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I Kings 8; II Chronicles 5     Listen Podcast

 

 

How to move the Ark without deaths (I Kings 8:1-11; II Chronicles 5)
(Also see notes on II Chronicles 7:1-3)

I Kings 8
II Chronicles 5
1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion.
2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4 Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.
5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.
7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.
8 The poles extended so that 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 outside. And they are there to this day.
9 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10 ¶ And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
1 So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the LORD was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
2 ¶ Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD up from the City of David, which is Zion.
3 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.
4 So all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.
5 Then they brought up the ark, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.
6 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
7 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.
8 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.
9 The poles extended so that the ends of the poles of the ark could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day.
10 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt.
11 ¶ And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions),
12 and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets—
13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:
“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

The Temple is complete. This project began back in I Kings 5/II Chronicles 2 (see notes). Now we need to get the Ark of the Covenant into the new temple. You didn't casually move the Ark of the Covenant on a whim; people have died for such, as was the case with Uzzah (II Samuel 6:1-12; I Chronicles 13:1-14, see notes).

It's time to kick into action all those musicians David appointed before his death. But first...everybody needs to be consecrated before God. We don't want any moving-the-ark mishaps this time. And so it was done - everybody consecrated who were involved in moving the ark. It's time to transport the Ark to its new home in the Holy of Holies. In order to undertake such an awesome responsibility, they show God their sincerity and willingness to obey with sacrifices, or as I Kings 8:5 says, "...sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude." Now that's a lot of sacrificing; must have worked, though - no deaths are recorded here. We see in II Chronicles 5:11 that all of the priests, regardless of course (see notes on I Chronicles 24), were involved in the move.

And finally, how do you know you've erected a house that God will actually indwell? It's simple; look at II Chronicles 5:13-14. Remember that cloud by day back in the wilderness which represented God's presence? Well, here it is again - inside the new temple. I love it when a plan comes together. It's the Shekinah Glory - filling the new temple!

Hey! Something's missing here! Look at II Chronicles 5:10, "Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt." The same statement of fact is found in I Kings 8:9. Has anyone seen Aaron's rod and that jar of manna we stuck in the ark back in Exodus 16:32-34 (see notes)? It appears to be missing now. I suppose somewhere along the way those two items were removed; that's all we know.

The content of the remaining portion of I Kings 8 is also found in II Chronicles 6-7. Click here to see that summary.

Solomon's pre-prayer comments to the people of Israel (I Kings 8:12-21; II Chronicles 6:1-11)
(Also found in II Chronicles 6:1-11, see notes)

I Kings 8
II Chronicles 6
12 ¶ Then Solomon spoke:
“The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
13 I have surely built You an exalted house,
And a place for You to dwell in forever.”
14 ¶ Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.
15 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,
16 “Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe 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 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18 But the LORD said to my father David, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.
19 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’
20 So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
21 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
1 Then Solomon spoke:
“The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
2 I have surely built You an exalted house,
And a place for You to dwell in forever.”
3 ¶ Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.
4 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,
5 “Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel.
6 Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
8 But the LORD said to my father David, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart.
9 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’
10 So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
11 And there I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which He made with the children of Israel.”

Of all the people among whom God could have chosen to dwell, we're it. Of all the places in which God could have had a temple built, this is it. Solomon blesses the people of Jerusalem this day. As he speaks to the people of Israel, he reviews the provisions of the Davidic Covenant proclaiming that Israel is the nation of God and that the throne of David shall endure forever (II Samuel 7:12-16, see notes). In his presentation, he points out that God had authorized the building of this new temple by David's son, Solomon himself.

