2 Then Solomon assembled to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes , the leaders of the fathers' households of the sons of Israel , to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David , which is Zion . 3 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast , that is in the seventh month . 4 Then all the elders of Israel came , and the Levites took up the ark . 5 They brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils which were in the tent ; the Levitical priests brought them up. 6 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark , were sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered . 7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place , into the inner sanctuary of the house , to the holy of holies , under the wings of the cherubim . 8 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark , so that the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles . 9 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles of the ark could be seen in front of the inner sanctuary , but they could not be seen outside ; and they are there to this day . 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb , where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel , when they came out of Egypt .
11 When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions ), 12 and all the Levitical singers , Asaph , Heman , Jeduthun , and their sons and kinsmen , clothed in fine linen , with cymbals , harps and lyres , standing east of the altar , and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets 13 in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord , and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music , and when they praised the Lord saying, " He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting ," then the house , the house of the Lord , was filled with a cloud ,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:2-13
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:1-10
(Read 2 Chronicles 5:1-10)
The ark was a type of Christ, and, as such, a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, does, in effect, bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we by faith and prayer plead that promise; and this we should be most earnest for. When Christ is formed in a soul, the law written in the heart, the ark of the covenant settled there, so that it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, there is true satisfaction in that soul.
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:11-14
(Read 2 Chronicles 5:11-14)
God took possession of the temple; he filled it with a cloud. Thus he signified his acceptance of this temple, to be the same to him that the tabernacle of Moses was, and assured his people that he would be the same in it. Would we have God dwell in our hearts, we must leave room for him; every thing else must give way. The Word was made flesh; and when he comes to his temple, like a refiner's fire, who may abide the day of his coming? May he prepare us for that day.