1 Kings 8:1-21 ▼

1 At that time Solomon (peace) assembled before him in Jerusalem (city of peace) the elders of Israel (he wrestles with God)—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH} from Zion, the City of David (beloved).

2 And all the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) came together to King Solomon (peace) at the feast in the seventh month (the Feast of Tabernacles), the month of Ethanim (September and October).

3 When all the elders of Israel (he wrestles with God) had arrived, the priests took up the ark,

4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD {YHWH} and the Tent of Meeting with all its sacred furnishings. So the priests and Levites carried them up.

5 There, before the ark, King Solomon (peace) and the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God) who had assembled with him sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.

6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH} to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies), beneath the wings of the cherubim.

7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.

8 The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place \not from outside/; and they are there to this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses (drawn out) had placed in it at Horeb (Mount Sinai), where the LORD {YHWH} had made a covenant with the Israelites (God prevails) after they had come out of the land of Egypt (land of bondage).

10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD {YHWH}

11 so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD {YHWH} filled the house of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon (peace) declared: “The LORD [The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but] has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

13 I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

14 And as the whole assembly of Israel (he wrestles with God) stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all

15 and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David (beloved), saying,

16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel (he wrestles with God) out of Egypt (land of bondage), I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David (beloved) to be over My people Israel.’

17 Now it was in the heart of my father David (beloved) to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God).

18 But the LORD {YHWH} said to my father David (beloved), ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.

19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’

20 Now the LORD {YHWH} has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David (beloved), and I sit on the throne of Israel (he wrestles with God), as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God {Elohe} of Israel.

21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD {YHWH} that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt (land of bondage).”