2Chronicles 5

5So 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.H4399H8010H6213H1004H3068H7999H8010H935H6944H1732H1H6944H3701H2091H3627H5414H214H1004H430

The Ark Brought to the Temple

2Solomon 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.H8010H6950H2205H3478H7218H4294H5387H1H1121H3478H3389H5927H727H1285H3068H5892H1732H6726 3So all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn

.H376H3478H6950H4428H2282H7637H2320 4When all the elders of Israel arrived, the Levites picked up the Ark.H2205H3478H935H3881H5375H727 5The priests and Levites brought up the Ark along with the special tent

and all the sacred items that had been in it.H5927H727H168H4150H6944H3627H168H3548H3881H5927 6There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!H4428H8010H5712H3478H3259H6440H727H2076H6629H1241H5608H4487H7230 7Then 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.H3548H935H727H1285H3068H4725H1687H1004H6944H6944H3671H3742 8The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles.H3742H6566H3671H4725H727H3742H3680H727H905H4605 9These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Temple's main room—the Holy Place

—but not from the outside. They are still there to this day.H748H905H7218H905H7200H727H6440H1687H7200H2351H3117 10Nothing 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.H727H8147H3871H4872H5414H2722H3068H3772H1121H3478H3318H4714 11Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day.H3548H3318H6944H3548H4672H6942H8104H4256 12And 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.H3881H7891H623H1968H3038H1121H251H3847H948H4700H5035H3658H5975H4217H4196H3967H6242H3548H2690H2689 13The 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.H2690H2690H7891H259H259H6963H8085H1984H3034H3068H7311H6963H2689H4700H3627H7892H1984H3068H2896H2617H5769H1004H4390H6051H1004H3068 14The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.H3548H3201H5975H8334H6440H6051H3519H3068H4390H1004H430