La construction du bâtiment à l’emplacement prévu par David(A)

Salomon commença à bâtir le temple de l’Eternel à Jérusalem, sur la colline de Moriya[a] où l’Eternel était apparu à son père David, et à l’emplacement que celui-ci avait prévu sur l’aire d’Ornân, le Yebousien[b]. Salomon commença à bâtir le deuxième jour du deuxième mois[c] de la quatrième année de son règne. Les fondations du Temple avaient, selon l’ancienne unité de mesure, trente mètres de long et dix mètres de large. Le portique d’entrée avait dix mètres de large, comme le Temple, et dix mètres de haut[d]. Salomon le fit recouvrir intérieurement d’or pur. La grande salle[e] fut lambrissée de bois de cyprès et plaquée d’or pur, et on y cisela des feuilles de palmier et des guirlandes. Pour décorer le Temple, on incrusta des pierres précieuses ; l’or était de l’or de Parvaïm. Tout le Temple fut plaqué d’or : la salle, les poutres, les seuils, les parois, et les battants des portes, puis Salomon fit sculpter des chérubins sur les parois.

Le lieu très saint

A l’intérieur, il fit construire la salle du lieu très saint[f] ; elle avait dix mètres de long, sur la largeur du Temple, et dix mètres de large. Il utilisa vingt tonnes du meilleur or pour la recouvrir. Les clous, en or, pesaient six cents grammes. Il fit aussi couvrir d’or les plafonds.

10 Pour la salle du lieu très saint, on sculpta deux chérubins et on les recouvrit d’or[g]. 11 L’envergure totale de leurs ailes était de dix mètres. L’aile de l’un, longue de deux mètres cinquante, touchait le mur de la salle, l’autre aile de deux mètres cinquante touchait celle du second chérubin. 12 Celui-ci étendait une aile de deux mètres cinquante jusqu’à l’autre paroi de la salle, et son autre aile de deux mètres cinquante touchait l’aile du premier chérubin. 13 Ainsi, les ailes déployées de ces chérubins avaient bien une envergure totale de dix mètres. Les deux chérubins étaient debout sur leurs pieds et regardaient vers la salle.

14 Salomon fit tisser le voile de fils violets, pourpres et carmins, et de lin, et il y fit broder des chérubins[h].

Les colonnes de bronze

(1 R 7.15-22)

15 Devant le Temple, il fit édifier deux colonnes hautes de dix-sept mètres surmontées d’un chapiteau de deux mètres cinquante de haut. 16 Le sommet de ces colonnes était décoré de guirlandes comme celles du sanctuaire. Cent grenades étaient suspendues à ces guirlandes. 17 Il fit ériger les colonnes sur la façade du Temple de part et d’autre de l’entrée. Salomon appela celle de droite Yakîn (Il affermit) et celle de gauche Boaz (La force est en Lui).

Footnotes

  1. 3.1 Seul passage de l’Ancien Testament qui identifie la colline de Sion avec le mont Morija où Abraham s’est rendu pour sacrifier Isaac (Gn 22.2). Pour l’apparition de l’Eternel à David, voir 2 S 24.16-17 ; 1 Ch 21.15-16.
  2. 3.1 Voir 1 Ch 21.15 à 22.1.
  3. 3.2 L’année israélite commence en mars-avril. Le deuxième mois tombe donc en avril-mai.
  4. 3.4 Le texte hébreu indique 120 coudées (60 mètres de haut). Certains manuscrits des anciennes versions grecque et syriaque ont 20 coudées (10 mètres), rétablissant sans doute le chiffre primitif.
  5. 3.5 C’est-à-dire le lieu saint.
  6. 3.8 Voir Ex 26.33-34.
  7. 3.10 Pour les v. 10-13, voir Ex 25.18-20.
  8. 3.14 Voir Ex 26.31. Le voile, dans le Temple, était doublé d’une porte (4.22 ; 1 R 6.31).

And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, in the hill of Moriah, that was showed to David, his father, in the place that David had made ready in the cornfloor of Ornan (the) Jebusite. (And so Solomon began to build the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, on the place that David had prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.)

Forsooth he began to build in the second day of the (second) month, in the fourth year of his realm. (And he began to build on the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign, or of his kingdom.)

And these were the foundaments, which Solomon setted, that he should build the house of God; sixty cubits of length in the first measure, and twenty cubits of breadth. (And these were the foundations, which Solomon laid, that he would build for the House of God; sixty cubits in length, at the old measure, and twenty cubits in breadth.)

And he builded a porch before the front, that was stretched forth along beside, or at the measure of, the breadth of the house, of twenty cubits, and the highness was of an hundred and twenty cubits; and he overgilded it within with cleanest gold. (And he built a vestibule, or an entrance room, at the front, that was stretched forth along beside, or at the measure of, the breadth of the House, of twenty cubits, and its highness was a hundred and twenty cubits; and he overgilded it within with the purest gold.)

Also he covered the greater house with boards of box, and he fastened plates of gold of the best colour all about; and he graved therein palm trees, and as small chains embracing themselves together. (And he covered the large inner chamber with box boards, and he fastened gold plates of the best colour, that is, most pure, all about; and he carved on them palm trees, and small chains linked together.)

