First Reading1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
From the First Book of Kings
1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel with all the heads of the tribes,the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel,to King Solomon in Jerusalem,to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion.2All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim,which is the seventh month.3All the elders of Israel came,and the priests picked up the ark.4They brought up the Lord’s ark,the Tent of Meeting,and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent.The priests and the Levites brought these up.5King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel,who were assembled to him,were with him before the ark,sacrificing sheep and cattlethat could not be counted or numbered for multitude.6The priests brought in the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place,into the inner sanctuary of the house,to the most holy place,even under the cherubim’s wings.7For the cherubim spread their wings out over the place of the ark,and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above. verse 8 is not read9There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tabletswhich 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.10It came to pass,when the priests had come out of the holy place,that the cloud filled the Lord’s house,11so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud;for the Lord’s glory filled the Lord’s house.
12Then Solomon said,“The Lord has saidthat he would dwell in the thick darkness.13I have surely built you a house of habitation,a place for you to dwell in forever.”