1 Terminou então a construção do templo alomão trouxe para o seu interior os dons consagrados ao Senhor pelo seu pai, o rei David; foram arrumados nos tesouros do templo.2 Salomão convocou então para Jerusalém todos os líderes de Israel -os cabeças de tribos e de clãs- para a cerimónia de transferência da arca do tabernáculo que se encontrava na cidade de David (também conhecida por Sião) para a sua nova morada no templo. Esta celebração teve lugar no mês de Outubro, pela ocasião da festividade dos tabernáculos. Sob o olhar dos chefes de Israel, os levitas ergueram a arca e tiraram-na do tabernáculo, com todos os outros recipientes sagrados. O rei Salomão, assim como os outros, sacrificaram ovelhas e bois perante a arca, em tal quantidade que ninguém tentou sequer contar!7 Depois os sacerdotes levaram a arca para a sala interior do templo -o lugar santíssimo- e colocou-a sob as asas dos querubins; essas asas cobriam pois toda a arca e os seus varais. Estes últimos eram tão longos que podiam ser vistos do lado de fora da sala, ainda que não do exterior do edifício. A arca encontra-se ali ainda no dia de hoje. Nela havia as duas tábuas de pedra que Moisés lá colocara, no Monte Horebe, quando o Senhor fez uma aliança com o povo de Israel, ao tempo em que deixaram o Egipto.11 Depois de terem executado as cerimónias da sua própria purificação, os sacerdotes participaram todos nas cerimónias, sem preocupação com as funções de cada um. Os levitas davam louvores ao Senhor quando os sacerdotes saíam do lugar santíssimo! Como cantores havia Asafe, Hemã, Jedutum, mais todos os seus filhos e irmãos, vestidos com roupas tecidas com linho fino; mantinham-se no lado oriental do altar. Esse coro era acompanhado por cento e vinte sacerdotes tocando trombetas, enquanto outros tocavam címbalos, liras e harpas. Tanto a banda como o coro louvavam harmoniosamente e agradeciam ao Senhor, porque a sua benignidade dura para sempre. As frases dos cantores eram acompanhadas e intercaladas com partes musicais, pelos instrumentos. O tema fundamental dessa acção de louvores era O Senhor é bom! A sua bondade é eterna!Nessa altura, a glória do Senhor, vindo como uma nuvem luminosa, encheu o templo, de tal forma que nem sequer os sacerdotes puderam continuar a ministrar.

1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, he put among the treasures of the house of God.2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion.3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled to him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim:8 For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark, and the staffs of it above.9 And they drew out the staffs of the ark, that the ends of the staffs were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is to this day.10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put in it at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.11 And it came to pass, when the priests had come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:12 Also the Levites who were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren; being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.