History · Chapter 5 of 36

2 Chronicles 5

With the temple finished, Solomon gathers Israel's elders to bring up the ark from the city of David. Priests carry it into the most holy place beneath the cherubim's wings, where only the two tablets remain inside. As the singers and trumpeters unite in praise, declaring the LORD good and His mercy everlasting, a cloud fills the house so that the priests cannot minister, for the glory of the LORD has filled God's temple.

What happens in 2 Chronicles 5

When all the work is finished, Solomon brings in the treasures David had dedicated and stores them in the temple. He then assembles the elders and tribal heads to bring the ark of the covenant up from Zion, the city of David, at the feast in the seventh month. The Levites carry the ark, and Solomon and the congregation sacrifice sheep and oxen beyond number. The priests set the ark in the most holy place beneath the outstretched wings of the cherubim, its poles left in place.

Inside the ark are only the two stone tablets Moses placed there at Horeb. As the priests come out, the singers of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, arrayed in white with cymbals and harps, join a hundred and twenty trumpeters to make one sound of praise, singing that the LORD is good and His mercy endures forever. Then a cloud fills the house, and the glory of the LORD stops the priests from ministering.

2 Chronicles 5 in context

This is the climax of the temple narrative. The ark, the throne of God's presence among Israel since Sinai, finally comes to rest in its permanent home. Chronicles, ever attentive to worship, highlights the united song of the Levitical choirs and the descending glory-cloud, the same presence that had filled the tabernacle in Moses' day.

For the post-exilic readers, whose second temple lacked such visible glory, the memory stirred both longing and hope.

Main themes of 2 Chronicles 5

2 Chronicles 5 (KJV)

1Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God. 2Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. 4And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. 5And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. 6Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 7And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: 8For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 9And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. 10There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. 11And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: 12Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Verses to carry from 2 Chronicles 5

“And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:”2 Chronicles 5:7

“It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;”2 Chronicles 5:13

“So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.”2 Chronicles 5:14

Reflection

Notice that the glory fell as God's people praised His goodness and mercy with one voice. Unity and worship prepared the room for His presence. Where do division or self-focus keep you from that? Join your voice to God's people, fix it on His mercy, and make space for the glory that still comes to those who seek Him.

A prayer from 2 Chronicles 5