicles 7:4 NASB2 Chronicles 7:4 KJV
2 Chronicles 7:4 BibleApps.com2 Chronicles 7:4 Biblia Paralela2 Chronicles 7:4 Chinese Bible2 Chronicles 7:4 French Bible2 Chronicles 7:4 Catholic Bible
OT History: 2 Chronicles 7:4 Then the king and all the people (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr) 
