1 Kings 8:9-21

9Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the Lord’s temple,

11and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

12Then Solomon said: The Lord said that he would dwell in total darkness.

13I have indeed built an exalted temple for you, a place for your dwelling forever.

14The king turned around and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.

15He said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! He spoke directly to my father David, and he has fulfilled the promise by his power. He said,

16“Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city to build a temple in among any of the tribes of Israel, so that my name would be there. But I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”

17My father David had his heart set on building a temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

18But the Lord said to my father David, “Since your heart was set on building a temple for my name, you have done well to have this desire.

19Yet you are not the one to build it; instead, your son, your own offspring, will build it for my name.”

20The Lord has fulfilled what he promised. I have taken the place of my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

21I have provided a place there for the ark, where the Lord’s covenant is that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.