1 Kings 8:53

As thou spakest by the hand of Moses The reference is to Exodus 19:5-6, where God promises that Israel shall be to Him -a peculiar treasure." -By the hand of" is a not uncommon Hebrew phrase for -by" (see below 1 Kings 8:56), and it is so represented in A. V. Thus Isaiah 20:2, -the Lord spake by Isaiah," the original has -by the hand of." So in Malachi 1:1 -by Malachi" is -by the hand of Malachi." At this point there occurs in 2 Chron. (2 Chronicles 6:40-42) a large addition thus: -Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant." These words may have belonged to the original document and be the groundwork of Psalms 132, or the Chronicler may have given a free variation and borrowed from the Psalm.

In the LXX. there is also an addition of a different kind after 1 Kings 8:53. It purports to be something which was written ἐν βιβλίῳ τῆς ᾠδῆς, -in the book of song" and is made up of allusions to 1 Kings 8:12-13 of this chapter, and, as it stands, is not very intelligible. The translation would be -The sun he made known in heaven, the Lord hath said that he will dwell in darkness. Build my house, a comely house for thyself to dwell in. Behold, is it not written in the book of song?" Prof. Robertson Smith has discussed this passage in the notes (pp. 403, 404) to his -Old Testament in the Jewish Church," and by certain, not very startling corrections, he gives a restored version thus:

Jehovah created the sun in the heavens,

But he hath determined to dwell in darkness.

Build my house, an house of habitation for me,

A place to dwell in eternally.

Behold is it not written in the book of Jashar?