7. For the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above.
8. The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside the sanctuary; they are there to this day.
9. Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10. When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the Lord’s temple,
11. and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
12. Then Solomon said:The Lord said that He would dwell in thick darkness.
13. I have indeed built an exalted temple for You,a place for Your dwelling forever.
14. The king turned around and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.
15. He said:May the Lord God of Israel be praised!He spoke directly to my father David,and He has fulfilled the promise by His power.He said,
16. “Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city to build a temple inamong any of the tribes of Israel,so that My name would be there.But I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.”