And he arrayed the pavement of the temple with most precious marble, in much fairness. And the gold was most proved, (And he arrayed the Temple with most precious marble, in much fairness, or for great beauty. And the gold was from Parvaim,)

of whose plates he covered the house, and the beams thereof, and the posts, and the walls, and the doors; and he graved cherubims, that is, angels, in the walls. (of whose plates he covered the House, and its beams, and the posts, and the walls, and the doors; and he carved cherubim, that is, angels, on the walls.)

Also he made an house to the holy of holy things, in length by the breadth of the house, of twenty cubits, and the breadth also of twenty cubits; and he covered it with golden plates, as with six hundred talents in value. (And he made the Holy of Holies, that is, the Most Holy Place, twenty cubits in length, which was equal to the breadth of the Temple, and also twenty cubits in breadth; and he covered it with gold plates worth six hundred talents in value.)

And also he made golden nails, so that each nail weighed fifty shekels; and he covered the solars with gold. (And he made gold nails, and each nail weighed fifty shekels; and he covered the solariums, or the upper rooms, with gold.)

10 Also he made in the house of the holy of holy things (And he made in the Holy of Holies, that is, in the Most Holy Place), two cherubims by the work of an image maker, and covered them with gold.

11 The wings of cherubims were holden forth by twenty cubits (The cherubim’s wings were stretched out twenty cubits), so that one wing had five cubits, and it touched the wall of the house; and the tother wing had five cubits, and it touched the wing of the other cherub.

12 In like manner the one wing of the other cherub had five cubits, and it touched the wall, and the other wing thereof that was (also) of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub.

13 Therefore the wings of ever either cherub were spread abroad, and they were holden forth by twenty cubits; and those cherubims stood upon [the] feet raised up, and their faces were turned to the outermore house. (And so the wings of both cherubim were spread out, and they stretched out twenty cubits; and the cherubim stood, raised up on their feet, and their faces were turned to the outer chamber.)

14 Also he made a veil of jacinth, and purple, of red silk, and bis; and weaved cherubims therein. (And he made the Veil, or the Curtain, out of jacinth, and purple, and red silk, and fine linen; and he weaved figures of cherubim into it.)

15 Also before the gates of the temple he made two pillars, which had five and thirty cubits of height; and the heads of those pillars were of five cubits in height. (And in front of the gates of the Temple he made two pillars, which were thirty-five cubits tall; and the pommels, or the capitals, of those pillars were five cubits tall.)

16 Also he made as it were little chains in God’s answering place, and he putted them on the heads of the pillars (And he made little chains, as there were in the Most Holy Place, that is, the Holy of Holies, and he put them on the capitals of the pillars); also he made an hundred pomegranates, which he setted betwixt the little chains.

17 And he setted those pillars in the porch of the temple (And he set up those pillars at the front of the Temple), one at the right side, and the other at the left side; he called that pillar that was at the right side Jachin, and that that was at the left side he called Boaz.

Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.

And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.

And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.

He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.

And he made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.

And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

10 And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.

11 And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.

12 And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.

13 The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward.

14 And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.

15 Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.

16 And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.

17 And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

Solomon Builds the Temple(A)

Now (B)Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at (C)Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where [a]the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of (D)Ornan[b] the Jebusite. And he began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

This is the foundation (E)which Solomon laid for building the house of God: The length was sixty cubits (by cubits according to the former measure) and the width twenty cubits. And the (F)vestibule that was in front of [c]the sanctuary was twenty cubits long across the width of the house, and the height was [d]one hundred and twenty. He overlaid the inside with pure gold. (G)The larger [e]room he (H)paneled with cypress which he overlaid with fine gold, and he carved palm trees and chainwork on it. And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was gold from Parvaim. He also overlaid the house—the beams and doorposts, its walls and doors—with gold; and he carved cherubim on the walls.

And he made the (I)Most Holy Place. Its length was according to the width of the house, twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits. He overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold. The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold; and he overlaid the upper (J)area with gold. 10 (K)In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim, fashioned by carving, and overlaid them with gold. 11 The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits in overall length: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the room, and the other wing was five cubits, touching the wing of the other cherub; 12 one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the room, and the other wing also was five cubits, touching the wing of the other cherub. 13 The wings of these cherubim spanned twenty cubits overall. They stood on their feet, and they faced inward. 14 And he made the (L)veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and wove cherubim into it.

15 Also he made in front of the [f]temple (M)two pillars [g]thirty-five cubits [h]high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16 He made wreaths of chainwork, as in the inner sanctuary, and put them on top of the pillars; and he made (N)one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the wreaths of chainwork. 17 Then he (O)set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand [i]Jachin, and the name of the one on the left [j]Boaz.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 3:1 Lit. He, following MT, Vg.; LXX the Lord; Tg. the Angel of the Lord
  2. 2 Chronicles 3:1 Araunah, 2 Sam. 24:16ff
  3. 2 Chronicles 3:4 The holy place, the main room of the temple, 1 Kin. 6:3
  4. 2 Chronicles 3:4 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Arab., some LXX mss., Syr. twenty
  5. 2 Chronicles 3:5 Lit. house
  6. 2 Chronicles 3:15 Lit. house
  7. 2 Chronicles 3:15 eighteen, 1 Kin. 7:15; 2 Kin. 25:17; Jer. 52:21
  8. 2 Chronicles 3:15 Lit. long
  9. 2 Chronicles 3:17 Lit. He Shall Establish
  10. 2 Chronicles 3:17 Lit. In It Is Strength