4All the elders of Israel came, and the Levites picked up the ark.

5They brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and the holy utensils that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up.

6King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel who had gathered around him were in front of the ark sacrificing sheep, goats, and cattle that could not be counted or numbered because there were so many.

7The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.5:7 2Ch 3:10

8And the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark so that the cherubim formed a cover above the ark and its poles.

9The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place5:9 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read the ark; 1Kg 8:85:9 1Kg 8:8 in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside; they are still there today.

10Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had put in it at Horeb,5:10 = Sinai5:10 Dt 10:2–5; Heb 9:4 where the Lord had made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.

11Now all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves regardless of their divisions.5:11 1Ch 24:1–5 When the priests came out of the holy place,

12the Levitical singers dressed in fine linen and carrying cymbals, harps, and lyres5:12 1Ch 13:8; 15:16,24 were standing east of the altar, and with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets.5:12 2Ch 7:6 The Levitical singers were descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun and their sons5:12 1Ch 25:1–4 and relatives.

13The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord with one voice. They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments,5:13 1Ch 16:42 in praise to the Lord: