Temple Construction Begins
1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared3:1 See LXX; Hebrew where He had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan3:1 Ornan is a variant of Araunah; see 2 Samuel 24:16. the Jebusite. 2 Solomon began construction on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.
3 The foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide,3:3 The foundation was approximately 90 feet long and 30 feet wide (27.4 meters long and 9.1 meters wide). according to the old standard.3:3 The old standard of measurement was a cubit equal to 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters. The new standard, a cubit of approximately 21 inches or 53.3 centimeters (the long cubit) is the basic unit of length throughout Ezekiel 40 to 48. 4 The portico at the front, extending across the width of the temple, was twenty cubits long3:4 20 cubits is approximately 30 feet or 9.1 meters; also in verses 8, 11, and 13. and twenty cubits high.3:4 Some LXX and Syriac manuscripts; Hebrew 120 cubits high (approximately 180 feet or 54.9 meters) He overlaid the inside with pure gold.
The Temple’s Interior
5 He paneled the main room with cypress,3:5 Or pine or juniper or fir which he overlaid with fine gold and decorated with palm trees and chains. 6 He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and its gold was from Parvaim. 7 He overlaid its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.
8 Then he made the Most Holy Place;3:8 Or the Holy of Holies; also in verse 10 its length corresponded to the width of the temple— twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. And he overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold.3:8 600 talents is approximately 22.6 tons or 20.5 metric tons of gold. 9 The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.3:9 50 shekels is approximately 1.26 pounds or 569.8 grams of gold. He also overlaid the upper rooms with gold.
The Cherubim
10 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold. 11 The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long3:11 5 cubits is approximately 7.5 feet or 2.3 meters; also in verse 15. and touched the wall of the temple, and its other wing was five cubits long and touched the wing of the other cherub. 12 The wing of the second cherub also measured five cubits and touched the wall of the temple, while its other wing measured five cubits and touched the wing of the first cherub. 13 So the total wingspan of these cherubim was twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main room.
The Veil and Pillars
14 He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.
15 In front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits high,3:15 35 cubits is approximately 52.5 feet or 16 meters. each with a capital on top measuring five cubits.
16 He made interwoven chains3:16 Or He made chains in the inner sanctuary and put them on top of the pillars. He made a hundred pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork. 17 Then he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south and one on the north. The pillar on the south he named Jachin,3:17 Jachin probably means He establishes. and the pillar on the north he named Boaz.3:17 Boaz probably means in Him is strength.