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2 Chronicles 3
The Voice

These foreigners are not paid day laborers; they are slaves forced to build a temple they may never enter. This scenario is similar to the Hebrews’ forced labor in Egypt and to the Israelites’ eventual forced labor in Babylonia. But one thing makes Solomon’s rule over them different: he presumably follows the laws of God regarding slaves (Leviticus 25:39–55). These laws specify that slaves may come from surrounding nations, must be treated fairly, and must be released in the jubilee year (a prescribed time every 50 years when debts are forgiven, seized land returns to its original owners, and slaves are freed).

3 1-2 Having assembled the materials and workers for the temple, Solomon began to build the Eternal’s temple on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his reign. He built it in Jerusalem on Ornan the Jebusite’s threshing floor (which David had purchased and consecrated) on Mount Moriah (where Abraham had been willing to sacrifice Isaac to God generations before).

3 When Solomon prepared the plans of the True God’s temple, he modeled the design after temples in Syria and Canaan. The length was 90 feet and the width was 30 feet. 4 The length of the front porch was as wide as the temple (30 feet), and it was 30 feet[a] high. The rooms of the temple were highly ornamented. The porch was gilded inside. 5 The main room was paneled with gilded cypress wood and engraved with palm trees and ornamental chains. 6 The entire temple was decorated with precious stones and gilded with gold from Parvaim. 7-9 Even the supports and fasteners were gilded—the beams, the thresholds, the walls, the doors, and the nails (which weighed 20 ounces each). The walls were engraved with winged guardians, and the upper rooms were gilded.

The most holy place, which was located at the rear of the temple, was a 30-foot square room gilded with 23 tons of gold—the same amount that David paid for the temple site. 10 Inside the most holy place were two gilded, sculpted winged creatures, 11-12 each with a wingspan of 15 feet.

These fantastic creatures with bird wings, human faces, and animals’ body parts protect the covenant chest, and together they act as God’s footstool in the temple.

Each cherub touched one wing to the wall of the room and the other wing to the other cherub. 13 Together, their wings spanned across the room guarding the most holy place facing the main room and standing upright on their feet. 14 A veil of violet, purple, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, embroidered with winged creatures, covered the entrance to the most holy place.

15-17 Before the porch stood two columns, 52 feet high, crowned with 90-inch-high capitals. Solomon made decorative chains in the most holy place, adorned them with 100 pomegranates, and draped them on the tops of the columns. The column on the right was named Jachin, meaning “He establishes,” and the column on the left was named Boaz, meaning “He strengthens.”

Footnotes

  1. 3:4 Hebrew, 180 feet, which is unlikely
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2 Chronicles 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Building the Temple

3 Then Solomon began(A) to build the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah(B) where the Lord[a] had appeared to his father David, at the site David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan[b] the Jebusite. 2 He began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. 3 These are Solomon’s foundations[c] for building God’s temple: the length[d] was 90 feet,[e] and the width 30 feet.[f] 4 The portico, which was across the front extending across the width of the temple, was 30 feet[g] wide; its height was 30 feet;[h][i] he overlaid its inner surface with pure gold. 5 The larger room[j] he paneled with cypress wood, overlaid with fine gold, and decorated with palm trees and chains. 6 He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim. 7 He overlaid the temple—the beams, the thresholds, its walls and doors—with gold,(C) and he carved cherubim on the walls.(D)

The Most Holy Place

8 Then he made the most holy place; its length corresponded to the width of the temple, 30 feet,[k] and its width was 30 feet.[l](E) He overlaid it with 45,000 pounds[m] of fine gold. 9 The weight of the nails was 20 ounces[n] of gold, and he overlaid the ceiling with gold.

10 He made(F) two cherubim of sculptured work, for the most holy place, and he overlaid them with gold. 11 The overall length of the wings of the cherubim was 30 feet:[o] the wing of one was 7½ feet,[p] touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet,[q] touching the wing of the other cherub. 12 The wing of the other[r] cherub was 7½ feet,[s] touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet,[t] reaching the wing of the other cherub. 13 The wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet.[u] They stood on their feet and faced the larger room.[v]

14 He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, and he wove cherubim into it.(G)

The Bronze Pillars

15 In front of the temple(H) he made two pillars, each 27 feet[w][x] high. The capital on top of each was 7½ feet[y] high. 16 He had made chainwork in the inner sanctuary and also put it on top of the pillars.(I) He made 100 pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork. 17 Then he set up the pillars in front of the sanctuary, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin[z] and the one on the left Boaz.[aa]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 3:1 LXX; Tg reads the Angel of the Lord; MT reads He
  2. 2 Chronicles 3:1 = Araunah in 2Sm 24:16-24
  3. 2 Chronicles 3:3 Tg reads The measurements which Solomon decreed
  4. 2 Chronicles 3:3 Lit length—cubits in the former measure—
  5. 2 Chronicles 3:3 Lit 60 cubits
  6. 2 Chronicles 3:3 Lit 20 cubits
  7. 2 Chronicles 3:4 Lit 20 cubits
  8. 2 Chronicles 3:4 LXX, Syr; MT reads 120 cubits
  9. 2 Chronicles 3:4 Lit 20 cubits
  10. 2 Chronicles 3:5 Lit The house
  11. 2 Chronicles 3:8 Lit 20 cubits
  12. 2 Chronicles 3:8 Lit 20 cubits
  13. 2 Chronicles 3:8 Lit 600 talents
  14. 2 Chronicles 3:9 Lit 50 shekels
  15. 2 Chronicles 3:11 Lit 20 cubits
  16. 2 Chronicles 3:11 Lit five cubits
  17. 2 Chronicles 3:11 Lit five cubits
  18. 2 Chronicles 3:12 Syr, Vg; MT reads the one
  19. 2 Chronicles 3:12 Lit five cubits
  20. 2 Chronicles 3:12 Lit five cubits
  21. 2 Chronicles 3:13 Lit 20 cubits
  22. 2 Chronicles 3:13 Lit the house
  23. 2 Chronicles 3:15 Hb uncertain
  24. 2 Chronicles 3:15 Lit 35 cubits
  25. 2 Chronicles 3:15 Lit five cubits
  26. 2 Chronicles 3:17 = He Will Establish
  27. 2 Chronicles 3:17 = Strength Is in Him
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2 Chronicles 2
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