All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Ethanim was afterwards called Tisri. Bible.—Usher places the dedication on Friday, 30th October, the 8th of the seventh month. The people continued at Jerusalem till the 23rd. The feast of expiation fell on the 10th, ( Bible.) during the octave of the dedication. After this, the feast of tabernacles commenced on the 15th, for other seven days. This was the year of jubilee; and Solomon had waited on purpose, that the people might have more leisure to attend on such a solemn occasion. Calmet.—But on this we cannot rely. There might be other reasons for the delay; (See Calmet. 6:38) and one of the chief might be, a desire to perform this ceremony in the seventh or sabbatical month, which was honoured with more festivals than any other. It had just elapsed, before the temple was finished, in the preceding year. Bible.