5 Solomon finished all of the work for the Lord’s temple. Then he brought in the things his father David had set apart for the Lord. They included the silver and gold and all of the articles for God’s temple. Solomon placed them with the other treasures that were there.

Solomon Brings the Ark to the Temple

2Then Solomon sent for the elders of Israel. He told them to come to Jerusalem. They included all of the leaders of the tribes. They also included the chiefs of the families of Israel. Solomon wanted them to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion. Zion was the City of David. 3All of the men of Israel came together to where the king was. It was at the time of the Feast of Booths. The feast was held in the seventh month.

4All of the elders of Israel arrived. Then the Levites picked up the ark and carried it. 5They brought up the ark. They also brought up the Tent of Meeting and all of the sacred articles that were in the tent. The priests, who were Levites, carried everything up.

6The entire community of Israel had gathered around King Solomon. All of them were in front of the ark. They sacrificed huge numbers of sheep and cattle. There were so many that they couldn’t be recorded. In fact, they couldn’t even be counted.

7The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the Most Holy Room of the temple. They put it under the wings of the cherubim.

8The cherubim’s wings were spread out over the place where the ark was. They covered the ark. They also covered the poles that were used to carry it. 9The poles reached out from the ark. They were so long that their ends could be seen from in front of the Most Holy Room. But they couldn’t be seen from outside the Holy Room. They are still there to this very day.

10There wasn’t anything in the ark except the two tablets. Moses had placed them in it at Mount Horeb. That’s where the Lord had made a covenant with the Israelites. He made it after they came out of Egypt.

11The priests left the Holy Room. All of the priests who were there had set themselves apart to the Lord. It didn’t matter what group they were in.

12All of the Levites who played music stood near the east side of the altar. They included Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives. They were dressed in fine linen. They were playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were joined by 120 priests who were blowing trumpets.

13The trumpet players and singers made music together as if they were only one voice. They praised the Lord. They gave thanks to him. Some of them played their trumpets, cymbals and other instruments. The others raised their voices to praise the Lord. They sang,

“He is good.

His faithful love continues forever.”

Then a cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 14The priests couldn’t do their work because of it. The glory of the Lord filled God’s temple.