Bible Strands
1 Kings 8:63
And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Solomon acts as the central officiant presenting sacrifices to the LORD at the conclusion of the temple dedication, with the entire assembly of Israelites present to witness and participate in the consecration.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּזְבַּ֣ח (va/i.yiz.Bach) translates literally as "he sacrificed," while הַ/שְּׁלָמִים (ha./she.la.Mim) specifies "the peace offerings," identifying the exact ritual action and sacrificial category performed.
The thread — This large-scale dedication sacrifice recurs in Ezra 6:16 and Nehemiah 12:27, where communal offerings mark the restoration of sacred spaces after exile.
Why it lands — The passage requires acknowledgment that communal worship and sacred space demand measurable, costly commitment, establishing a structural pattern where corporate dedication follows divine provision.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
Cross-references
- Ezra 6:16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
- 2 Chronicles 15:11 At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back.
- Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Leviticus 3:1 “If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD.
- Numbers 7:10 When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.
- Numbers 7:84 So these were the offerings from the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.
- 1 Chronicles 29:21 The next day they offered sacrifices and presented burnt offerings to the LORD: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, along with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 2:4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.
- 2 Chronicles 7:5 And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
- 2 Chronicles 29:32 The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.