1 Kings 8:7-15

7 for the cherubim [were] spreading their wings over the place of the ark. The cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles from above.

8 The poles [were] long, and the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place {in front of} the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen [from] the outside, and they are there until this day.

9 There was not [anything] in the ark {except} the two tablets of stone which Moses had placed there at Horeb, where Yahweh {made} [a covenant] with the {Israelites} after they went out from the land of Egypt.

10 When the priests went out from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of Yahweh.

11 The priests [were] not able to stand to minister {because of the presence of} the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.

Solomon’s Proclamation to the Assembly of Israel

12 Then Solomon said, "Yahweh has said that [he] would dwell in the very thick cloud.

13 I have certainly built a lofty house for you, a place for you to live forever."

14 [Then] the king turned his face around, and he blessed all of the assembly of Israel. (Now all the assembly of Israel was standing).

15 Then he said, "Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who has promised with his mouth [to] David my father and fulfilled {by his oath}, 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "on the face of"
• [b]. Hebrew "only"
• [c]. Literally "cut"
• [d]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [e]. Literally "from [the] face of"
• [f]. Literally "by his hand"