(16) I chose no city.—In this verse, as in some other cases, for coherence of idea, it seems necessary to correct from the fuller version in 2Chronicles 6:5-6, by an addition after the word “therein.” It should run: “Neither chose I any man to be ruler over my people, but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” The parallel in the two points referred to is exact. As there were temporary resting places for the ark—such as Gilgal, Shiloh, Kirjathjearim, and Zion—so there were rulers raised up successively for a time, and then removed. Now there was to be one fixed place as the Sanctuary of God, and one royal house of David to continue for ever.

8:12-21 Solomon encouraged the priests, who were much astonished at the dark cloud. The dark dispensations of Providence should quicken us in fleeing for refuge to the hope of the gospel. Nothing can more reconcile us to them, than to consider what God has said, and to compare his word and works together. Whatever good we do, we must look on it as the performance of God's promise to us, not of our promises to him.The marginal reference completes the sense of this verse here. The passage is in accordance with archaic modes of speech, and is probably the more verbally accurate of the two. 14. the king turned his face about—From the temple, where he had been watching the movement of the mystic cloud, and while the people were standing, partly as the attitude of devotion, partly out of respect to royalty, the king gave a fervent expression of praise to God for the fulfilment of His promise (2Sa 7:6-16). Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, until David’s time; for then he did choose Jerusalem.

I chose no city, i.e. I did not declare my choice of it; for so choosing is used for declaring or executing one’s choice, as Deu 12:1 2 Chronicles 6:5 Zechariah 2:12, and things are oft said to be done when they are only manifested or declared to be such; in which sense God is said to be justified, Psalm 51:4, and men to be guilty, Hosea 5:15. Otherwise, to speak properly, whatsoever God chooseth, he chooseth from eternity.

That my name might be therein; that my presence, and grace, and worship, and glory might be there.

I chose David, and in and with him the tribe of Judah, of which he was, and Jerusalem, where he dwelt; which is here implied by the opposition of this to the former part of the verse.

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt,.... Which was now about four hundred and eighty eight years ago; see 1 Kings 6:1.

I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; he had chosen one in his mind from all eternity; but he had not made known this choice, nor the place he had chosen; he gave hints by Moses, that there was a place which he should choose, or declare he had chosen to put his name in, but did not express it, Deuteronomy 12:5 but now it was a clear case that he had chosen Jerusalem, and that was the city he always had in view, see 2 Chronicles 6:6,

but I chose David to be over my people Israel; to be their king, and to him he gave the first hint of the place where the temple was to be built, 1 Chronicles 22:1, and he chose no man, and his family with him, before him, to rule over Israel, and be concerned in such a work, see 2 Chronicles 6:5.

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.