1 Kings 8:1-21

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

5And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.

7For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

8And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there they are, unto this day.

9There was nothing in the ark save the two tables 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.

10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

11so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

12Then spake Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

13I have surely built thee an house of habitation, a place for thee to dwell in for ever.

14And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

15And he said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

16Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.

17Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

18But the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart:

19nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

20And the LORD hath established his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

21And there have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.