10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud afilled the house of the Lord,
11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the aglory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
12aThen Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell bin the dark cloud.
13aI have surely built You an exalted house, bAnd a place for You to dwell in forever.”
Solomon’s Speech at Completion of the Work
14 Then the king turned around and ablessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.
15 And he said: a“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who bspoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,
16 ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel inwhich to build a house, that aMy name might be there; but I chose bDavid to be over My people Israel.’
17 Now ait was in the heart of my father David to build a1 temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
18aBut the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.
19 Nevertheless ayou shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’
20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have1 filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, aas the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
21 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which isathe covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
22 Then Solomon stood before athe altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and bspread out his hands toward heaven;
23 and he said: “Lord God of Israel, athereis no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, bwho keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who cwalk before You with all their hearts.
THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF KINGS, in the ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, constitute one book. Various titles have been given them; in the Septuagint and the Vulgate they are called the Third and Fourth Books of Kings. The authorship of these books is unknown; but the prevailing opinion is that they were compiled by Ezra, or one of the later prophets, from the ancient documents that are so frequently referred to in the course of the history as of public and established authority. Their inspired character was acknowledged by the Jewish Church, which ranked them in the sacred canon; and, besides, it is attested by our Lord, who frequently quotes from them (compare I Kings 17:9; II Kings 5:14 with Luke 4:24-27; I Kings 10:1 with Matthew 12:42).
