1 Kings 8:7-15

7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above *.

8 But ¹the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before * the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day.

9 ²There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where ³the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, ⁴the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because * of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

Solomon Addresses the People

12 ⁵Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that ⁶He would dwell in the thick cloud.

13 "⁷I have surely built You a lofty house, ⁸A place for Your dwelling forever."

14 Then the king faced * about and ⁹blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.

15 He said, "¹⁰Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, ¹¹who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hand, saying,

1 Kings 8:7-15 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. Exodus 25:13-15; Exodus 37:4, 5
• 2. Exodus 25:16, 21; Deuteronomy 10:2-5; Hebrews 9:4
• 3. Exodus 24:7, 8; Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 4:13
• 4. Exodus 40:34, 35; 2 Chronicles 7:1, 2
• 5. 2 Chronicles 6:1
• 6. Leviticus 16:2; Psalms 18:11; Psalms 97:2
• 7. 2 Samuel 7:13
• 8. Exodus 15:17; Psalms 132:14
• 9. 2 Samuel 6:18; 1 Kings 8:55
• 10. 1 Chronicles 29:10, 20; Nehemiah 9:5; Luke 1:68
• 11. 2 Samuel 7:12, 13; 1 Chronicles 22:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "turned his face about"