II Chronicles 7:8 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 7:8 Commentary: Solomon's Feast
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This study explores the significance of the geographical extent 'from Hamath to Egypt' in describing the assembly at Solomon's dedication feast.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with the entire nation gathered from the northern border (Hamath) to the southern border (Brook of Egypt).
- Key words: feast (chag), assembly (qahal), Hamath, brook of Egypt.
- Main debate: Minor; the identity of the brook of Egypt (Nile vs. Wadi el-Arish) and whether the feast is solely Tabernacles or includes the dedication.
- Theological theme: Fulfillment of the land promise and the unity of God's people in worship at his chosen house.
- Best use: To illustrate the joy and unity of corporate worship when God's people gather in response to his presence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a very great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast for seven days.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Solomon maketh the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him--a very great assembly--from the entering in of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And at that time Solomon held the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath unto the torrent of Egypt.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Solomon kept the solemnity at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Emath to the torrent of Egypt.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces hizo Salomón fiesta siete días, y con él todo Israel, una grande|strong="H3966, H1419" congregación, desde la entrada de Hamath hasta el arroyo de Egipto.
Então fez Salomão festa sete dias, e com ele todo Israel, uma grande congregação, desde a entrada de Hamate até o ribeiro do Egito.
Salomon célébra la fête en ce temps-là pendant sept jours, et tout Israël avec lui; une grande multitude était venue depuis les environs de Hamath jusqu’ au torrent d’ Égypte.
Und Salomo hielt zu derselben Zeit ein Fest sieben Tage lang und das ganze Israel mit ihm, eine sehr große Gemeinde, von Hamath an bis an den Bach Ägyptens,
Salomo hield ook ter zelfder tijd het feest zeven dagen, en gans Israel met hem, een zeer grote gemeente, van den ingang af van Hamath, tot de rivier van Egypte.
E in quel tempo Salomone celebrò la festa per sette giorni, e tutto Israele con lui. Ci fu una grandissima raunanza di gente, venuta da tutto il paese: dai dintorni di Hamath fino al torrente d’Egitto.
I obchodził Salomon onego czasu święto uroczyste przez siedm dni, i wszystek Izrael z nim, zgromadzenie bardzo wielkie, od wejścia do Emat aż do rzeki Egipskiej.
И сделал Соломон в то время семидневный праздник, и весь Израиль с ним — собрание весьма большое, сошедшееся от входа в Емаф до реки Египетской;
那 時 所羅門 和 以色列 眾人，就是從哈馬 口 直到 埃及 小河，所有的以色列人 都聚集成為大 會，守 節 七 日。
So Solomon kept the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great meeting, for the people had come together from the way into Hamath and from as far as the river of Egypt.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 7:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on several points. Barnes notes that Solomon kept at this same time 'not the Feast of the Dedication only, but also the Feast of tabernacles,' which lasted seven days from the fifteenth of Tisri. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown concur, seeing the dedication as immediately before the Feast of Tabernacles. The geographical markers 'from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt' are understood as the northern and southern limits of Israel's territory (Cambridge Bible, JFB). Adam Clarke references the Targum, which interprets 'entering in of Hamath' as 'from the entrance of Antioch.' The phrase is not decorative; it emphasizes that the whole nation, from its farthest extents, gathered as one body. The assembly is called 'a very great congregation', qahal gadol me'od, underscoring the scale and unity of the event. This verse captures the united monarchy at its peak, with the temple at the center and all Israel present.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Solomon held a seven-day feast with the full assembly of Israel, whose territory extended from Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The feast's identity | The feast was seven days and occurred at the same time as the temple dedication. | Most commentators (Barnes, JFB) see it as the Feast of Tabernacles. The chronology in v.9 shows two seven-day periods, with the latter being Tabernacles. A minority might view it as a separate dedication feast, but the calendar supports the Tabernacles connection. |
| Geographic boundaries | The terms mark the northern (Hamath) and southern (Brook of Egypt) limits of Israel's territory. | The exact location of the 'brook of Egypt' is disputed: the Targum identifies it with the Nile, but most modern scholars and commentators (Cambridge, JFB) locate it at Wadi el-Arish, a seasonal stream southeast of Gaza. |
| Size of the assembly | It was 'a very great congregation', exceptionally large. | Whether every adult male was present (as required for pilgrimage festivals) or only representatives is not explicit. The language emphasizes comprehensiveness, but the numbers of sacrifices suggest a massive crowd. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The feast described here is the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), a seven-day autumn festival prescribed in Leviticus 23:34. According to Numbers 29:12, it began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Solomon timed the temple dedication to occur immediately before this feast (Barnes, JFB), so that the two celebrations merged into a fourteen-day period of worship (v.9). The dedication of the altar occupied the first seven days; the Feast of Tabernacles the next seven. On the eighth day after the feast's conclusion, a solemn assembly was held (v.9). Then on the twenty-third day of the month, the people were dismissed (v.10).