Solomon does a prayer of dedication (I Kings 8:22-53)
(Also found in II Chronicles 6:12-42, see notes)

I Kings 8
II Chronicles 6
22 ¶ Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;
23 and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
24 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.
25 Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, “You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’
26 And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.
27 ¶ “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today:
29 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, “My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place.
30 And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
31 ¶ “When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple,
32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
33 ¶ “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple,
34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.
35 ¶ “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
37 ¶ “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is;
38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple:
39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men),
40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
41 ¶ “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake
42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple,
43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
44 ¶ “When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name,
45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46 ¶ “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near;
47 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, “We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’;
48 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:
49 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause,
50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them
51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace),
52 that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You.
53 For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.”
12 ¶ Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands
13 (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven);
14 and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
15 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.
16 Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, “You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’
17 And now, O LORD God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David.
18 ¶ “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
19 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You:
20 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place.
21 And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.
22 ¶ “If anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple,
23 then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
24 ¶ “Or if Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple,
25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.
26 ¶ “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
28 ¶ “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is;
29 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple:
30 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men),
31 that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
32 ¶ “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple;
33 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
34 ¶ “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name,
35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
36 ¶ “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near;
37 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, “We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness’;
38 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name:
39 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
40 Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place.
41 “Now therefore,
Arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,
And let Your saints rejoice in goodness.
42 “O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed;
Remember the mercies of Your servant David.”


This is one of those covenant prayers - and a long prayer at that. Solomon is well aware of the fact that Israel has lapses of service to the Lord from time to time; he includes that fact in his prayer of dedication. He also makes an important statement in verse 46 when he prays, "When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin)..." Of course, this is the cornerstone doctrine indicating the need for a Savior. Romans 3:23 (see notes) says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." It is interesting, though, that Solomon, beginning in verse 46, seems to assume that his people will sin and fall into captivity because of their sin. You will recall back in Deuteronomy 30 (see notes) that Moses prophesied that Israel would, indeed, sin and fall into captivity. Solomon includes in his prayer the notion that Israel, after going into captivity, will once again turn back to the Lord; at this point in his prayer he calls upon God to forgive them when they repent while in captivity.

This fall and repentance was all part of the prophecy Moses had given in Deuteronomy 29-30 (see notes). It's interesting that Solomon simply accepts Moses' prophecy as a given reality, even though it has not taken place yet. I'm guessing that it did not occur to Solomon that his own permission for his wives' pagan idols to be set up on the temple grounds would go a long way toward Israel's moral corruption and ultimate fall as indicated in I Kings 11:1-8 (see notes).

And now...a word for the people (I Kings 8:54-61)
The following post-prayer comments are only recorded in I Kings 8.

54 ¶ And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, that he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55 Then he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:
56 “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.
57 May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,
58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.
59 And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require,
60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.
61 Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”

No dedication is complete without a word to the people - a pep talk about doing right and a word of blessing upon the people of Israel. You will note Solomon's statement in verse 56 that God had fulfilled his promise to Israel through Moses inasmuch as they now have rest. This promise to Moses is seen in Deuteronomy 12:9 (see notes). Israel is to be God's show piece on earth to all the people of the world (verse 60).

Let the sacrifices begin (I Kings 8:62-66)
(Also found in II Chronicles 7:4-11, see notes)

I Kings 8
II Chronicles 7
62 ¶ Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD.
63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
64 On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65 ¶ At that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven more days—fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.
4 ¶ Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.
5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
6 And the priests attended to their services; the Levites also with instruments of the music of the LORD, which King David had made to praise the LORD, saying, “For His mercy endures forever,” whenever David offered praise by their ministry. The priests sounded trumpets opposite them, while all Israel stood.
7 ¶ Furthermore Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.
8 ¶ At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt.
9 And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel.
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house.


Seven days of sacrificing? Whoaaa! They're breaking in the new altar - 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep in 7 days. To make room for the large numbers of sacrifices, the whole middle part of the court in front of the temple was consecrated.

This dedication was combined with the Feast of Tabernacles (see Feasts Table). We see in verse 2 that they were gathered for their regular annual feast. It appears that they actually observed their Feast of Tabernacles for seven days and then the dedication of the new temple for an additional seven days. That clarification is seen when comparing verse 2 here with verses 65-66 and additionally considering the wording of II Chronicles 7:7-8.