The Temple Is Completed
Study note
After years of work, the temple was finally finished. Solomon brought in all the silver, gold, and other items that his father David had set apart for the Lord's temple. These treasures were placed in the storerooms of the temple.
1 When all of Solomon's work on the Lord's temple was done, he brought in everything his father David had set aside for God. He stored all the silver, gold, and furnishings in the temple treasuries. Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
The Ark Is Brought to the Temple
Study note
Solomon gathered all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem during the Festival of Shelters in the seventh month. The Levites carried the ark of the covenant, along with the tabernacle and all its holy items. King Solomon and the entire assembly sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted. The priests placed the ark under the wings of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place. Inside the ark were only the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Horeb.
2 Solomon called the elders, tribal leaders, and family heads to Jerusalem. They would carry the ark up from the City of David, also called Zion. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
3 All the men of Israel gathered before the king during the festival in the seventh month. Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
4 When all the elders arrived, the Levites lifted the ark. And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
5 The priests and Levites carried the ark up to the temple. They also brought the Tent of Meeting and all the holy items from inside it. And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
6 King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel met in front of the ark. They sacrificed so many sheep and cattle that nobody could keep count. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
7 The priests carried the ark of the Lord's covenant into the inner room of the temple. This was the Most Holy Place. They set it under the stretched-out wings of the cherubim. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
8 The cherubim's wings spread out over the ark, covering both the ark and its carrying poles from above. For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
9 The carrying poles were long enough that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place just outside the inner room, but not from anywhere else in the temple. The ark is still there today. And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.
10 The ark held only two stone tablets. Moses placed them inside at Mount Horeb. That is where the Lord made his deal with Israel after they left Egypt. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple
Study note
When the priests came out of the Holy Place, all the priestly musicians — from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun — stood at the east side of the altar. They were dressed in white linen and played cymbals, harps, and lyres. With them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. When they all began to play and sing together in praise, saying 'He is good; his love endures forever,' a cloud filled the temple. The glory of the Lord was so powerful that the priests could not stand to perform their duties.
11 Then the priests came out of the Holy Place. Every priest present had gone through the purification ceremony, regardless of which group they belonged to. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
12 All the Levite musicians -- Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, and their relatives -- stood on the east side of the altar dressed in white linen. They played cymbals, harps, and lyres. Standing with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
13 All at once, the trumpet players and singers raised their voices together to praise and thank the Lord. With trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments ringing out, they sang, 'He is good! His faithful love goes on forever!' At that very moment, the Lord's temple filled with a thick cloud. It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
14 The priests had to stop what they were doing because the cloud was so thick. The glory of the Lord completely filled God's temple. So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.