1 Kings 8:1-26

Contemporary English Version

Solomon Brings the Sacred Chest to the Temple

(2 Chronicles 5.2—6.2)

8 ^1-2 (A) The sacred chest had been kept on Mount Zion, also known as the city of David. But Solomon decided to have the chest moved to the temple while everyone was in Jerusalem, celebrating the Festival of Shelters during Ethanim,^[a] the seventh month of the year.

Solomon called together the important leaders of Israel. ^3-4 Then the priests and the Levites carried to the temple the sacred chest, the sacred tent, and the objects used for worship. ⁵ Solomon and a crowd of people stood in front of the chest and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted.

⁶ The priests carried the chest into the most holy place and put it under the winged creatures, ⁷ whose wings covered both the chest and the poles used for carrying it. ⁸ The poles were so long that they could be seen from right outside the most holy place, but not from anywhere else. And they stayed there from then on.

^9 (B) The only things kept in the chest were the two flat stones Moses had put there when the Lord made his agreement with the people of Israel at Mount Sinai,^[b] after bringing them out of Egypt.

^10 (C) Suddenly a cloud filled the temple as the priests were leaving the most holy place. ¹¹ The Lord's glory was in the cloud, and the light from it was so bright that the priests could not stay inside to do their work. ^12 (D) Then Solomon prayed:

Solomon Speaks to the People

(2 Chronicles 6.3-11)

¹⁴ Solomon turned toward the people standing there. Then he blessed them ^15-16 (E) and said:

Praise the Lord God of Israel! Long ago he brought his people out of Egypt. He did not choose a city from any tribe in Israel where his temple would be built, but he kept his promise to make my father David the king of Israel.

^17 (F) So when David wanted to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel, ¹⁸ the Lord said, “It's good that you want to build a temple where I can be worshiped. ^19 (G) But you're not the one to do it. Your son will build a temple to honor me.”

²⁰ The Lord has done what he promised. I am the king of Israel like my father, and I've built a temple for the Lord our God. ²¹ I've also made a place in the temple for the sacred chest. And in that chest are the two flat stones on which is written the solemn agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he led them out of Egypt.

Solomon Prays at the Temple

(2 Chronicles 6.12-42)

²² Solomon stood facing the altar with everyone standing behind him. Then he lifted his arms toward heaven ²³ and prayed:

Lord God of Israel, no other god in heaven or on earth is like you!

You never forget the agreement you made with your people, and you are loyal to anyone who faithfully obeys your teachings. ²⁴ My father David was your servant, and today you have kept every promise you made to him.

^25 (H)Lord God of Israel, you promised my father that someone from his family would always be king of Israel, if they do their best to obey you, just as he did. ²⁶ Please keep this promise you made to your servant David.