Solomon Builds the Temple^(A)

6 In the four hundred and eightieth^[a] year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month,^(B) he began to build the temple of the Lord.^(C)

² The temple^(D) that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high.^{[b] 3} The portico^(E) at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits,^[c] and projected ten cubits^[d] from the front of the temple. ⁴ He made narrow windows^(F) high up in the temple walls. ⁵ Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.^{(G) 6} The lowest floor was five cubits^[e] wide, the middle floor six cubits^[f] and the third floor seven.^[g] He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.

⁷ In building the temple, only blocks dressed^(H) at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool^(I) was heard at the temple site while it was being built.

⁸ The entrance to the lowest^[h] floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third. ⁹ So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar^(J) planks. ¹⁰ And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.

¹¹ The word of the Lord came^(K) to Solomon: ¹² “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands^(L) and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise^(M) I gave to David your father. ¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon^(N) my people Israel.”

¹⁴ So Solomon^(O) built the temple and completed^(P) it.

³⁸ In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details^(A) according to its specifications.^(B) He had spent seven years building it.

The Ark Brought to the Temple^(A)

8 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs^(B) of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark^(C) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.^{(D) 2} All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival^(E) in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.^(F)

³ When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests^(G) took up the ark, ⁴ and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting^(H) and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites^(I) carried them up, ⁵ and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing^(J) so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

⁶ The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant^(K) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,^(L) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.^{(M) 7} The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed^(N) the ark and its carrying poles. ⁸ These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.^{(O) 9} There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets^(P) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

¹⁰ When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud^(Q) filled the temple of the Lord. ¹¹ And the priests could not perform their service^(R) because of the cloud, for the glory^(S) of the Lord filled his temple.

¹² Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;^{(T) 13} I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell^(U) forever.”

¹⁴ While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed^(V) them. ¹⁵ Then he said:

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication^(AH)

²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands^(AI) toward heaven ²³ and said: