Rashi on the Former Prophets

The leaders of the paternal families of the Bnei Yisroel. Of the children of Yisroel. the children of Yisroel.”
From the city of Dovid. Dovid had placed it there when he brought it from the house of Oved Edom.

In the month Eisonim. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “In the month which people of the ancient times called the first month, on the festival, and at present it is the seventh month,” i.e., since the Torah was given, and it is written in the month of Nissan which it is the first of the months, [therefore,] Tishrei is called the seventh [month].

The Tent of Meeting. Which Moshe made and Shlomo stored this away as soon as the first Beis [Hamikdosh] was built, as we have learned in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.
That were in the Tent. Which Dovid pitched for the Ark.

The wings of the cherubim. Those which Shlomo made, which are standing on their feet on the ground; and these are not the cherubim of the cover which was on the Ark.

Over the place of the Ark. From wall to wall as it is stated above regarding this subject.

The ends of the poles were seen. In the curtain which was at the entrance in the “Amoh Troksin.” One might think they tore through it [i.e., the curtain] and protruded [on the other side], it states, “but they could not be seen from outside.” How is this possible? They were pushing and bulging long vs. Moshe’s poles which were 10 amohs in length. Shlomo made them longer to enable more Kohanim to participate in carrying the Ark.—Ralbag similar to two breasts of a woman, as the matter is stated, “He lies between my breasts.”

After the Kohanim went out of the Kodesh. As the Kohanim who carried the Ark into the Holy of Holies were leaving, the Divine Presence immediately came to rest in the Sanctuary.

Then Shlomo declared. When he saw the cloud, he said, “Now I see that the Divine Presence is in the house which I built, for thus did He promise to come and dwell in it from the midst of a cloud and thick darkness.” And where did He say [this promise]? “For in the cloud will I appear upon the Ark cover.” Thus is this taught in Sifri.

A dwelling place for You forever. From when it was chosen it would no longer be permissible [to offer sacrifices] on improvised altars, and the Divine Presence no longer dwelled in any other place.

Who spoke with His mouth. That He would grant him a son who would build the Beis [Hamikdosh].
And fulfilled it with His hand. He has fulfilled His word with His good power.

Since the day, etc. This is what He spoke to my father Dovid.

And Shlomo stood before the Altar of Adonoy. [As] it is written, “and Shlomo made a copper basin and had set it in the midst of the court, etc. and upon it he stood, and knelt on his knees.”

Preserver of the covenant. He waits and stores away [reward] to keep the covenant and [is based on] mercy, to fulfill His promise.

You preserved. [שמרת is] a expression meaning the fulfillment of a promise.

Will. [This is] an expression of wonder.
Cannot contain You. Cannot contain You.

Should a person sin against his fellow man. One who has intimate relations with a married woman.
And is liable that a curse. Just as the water examines her, so does the water examine him.
And is liable. An expression of a creditor.
And the curse comes before your altar. “And the Kohein shall stand the woman before Adonoy.”

To set his [evil] way upon his head. “And her abdomen will swell, etc.”
And to justify the righteous one. “Then she will be cleared, and shall bear seed.” Thus it is expounded in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.

And praise Your Name. For a person is obliged to bless God for the bad.

For You to answer them. So that You may answer them; “כי” is an expression of “so that.”“

Rot. When the wheat does not grow up on the stalk to make an ear.

According to all that the stranger calls out to You. And relating to the Jew it states, “and give to each one according to all his ways,” because the Jew recognizes the Holy One Blessed Is He, and he knows that He has the ability in His power [to answer]; and if his prayers are not heard, he will blame the matter on himself and an account of his sins. But the non-Jew complains and says, “a house [i.e., Beis Hamikdosh], whose fame reaches to the ends of the world, I have exhausted myself on many roads, and have come and prayed in it and found no substance in it, just as there is no substance in idol worship.” Therefore, “according to all that the stranger calls out to You,” but a Jew, if You see that he uses his wealth to destroy his friend, do not give him.

By way of the city. Facing towards Yerusholayim.

And render their judgment. [I.e.,] their vengeance against their enemies.

The smelting pot of iron. The earthenware utensils used to purify gold of its impurities is called כור.

Like all that He had said. And where did He speak? “And He will grant you rest from all your enemies.”

To do justice to His servant and the justice of His people. To avenge their humiliation from their enemy.

The inside of the Courtyard. These words are to be taken literally, according to Rabbi Yehudah; [i.e.,] he hallowed the floor of the court with the [same] sanctity of the Altar, [enabling one] to offer sacrifices on the floor.
For the copper altar. The stone altar that he [Shlomo] constructed in lieu of the copper altar.
Too small to contain the burnt-offerings and the meal offerings. For they brought many. Rabbi Yose said to him [Rabbi Yehudah], “Is it not already written, ‘Shlomo offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon that altar,’ which Moshe had made,” and when you compute the number of amohs and the number of burnt offerings, this one of stones was larger than Moshe’s, for on Moshe’s altar the place used for the sacrifice, was one amoh by one amoh, but this one’s place used for the sacrifice was twenty-four [amohs] by twenty-four [amohs]. Therefore Shlomo’s [altar] was 576 times as large as Moshe’s. If so, what is the meaning of, “the king sanctified the middle of the Courtyard?” [It means] that he set the stone altar into it, firmly connected to the floor.
Was too small to contain. He is referring to Moshe’s [altar], like a person says to his friend, “So and so is a dwarf,” [i.e.,] he is disqualified to perform the service.

[Stretching] from the entrance of Chamos. Located in the north of Eretz Yisroel.
To the Brook of Egypt. Which is opposite it, in the south, [as is delineated] in [the section entitled], “These are the travels.”
Seven days. Of inauguration.
And seven [more] days. Of Succos. It is found that they ate and drank on Yom Kippur.

For Dovid His servant. To make known that He forgave them their sins, as we find in [Maseches] Mo’ed Katan. When Shlomo wished to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies, the gates clung to one another.
And for Yisroel His people. That He forgave them the sin of Yom Kippur, and a Bas Kol emanated and declared, “All of you are prepared for the life of the World to Come.”