New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 So Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the LORD . Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the various articles—and he stored them in the treasuries of the Temple of God.
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That completed the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God. He then brought in the holy offerings of his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God's Temple. Installing the Chest
2 Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of tribes—the leaders of the ancestral families of Israel. They were to bring the Ark of the LORD ’s Covenant to the Temple from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion.
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Bringing all this to a climax, Solomon got all the leaders together in Jerusalem - all the chiefs of tribes and the family patriarchs - to move the Chest of the Covenant of God from Zion and install it in The Temple.
3 So all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn.
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All the men of Israel assembled before the king on the feast day of the seventh month, the Feast of Booths.
4 When all the elders of Israel arrived, the Levites picked up the Ark.
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When all the leaders of Israel were ready, the Levites took up the Chest.
5 The priests and Levites brought up the Ark along with the special tent and all the sacred items that had been in it.
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They carried the Chest, the Tent of Meeting, and all the sacred things in the Tent used in worship. The priests, all Levites, carried them.
6 There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!
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King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel were there before the Chest, worshiping and sacrificing huge numbers of sheep and cattle - so many that no one could keep track.
7 Then the priests carried the Ark of the LORD ’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
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The priests brought the Chest of the Covenant of God to its place in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim.
8 The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles.
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The outspread wings of the cherubim formed a canopy over the Chest and its poles.
9 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place, which is in front of the Most Holy Place, but not from the outside. They are still there to this day.
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The ends of the poles were so long that they stuck out from the entrance of the Inner Sanctuary, but were not noticeable further out - they're still there today.
10 Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Mount Sinai, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel when they left Egypt.
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There was nothing in the Chest itself but the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb where God made a covenant with Israel after bringing them up from Egypt.
11 Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day.
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The priests then left the Holy Place. All the priests there were consecrated, regardless of rank or assignment;
12 And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets.
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and all the Levites who were musicians were there - Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families, dressed in their worship robes; the choir and orchestra assembled on the east side of the Altar and were joined by 120 priests blowing trumpets.
13 The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the LORD . Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the LORD with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD .
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The choir and trumpets made one voice of praise and thanks to God - orchestra and choir in perfect harmony singing and playing praise to God: Yes! God is good! His loyal love goes on forever!
14 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.
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The priests couldn't even carry out their duties because of the cloud - the glory of God! - that filled The Temple of God.