2 Chronicles3

King Solomon commenced the construction of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, at the site previously prepared by David. The temple was built with precise dimensions, extensively overlaid with pure gold, and adorned with precious stones. Key features included a grand porch, a Most Holy House, two large cherubim, and two prominent pillars named Jachin and Boaz.

Temple Construction Begins

1
Then Shlomo began to build the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim on Mount Moriyah, where ADONAI had appeared to David his father. Provision had been made for this at the place David had chosen, the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y'vusi. ​
2
He began building in the fourth year of his reign, on the second day of the second month. ​

Dimensions and Decoration of the Temple

3
These are the foundations Shlomo laid for building the house of God: the length in old-standard cubits was sixty cubits [105 feet] and the width twenty cubits [thirty-five feet]. ​
4
The length of the hall fronting the house was the same as the house's width, thirty-five feet and the height 210 [feet]; and he overlaid it with pure gold. ​
5
The larger house he covered with cypress-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold and embossed with palm trees and chains.
6
He also decorated the building with precious stones and gold from Parvayim, ​
7
overlaying the house and its beams, thresholds, walls and doors with gold and carving k'ruvim on the walls. ​

The Most Holy Place and Cherubim

8
Then he made the Especially Holy Place; its length matched the width of the house, thirty-five feet, and its width was thirty-five feet. He overlaid it with twenty tons of fine gold. ​
9
The weight of the nails was one-and-a-quarter pounds of gold, and he overlaid the upper rooms with gold.
10
Inside the Especially Holy Place he made two k'ruvim of cast metal, and they overlaid them with gold. ​
11
The wings of the k'ruvim were thirty-five feet long - the wing of the one keruv was eight-and-three-quarters feet long and touched the wall of the house; the other wing was also eight-and-three-quarters feet long, so that it touched the wing of the other keruv.
12
The wing of the other keruv was eight-and-three-quarters feet long, touching the wall of the house; and the other wing was also eight-and-three-quarters feet long, touching the wing of the first keruv.
13
The wings of these k'ruvim spread out over thirty-five feet. They stood on their feet with their faces turned inward. ​
14
He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson material and of fine linen, with a design of k'ruvim worked into it. ​

The Bronze Pillars: Jachin and Boaz

15
In front of the house he made two columns sixty-one-and-a-quarter feet high, with a capital of eight-and-three-quarters feet on top of each. ​
16
He made chains in the sanctuary and added them to the tops of the columns, and he made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.
17
He erected the columns in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left; the one on the right he called Yakhin, and the one on the left he called Bo'az. ​

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 3

Verse 1

This verse establishes the sacred location of the Temple on Mount Moriah, linking it historically to Abraham’s near-sacrifice (Gen. 22) and temporally to the threshing floor of Ornan, where David built an altar to stop the plague (1 Chr. 21). This site was consecrated by divine command and sacrifice.

Verse 2

The construction began in the spring (second month) of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, which is generally dated around 966 BC, indicating careful chronological record-keeping by the Chronicler.

Verse 3

The 'first measure' refers to the older, longer standard cubit (approximately 20.4 inches). The main hall (the Holy Place) measured 60 cubits long and 20 cubits wide, following the basic dimensions of the Tabernacle but on a much grander scale.

Verse 4

The 120-cubit height of the porch is significantly taller than the main structure (1 Kings 6:2 reports 30 cubits high for the main house), leading many scholars to suggest this figure may be hyperbole or a scribal error emphasizing vertical majesty.

Verse 6

The description of the house being 'garnished' and overlaid with 'gold of Parvaim' emphasizes the incredible wealth dedicated to the structure. Parvaim is an unknown location, likely a source famous for fine or particularly abundant gold.

Verse 7

The comprehensive overlaying of all internal surfaces with gold, including beams, posts, and doors, ensured that the entire structure shone as a testament to God’s glory and the wealth of the Davidic monarchy.

Verse 8

The Most Holy House (the inner sanctuary or Holy of Holies) was a perfect cube (20x20x20 cubits), a shape symbolizing completeness and perfection, reflecting the immediate presence of the Holy God.

Verse 10

These massive cherubim, distinct from those on the Ark of the Covenant, were fashioned to stand guard over the Holy of Holies. They visually reinforced the concept of heavenly beings surrounding the divine presence.

Verse 13

The total wing span of the two cherubim was 20 cubits, stretching across the entire width of the inner sanctuary. Their faces were turned inward toward the room, though not explicitly toward the Ark itself.

Verse 14

The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, signifying the necessary barrier between sinful humanity and God’s unmediated presence. The colors (blue, purple, crimson) were highly valuable royal and priestly dyes.

Verse 15

These two massive bronze pillars stood freely in front of the Temple and were purely symbolic, not structural. The height given here (35 cubits) may include the chapiters, differing slightly from the 1 Kings account (18 cubits).

Verse 17

The names assigned to the pillars were theological statements: Jachin means 'He establishes' (referring to God establishing the Temple or dynasty), and Boaz means 'In him is strength.' They served as permanent reminders of God’s covenant fidelity and power.

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