ark of the covenant of the Lord unto its place,
into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place. There was
nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there
at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel,
when they came out of the land of Egypt. 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 by
reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the
Lord.

Then spoke Solomon, "The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the
thick darkness. I have surely built thee an house of habitation, a
place for thee to dwell in for ever."

{471}

And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation
of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. And he said,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, which spoke with his mouth
unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
'Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I
chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that
my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people
Israel.' Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house
for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said unto
David my father, 'Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house for
my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart: nevertheless thou
shalt not build the house; but thy son, he shall build the house for
my name.' And the Lord hath established his word that he spoke; for I
am risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of
Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of
the Lord, the God of Israel. And there have I set a place for the ark,
wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers,
when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

_The Prayer of the King_.

And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all
the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
and he said, "O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in
heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and mercy
with {472} thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart:
who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst
promise him: yea, thou hast spoken with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled
it w