1 Kings 8:4-14

4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up,

5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

6 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.

7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles.

8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD.

11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

12 Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;

13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”

14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them.

1 Kings 8:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of the introduction of the ark into the temple, 1Ki 8:1-9 of the glory of the Lord filling it, 1Ki 8:10,11 of a speech Solomon made to the people concerning the building of the temple, and how he came to be engaged in it, 1Ki 8:12-21, of a prayer of his he put up on this occasion, requesting, that what supplications soever were made at any time, or on any account, by Israelites or strangers, might be accepted by the Lord, 1Ki 8:22-53, and of his blessing the people of Israel at the close of it, with some useful exhortations, 1Ki 8:54-61, and of the great number of sacrifices offered up by him, and the feast he made for the people, upon which he dismissed them, 1Ki 8:62-66.

Cross References

• 1. S Leviticus 17:4; 1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chronicles 1:3
• 2. 1 Chronicles 15:13
• 3. S 2 Samuel 6:13; S 2 Chronicles 30:24
• 4. S Exodus 26:33; S 2 Samuel 6:17; Revelation 11:19
• 5. S Exodus 26:33
• 6. S Genesis 3:24; S Exodus 25:18; 1 Kings 6:19,27
• 7. S Exodus 25:20
• 8. Exodus 25:13-15
• 9. S Exodus 16:34; S Exodus 25:16; Hebrews 9:4">Hebrews 9:4; Exodus 24:7-8; Exodus 25:21; Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 10:2-5; Hebrews 9:4">Hebrews 9:4
• 10. S Exodus 16:10; S Leviticus 16:2; Revelation 15:8; Exodus 40:34-35; 2 Chronicles 7:1-2
• 11. 2 Chronicles 7:2; Revelation 15:8
• 12. S Exodus 16:7; S Exodus 29:43
• 13. S Exodus 40:34; S 2 Samuel 22:10; Psalms 18:11; Psalms 97:2
• 14. Exodus 15:17; 2 Samuel 7:13; Psalms 132:13; Psalms 135:21; Matthew 23:21
• 15. S Exodus 39:43; 2 Samuel 6:18