and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the <sc>Lordsc> made with our ancestors<n id="1" /> when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon&#8217;s reign over Israel, during the month Ziv<n id="1" /> (the second month), he began building the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.<n id="1" /> It was there that<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

Others will then answer,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Because they abandoned the <sc>Lordsc> their God, who led their ancestors<n id="2" /> out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served.<n id="3" /> That is why the <sc>Lordsc> has brought all this disaster down on them.&#8217;&#8221;p>

After the king had consulted with his advisers,<n id="1" /> he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people,<n id="2" /> &#8220;It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.&#8221;