Add parallel Print Page Options

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.

Read full chapter

Then Solomon called Israel’s elders together, including all the leaders of the tribes and families of Israel. They met in Jerusalem to transfer the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Zion, the City of David. All the men of Israel assembled in front of the king during the Festival of Tents[a] that takes place in the seventh month[b] of the year.[c]

As soon as all of Israel’s elders had arrived, the descendants of Levi lifted the ark and carried it, the tent where God met with his people,[d] and all of the sacred implements that belonged in the tent. The Levitical priests carried these up to the City of David.[e] King Solomon and all the Israelis who had assembled together proceeded ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and oxen than could be counted or recorded due to the number of sacrifices.[f]

The priests transported the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to the place created for it within the inner sanctuary of the Temple, into the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim. The wings of the cherubim extended over where the ark and its carrying poles[g] had been placed, but the poles were long enough for their ends to extend to the front of the inner sanctuary, even though they could not be seen from outside. They remain there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except for the two tablets that Moses had placed there while Israel was encamped[h] at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelis after he had brought them out of the land of Egypt.

11 After this, the priests vacated the Holy Place. (Meanwhile, all the priests who were participating consecrated themselves, irrespective of their Levitical divisions. 12 All the musicians who were descendants of Levi, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives wore linen and played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. Accompanied by 120 priests who played trumpets, 13 the trumpeters and musicians played in union, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. They praised the Lord loudly and sang, “He is good, and his gracious love is eternal,” accompanied by the trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments.) As they did this,[i] a cloud filled the Temple, that is, the Lord’s Temple, 14 and the priests were unable to complete their duties because of the cloud, since the glory of the Lord had filled God’s Temple.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 5:3 The Heb. lacks of Tents
  2. 2 Chronicles 5:3 I.e. sometime during mid-September to mid-October
  3. 2 Chronicles 5:3 The Heb. lacks of the year
  4. 2 Chronicles 5:5 Lit. the Tent of Meeting
  5. 2 Chronicles 5:5 The Heb. lacks to the City of David
  6. 2 Chronicles 5:6 The Heb. lacks due to the number of sacrifices
  7. 2 Chronicles 5:8 Cf. Ex 25:13-15
  8. 2 Chronicles 5:10 The Heb. lacks while Israel was encamped
  9. 2 Chronicles 5:13 The Heb. lacks As they did this