1 Kings 8:3

3 When all the leaders of Israel had arrived, the priests picked up the LORD's ark.

1 Kings 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:3

And all the elders of Israel came
To Zion, the city of David:

and the priests took up the ark;
from thence; in ( 2 Chronicles 5:4 ) it is said the Levites did it, whose business it was, ( Deuteronomy 31:25 ) , and so the priests might be called; for every priest was a Levite, though every Levite was not a priest, and the priests did at all times bear the ark; see ( Joshua 3:15 ) ( 6:4 ) ( 2 Samuel 15:29 ) .

1 Kings 8:3 In-Context

1 Then Solomon assembled the respected leaders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the Israelite families. They came to King Solomon in Jerusalem to take the ark of the LORD's promise from the City of David (that is, Zion).

2 All the people of Israel gathered around King Solomon at the Festival [of Booths] in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

3 When all the leaders of Israel had arrived, the priests picked up the LORD's ark.

4 They brought the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy utensils in it [to the temple]. The priests and the Levites carried them

5 while King Solomon with the whole assembly from Israel were offering countless sheep and cattle sacrifices in front of the ark.