1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers belonging to the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, that is, Zion.2All the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, at the feast, which is the seventh month.3All the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted the ark.4They brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the articles of holiness that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.5King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who had been appointed with him stood before the ark, sacrificing flock and cattle that could not be counted or numbered because of their abundance.6The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD into its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, into the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.7For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above.8The poles extended so that the heads of the poles could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; and they remain there to this day.9There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.10When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD.11The priests were unable to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.12Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in the cloud."13"I have built you a lofty house, a place for you to dwell forever."14The king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel while all the assembly of Israel stood.15He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father and fulfilled it with his hand, saying,16Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house for my name to be there, but I have chosen David to be over my people Israel."17It was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.18The LORD said to David my father, "Because it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you have done well that it was in your heart."19"Nevertheless you shall not build the house; rather, your son who comes from your loins shall build the house for my name."20The LORD has fulfilled the word that he spoke: I have arisen in place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.21I have provided a place there for the ark in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.