5. Now 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 that they could not be numbered or counted.
6. The kohanim brought the ark of the covenant of Adonai to its place, into the inner Sanctuary of the House, to the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cheruvim.
7. For the cheruvim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and the cheruvim covered the ark and its poles from above.
8. But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner Sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; there they are to this day.
9. Nothing was in the ark except the two tables of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, when Adonai cut a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10. Now when the kohanim came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the House of Adonai,
11. so that the kohanim could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Adonai filled the House of Adonai.
12. Then Solomon spoke: “Adonai said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
13. I have surely built You a magnificent House, a place for Your dwelling forever.”
14. Then the king turned his face about and blessed the whole congregation of Israel while the whole congregation of Israel was standing.
15. He said: “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and has fulfilled it by His hand, saying:
16. ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out from Egypt, I have not chosen a city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a House where My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’