The Ark and the Glory

In the month Ethanim, at the feast, the elders and priests bring up the ark, the tent of meeting and the holy vessels, sacrificing sheep and oxen "that could not be told nor numbered." "There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb."

"And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD."

"Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever." He blesses the people: God said, "Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no city… but I chose David to be over my people Israel"; David's son has built the house.

The short poem (8:12–13)

In the Hebrew, Solomon's poem "The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness…" comes here. The library's Greek places a fuller form after 8:53, beginning "Then Solomon spoke… he made known the sun in the heavens." The Greek is commonly reported to add a source citation, "Is it not written in the book of the song?", which many scholars read as a misreading of "the book of Jashar" (שיר/ישר); that line is not visible in the library's digital Giguet text and has not been checked.

"I chose Jerusalem" (8:16)

The Hebrew of Kings 8:16 says God chose no city, but chose David. The library's Greek adds "but I chose Jerusalem for my name to be there," like 2 Chronicles 6:5–6. The Qumran fragment 4QKings (4Q54) is reported to have this longer text too. The Hebrew of Kings probably lost the words by eye-skip between two "I chose" clauses. See the passage page.

The tablets and the ark

Hebrews 9:4 says the ark held the manna jar and Aaron's rod too; 1 Kings 8:9 says only the tablets, at least by Solomon's time.