1 kings 8:1 - Then 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 Yahweh’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion.

Generated Verse: 1 kings 8:1

What does "1 kings 8:1" mean?


This verse (1 Kings 8:1) describes the formal gathering of Israel's leadership by King Solomon for a very specific and important purpose: to relocate the Ark of the Covenant to the newly built Temple in Jerusalem.

Let's break it down:

"Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, with all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel...": This emphasizes that Solomon convened a significant assembly. It wasn't a small, private affair. He called together the respected elders, the leaders of each of the tribes of Israel, and the heads of the prominent families/clans. This was a representative gathering of the entire nation. The purpose was to publicly demonstrate unity and support for this important religious act.

"...to king Solomon in Jerusalem...": The destination of this assembly was Jerusalem, Solomon's capital. This highlights Jerusalem's central role in the kingdom and its importance as the location of the new Temple. All these leaders traveled to the King to fulfill this purpose.

"...to bring up the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion.": This is the reason for the gathering.
"the ark of Yahweh’s covenant": This is the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was the most holy object in Israel and represented God's presence and covenant relationship with his people.
"out of David’s city, which is Zion": Before the Temple was built, the Ark had been kept in the "City of David" (also known as Zion), which was the original part of Jerusalem conquered by King David. Now, Solomon was moving the Ark from this temporary location to its permanent home in the newly constructed Temple. "Bringing it up" implies a ceremonial procession, as the Temple was built on higher ground.

In essence, the verse sets the scene for a pivotal event in Israel's history. Solomon, recognizing the Ark's central importance to Israel's faith, gathered the nation's leaders to formally move the Ark of the Covenant from its temporary location in David's City to its rightful place within the newly constructed Temple, thus solidifying Jerusalem as the religious center of Israel. The movement of the Ark was a symbolic act, representing God's presence now residing permanently within the Temple.