the holy place, and passed beyond the veil, and placed the holy ark of God with the golden mercyseat in front of the lofty cherubims, which stood with wings outstretched within the holy of holies. And when they left the most holy place, and closed the veil before the ark, the hundred and twenty priests with the trumpets, and the four thousand Levites, who stood around the great altar, lifted up their voices as one man with the trumpets and instruments of music, to praise and thank the Lord. And as they praised the Lord, saying, "Praise the Lord; for He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever," the temple was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister within the holy place by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house. 1 Kings viii. 1-12. 2 Chronicles v. vi. 13.

Chapter CXLIII.

THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.

WHEN Solomon saw the cloud that filled the house of the Lord after the ark had been placed

within it, he knew that it was the sign of God's presence; and he said, "The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.”

Then he turned and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, who stood behind and around him in the great court of the temple, and said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with His hands fulfilled that which He spake with His mouth to David my father, saying, 'I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.' And the Lord said unto David my father, 'Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart: notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house, but thy son shall build the house unto my name.' The Lord therefore hath performed the word that He hath spoken; for I am risen up in the room of my father, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord that He made with Israel." There was nothing in the ark of God save the

two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were written, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel in the wilderness, and gave them these commandments and the law. Solomon called these two tables of stone, 'the covenant of the Lord,' because they were the sign of the covenant which God had made with His people.

Then king Solomon turned again towards the holy place in which the ark of God was, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven, and said, "O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in heaven above, or in earth beneath, who keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto Thy servants who walk before Thee with all their heart: who hast kept with Thy servant David my father, that which Thou promisedst him. And now, O God of Israel, let Thy word be verified which Thou spakest unto Thy servant David. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this

house which I have built? Yet have Thou respect unto the prayer that Thy servant prayeth before Thee to-day; that Thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which Thou hast said, 'My name shall dwell there; that Thou mayest hearken to the prayer which Thy servant shall make in this place; and hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and when Thou hearest, forgive. When Thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, ... or when heaven is shut up, and there be no rain, because they have sinned against Thee; if they pray towards this place, and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin when Thou afflictest them; then hear Thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy people Israel. . . . . What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands towards this house; then hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and forgive, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest; for Thou, even Thou only

knowest the hearts of all the children of men..... Now, therefore, arise, O Lord God, into Thy resting place, thou and the ark of Thy strength: let Thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness. O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed; remember the mercies of David Thy servant."

When Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings, and the sacrifices, which had been laid upon the brasen altar before the temple; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And when all the children of Israel saw the fire come down from heaven, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, "For He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever."

Then king Solomon arose from his knees, and stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, "Blessed be the Lord who hath given rest unto His people Israel, ac