81 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes , the leaders of the fathers' households of the sons of Israel , to King Solomon in Jerusalem , to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the city of David , which is Zion . 2 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast , in the month Ethanim , which is the seventh month . 3 Then all the elders of Israel came , and the priests took up the ark . 4 They brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils , which were in the tent , and the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel , who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark , sacrificing so many sheep and oxen they could not be counted or numbered . 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place , into the inner sanctuary of the house , to the most holy place , under the wings of the cherubim . 7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark , and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above e . 8 But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before e the inner sanctuary , but they could not be seen outside ; they are there to this day . 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb , where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel , when they came out of the land of Egypt . 10 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord , 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because e 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 the thick cloud . 13 " I have surely built You a lofty house , A place for Your dwelling forever ." 14 Then the king faced e about and blessed all the assembly of Israel , while all the assembly of Israel was standing . 15 He said , " Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel , who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hand , saying , 16 ' Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt , I did not choose a city out of all 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 " Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord , the God of Israel . 18 "But the Lord said to my father David , 'Because e it was in your heart to build a house for My name , you did well that it was in your heart . 19 ' Nevertheless you shall not build the house , but your son who will be born e to you, he will build the house for My name .'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 8:1-19
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:1-11
(Read 1 Kings 8:1-11)
The bringing in the ark, is the end which must crown the work: this was done with great solemnity. The ark was fixed in the place appointed for its rest in the inner part of the house, whence they expected God to speak to them, even in the most holy place. The staves of the ark were drawn out, so as to direct the high priest to the mercy-seat over the ark, when he went in, once a year, to sprinkle the blood there; so that they continued of use, though there was no longer occasion to carry it by them. The glory of God appearing in a cloud may signify, 1. The darkness of that dispensation, in comparison with the light of the gospel, by which, with open face, we behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord. 2. The darkness of our present state, in comparison with the sight of God, which will be the happiness of heaven, where the Divine glory is unveiled.
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:12-21
(Read 1 Kings 8:12-21)
Solomon encouraged the priests, who were much astonished at the dark cloud. The dark dispensations of Providence should quicken us in fleeing for refuge to the hope of the gospel. Nothing can more reconcile us to them, than to consider what God has said, and to compare his word and works together. Whatever good we do, we must look on it as the performance of God's promise to us, not of our promises to him.