Although the temple was finished in the eighth month (1 Kings 6:38), Solomon waited until the next year to dedicate it. He chose the annual Feast of Tabernacles in early autumn, during the month of Ethanim. This timing allowed for a grand celebration and added extra meaning to the event.
According to the law, Solomon and the people thanked God for the harvest. They also celebrated the promise from the song of Moses that God would settle his people in the promised land and live there (Exodus 15:17; Deuteronomy 12:10–14). Solomon's prayer and blessing suggest he was guiding his people in renewing their covenant with God, as outlined in Deuteronomy 31:10–13, during the seventh month of the seventh year of his reign.