The geographical phrase 'from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt' designates the ideal boundaries of the Promised Land as given to Abraham (Genesis 15:18) and reiterated in Numbers 34:5, 8. Hamath was a city in Syria north of Lebanon, marking the northern entry point into Israelite territory. The 'brook of Egypt' is not the Nile but the Wadi el-Arish, a seasonal stream on the southwestern border of Canaan (Cambridge Bible, JFB). This wording signals that the entire nation, from the most northern settlements to the southern frontier, was represented at the feast. Such a gathering was possible only during Solomon's prosperous and peaceful reign, when the land was unified under a single monarch. The sacrifices in v.5, 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep, provided food for the assembled multitude, turning the feast into a grand celebration of covenant renewal and divine presence.
The Chronicler highlights this scene to show the fulfillment of God's promises. David's son had built the house of God; the people of God filled it with worship. The fire from heaven in v.1 and the glory filling the temple (v.2) authenticated the place as chosen by God. The people's joyful departure (v.10) concludes this high point in Israel's history.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Masoretic Text is consistent with the parallel in 1 Kings 8:65, though the Chronicler's account includes distinct details such as the emphasis on the priests, Levites, and singers (v.6) and the fire from heaven (v.1).
Reception History
This verse has been read throughout church history as a testimony to the unity and extent of the kingdom under Solomon. In Jewish tradition, the Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God's provision during the wilderness wanderings (Leviticus 23:43). Christian interpreters have often seen the gathering of all Israel from the borders as a prophetic picture of the gathering of believers from every nation at the end of days. The geographic markers have also been used to map the boundaries of the Promised Land in biblical theology. The verse is sometimes cited to highlight the central role of the temple in Israel's religious life and the joy that comes when God's people gather to honor him.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Gathering of the Nation. All Israel came from Hamath to Egypt, showing the unity of God's people in worship.
- The Duration of the Feast. Seven days plus a solemn assembly, indicating thorough, extended worship.
- The Joy of the People. Verse 10 says they were sent away 'joyful and glad of heart' for the goodness shown to David, Solomon, and Israel.
Five-point outline
- The Time. 'At that time' links the feast directly to the temple dedication.
- The Leadership. Solomon orchestrates the feast, modeling devotion and generosity.
- The Assembly. 'A very great congregation', the Hebrew qahal emphasizes a sacred gathering.
- The Boundaries. From Hamath to Egypt shows the full territorial extent of God's gift to Israel.
- The Blessing. The people leave not with empty hands but with full hearts, joyful for God's goodness.
Illustration hooks
- A family reunion where relatives fly in from multiple states, all gathering under one roof.
- The logistics of feeding a crowd at a large festival, imagine the planning behind 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep.
- A school assembly where the entire student body fills the gymnasium, a rare moment of unity.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God want all Israel to gather in one place for worship?
- What does the geography tell us about God's faithfulness to his land promises?
- How can we experience a similar sense of unity and joy in our corporate worship today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a rare moment: the entire nation, from one end of the land to the other, united in worship at the newly built temple. The chronicler wants readers to see not just a large crowd but a fulfilled promise. God had pledged to give Abraham's descendants this land (Genesis 15:18); now they occupy it and gather to honor him.
Discussion questions
- What does it mean that 'all Israel' was present? Was it every person, or representatives?
- Why do you think the chronicler includes the geographic details? What does that add to the story?
- How does this gathering compare to the gatherings of God's people in your own experience?
- The people went home 'joyful and glad of heart' (v.10). What contributed to their joy?
- How does the temple dedication and feast together point to God's desire for relationship with his people?
- What does this passage teach about God's faithfulness to his promises?
- In what ways can we foster a sense of unity and 'gathering' in our own faith community?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 15:18 | In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: |
| Leviticus 23:34 | “Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of booths for seven days to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 23:43 | that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in temporary shelters when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’” |
| Numbers 29:12 | “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. You shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days. |
| Numbers 29:38 | and one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, with its meal offering, and its drink offering. |
| Numbers 34:5 | The border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the sea. |
| Numbers 34:8 | From Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the border shall pass by Zedad. |
| Deuteronomy 16:13 | You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies the geographical term by citing the Targum, which identifies "the entering in of Hamath" as the region from the entrance of Antioch to the Nile of Egypt. This gives a precise location for the territory being described.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Solomon kept two consecutive feasts, not just the Dedication but also the Feast of Tabernacles, spanning fourteen days from the 8th to the 22nd of Tisri. On the day after these ended, the people were sent home.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools clarifies that the river of Egypt in this verse is not the Nile but a smaller stream called Shihor, as noted in 1 Chronicles 13:5. The commentary also points out the Revised Version translates the phrase as the brook of Egypt, correcting an older reading.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the vast scale of the feast by naming the full territory of Israel from its northern boundary at Hamath to its southern border at the river of Egypt. This detail underscores that the entire nation, from end to end, gathered together with Solomon.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Solomon timed the temple dedication immediately before the feast of tabernacles, making the long seven-day festival possible. The peace offerings, offered in large numbers, provided the people with food for festive celebration. The congregation included all Israel, from the northern pass of Hamath down to the southern border at El-Arish.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the chronicler
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that God's immediate, visible answer from heaven was the fire consuming the sacrifices, which proved His acceptance of Solomon's prayer and the temple. This spectacular sign filled the people with awe, driving them to bow low and worship, affirming that God's mercy endures forever.