1 Kings 8:5

And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him were with him; before the ark [Prayers and sacrifices alike were offered toward the mercy seat ( Psalms 28:2 ; cf. Exodus 25:22 ) ], sacrificing sheep and oxen [apparently the ark festal en route (cf. 2 Samuel 6:18 ) whilst the sacrifices were offered. The object of the sacrifice was to testify the grateful joy of the people at the proximate realization of their hopes. There may have been also in the background the idea of averting the Divine anger, of making a propitiation for possible errors and imperfections in their service. There were tragedies connected with the removal of the ark in time past ( 1 Samuel 4:17 ; 1 Samuel 6:19 ; 2 Samuel 6:7 ) which, we may be sure, were not altogether forgotten on this occasion] that could not be told or numbered for multitude. [Cf. 2 Samuel 6:13 . But the sacrifices on that occasion were on a much smaller scale ( 1 Chronicles 15:26 ). Josephus adds (Ant. 8.4. 1), that a vast quantity of incense was burnt, and that men preceded the ark, singing and dancing, until it reached its destination].