1 Kings 8:1-26

American Standard Version

8 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. ² And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. ³ And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. ⁴ And they brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up. ⁵ And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. ⁶ And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. ⁷ For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above. ⁸ And ^[a]the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. ⁹ There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, ^[b]when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰ And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah, ¹¹ so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.

¹² Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. ¹³ I have surely built thee a house of habitation, a place for thee to dwell in for ever. ¹⁴ And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood. ¹⁵ And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David thy father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, ¹⁶ Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. ¹⁷ Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. ¹⁸ But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart: ¹⁹ nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. ²⁰ And Jehovah hath established his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. ²¹ And there have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

²² And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven; ²³ and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness ^[c]with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart; ²⁴ who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day. ²⁵ Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, ^[d]There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast walked before me. ²⁶ Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.