8
The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day.
9
There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10
And when the priests came out of the holy place, a 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.
12
Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
13
I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever."
14
Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.
15
He said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David, saying,
16
"Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any of the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'
17
My father David had it in mind to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
18
But the Lord said to my father David, "You did well to consider building a house for my name;