17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Compare with this modest sacrifice, which suits well "the day of small things" Zac 4:10, the lavish offering of Solomon (see the marginal reference "n").
Twelve he-goats - This was a sin-offering for every tribe.
And offered, at the dedication of this house of God, an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,.... Hecatombs of various sorts, which were always reckoned grand sacrifices, even among Heathens, of which Homer sometimes speaks; some of these were for burnt offerings, and others peace offerings, by way of thankfulness to God for the finishing of the temple; part of which belonging to the offerers, they feasted upon it with great gladness of heart:
and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel; for though the ten tribes were carried captive by Shalmaneser, yet, as before observed, there were some of them that remained in the land, and others that went and returned with the two tribes; and therefore a sin offering was made for them all, for the typical expiation of guilt contracted since they had been in an Heathen land, and, temple service had ceased.
twelve he-goats--as at the dedication of the tabernacle (Numbers 7:87; Numbers 8:17).
*More commentary available at chapter level.