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Thus all the work that Solomon did for Yahweh’s house was finished. Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of God’s house.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion. So all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. All the elders of Israel came. The Levites took up the ark; and they brought up the ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these the Levitical priests brought up. King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. The priests brought in the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above. The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the ark in front of the inner sanctuary; but they were not seen outside; and it is there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

11 When the priests had come out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, and didn’t keep their divisions; 12 also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred twenty priests sounding with trumpets); 13 when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying,

“For he is good;
    for his loving kindness endures forever!”

then the house was filled with a cloud, even Yahweh’s house, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for Yahweh’s glory filled God’s house.

When all of Solomon’s work on the Lord’s temple was finished, he brought the silver, gold, and all the objects his father David had dedicated and put them in the treasuries of God’s temple.

Solomon dedicates the temple

Then Solomon assembled Israel’s elders, all the tribal leaders, and the clan chieftains of Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the chest containing the Lord’s covenant from Zion, David’s City. Everyone in Israel assembled before the king in the seventh month,[a] during the festival. When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the Levites picked up the chest. They brought the chest, the meeting tent, and all the holy objects that were in the tent. The priests and[b] the Levites brought them up, while King Solomon and the entire Israelite assembly that had joined him before the chest sacrificed countless sheep and oxen. The priests brought the chest containing the Lord’s covenant to its designated spot beneath the wings of the winged creatures in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the most holy place. The winged creatures spread their wings over the place where the chest rested, covering the chest and its carrying poles. The carrying poles were so long that their tips could be seen from the holy place[c] in front of the inner sanctuary, though they weren’t visible from outside. They are still there today. 10 Nothing was in the chest except the two stone tablets Moses placed there while at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they left Egypt.

11 Then the priests left the holy place. All the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, regardless of their divisions. 12 All the levitical musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families and relatives—were dressed in fine linen and stood east of the altar with cymbals, harps, and zithers, along with one hundred twenty priests blowing trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord as one. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they began to sing, praising the Lord:

Yes, God is good!
    Yes, God’s faithful love lasts forever!

Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.[d] 14 The priests were unable to carry out their duties on account of the cloud because the Lord’s glory filled God’s temple.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 5:3 September–October, Tishrei
  2. 2 Chronicles 5:5 LXX; MT the levitical priests
  3. 2 Chronicles 5:9 LXX; MT the chest
  4. 2 Chronicles 5:13 Cf LXX; MT the temple, the Lord’s temple