1 Kings 8:7-15

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

8 The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; ^[a] and they are there to this day.

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

10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD

11 so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

Solomon Blesses the LORD

12 Then Solomon declared: ¹ “The LORD ^[c] has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

13 I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

14 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all

15 and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, 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. (2 Chronicles 6:1–11)

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally not from outside
• [b]. That is, Mount Sinai, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai
• [c]. Some LXX manuscripts The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but