The Missing Jigsaw Piece

^[2] Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. ^[3] And all the men of Israel came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month. ^[4] When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, ^[5] and they brought up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests, who were Levites, carried them up; ^[6] and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted. ^[7] The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. ^[8] The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles. ^[9] These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. ^[10] There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt. ^[11] The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. ^[12] All the Levites who were musicians-Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. ^[13] The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, ^[14] and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. ^[1] Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; ^[2] I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.” ^[3] While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. ^[4] Then he said: “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said, ^[5] ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel. ^[6] But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’ ^[7] “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ^[8] But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. ^[9] Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood-he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’ ^[10] “The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ^[11] There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.