1 Kings 5:1–5
These verses describe how King Solomon prepared to build the Temple for the Lord. Hiram, king of Tyre, who had been a friend of David, sent his servants to Solomon to show goodwill. Solomon explained that his father David could not build a temple for God because of the wars he faced, but now, since the kingdom was at peace, Solomon planned to build it as the Lord had promised.
1 Kings 8:1–13
This passage recounts the dedication of the completed Temple. Solomon gathered Israel's leaders to bring the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David (Zion) into the Temple. When the priests placed the Ark in the inner sanctuary, the cloud of God's presence filled the Temple, showing that the Lord's glory dwelt there. Solomon then declared that he had built a dwelling place for God.
