1
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion.
2
Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3
So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4
Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.
5
Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
6
Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.
7
For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.
8
The poles extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day.
9
Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10
And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11
so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
12
Then Solomon spoke: "The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
13
I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever."
14
Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.
15
And he said: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,
16
'Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.'
17
Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
18
But the Lord said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.