1 Quatrocentos e oitenta anos depois que o povo de Israel havia saído do Egito, no quarto ano do reinado de Salomão em Israel, no mês de zive, o segundo mês, Salomão começou a construir o Templo.

2 O Templo media vinte e sete metros de comprimento por nove de largura, por treze e meio de altura. 3 A sala de entrada media quatro metros e meio de comprimento por nove de largura, isto é, a mesma largura do santuário. 4 As paredes do Templo tinham janelas, que eram mais estreitas do lado de fora do que do lado de dentro. 5 Encostados nos lados e nos fundos do Templo, Salomão construiu três andares de salas, cada andar medindo dois metros e vinte centímetros de altura. 6 As salas do andar de baixo tinham dois metros e vinte de largura, as do andar do meio tinham dois metros e setenta de largura, e as do andar de cima, três metros e dez de largura. Em cada andar, as paredes do Templo eram mais finas do que as do andar de baixo; assim as salas se apoiavam nas paredes, evitando que as vigas entrassem nessas paredes.

7 O Templo foi construído com pedras que haviam sido preparadas nas pedreiras, para que assim, durante a construção, não se ouvisse o barulho de martelos, machados ou qualquer outra ferramenta.

8 A entrada para as salas do andar térreo ficava no lado sul do Templo, e havia escadas para subir ao segundo e ao terceiro andares. 9 E assim o rei Salomão terminou a construção do Templo, colocando um forro feito de vigas e tábuas de cedro. 10 Salomão construiu três andares de salas encostados nas paredes do Templo e ligados com elas por meio de vigas de cedro. Cada andar media dois metros e vinte centímetros de altura.

11 O Senhor Deus disse a Salomão:

12 — Se você obedecer a todas as minhas leis e mandamentos, eu farei por você aquilo que prometi a Davi, o seu pai. 13 Viverei entre o meu povo de Israel neste Templo que você está construindo e nunca os abandonarei.

14 E assim Salomão terminou a construção do Templo.

15 As paredes do Templo foram forradas por dentro com tábuas de cedro, desde o chão até o teto, e o assoalho foi feito de pinho. 16 Na parte de trás do Templo, foi construída uma sala interna, que foi chamada de Lugar Santíssimo. Ela media nove metros de comprimento e era separada por uma divisão feita de tábuas de cedro, que iam desde o chão até o teto. 17 O Lugar Santo, que ficava em frente ao Lugar Santíssimo, tinha dezoito metros de comprimento. 18 A forração de cedro era enfeitada com entalhes em forma de cabaças e de flores. Toda a parte de dentro da sala era revestida de cedro para que as pedras das paredes não ficassem aparecendo.

19 Como já foi dito, na parte de trás do Templo foi feita uma sala, o Lugar Santíssimo, para nela ser colocada a arca da aliança de Deus. 20 Essa sala media nove metros de comprimento por nove de largura, por nove de altura, e era toda revestida de ouro puro. O altar era revestido com tábuas de cedro. 21 O lado de dentro do Templo era revestido de ouro, e na entrada do Lugar Santíssimo foram colocadas correntes de ouro. Essa sala também era revestida de ouro. 22 Todo o Templo por dentro e também o altar do Lugar Santíssimo eram revestidos de ouro.

23 Foram feitos dois querubins de madeira de oliveira, os quais foram colocados no Lugar Santíssimo. Cada um deles media quatro metros e quarenta de altura. 24-26 Os dois querubins tinham o mesmo tamanho e a mesma forma. Cada um tinha duas asas, e cada asa media dois metros e vinte e cinco centímetros de comprimento; assim a distância da ponta de uma asa até a outra era de quatro metros e meio. 27 Os dois querubins foram colocados no Lugar Santíssimo; eles estavam de asas estendidas, de maneira que a asa de um tocava numa parede, e a asa do outro tocava na outra parede, e no meio da sala a asa de um tocava na asa do outro. 28 Os dois querubins eram folheados a ouro.

29 As paredes do Lugar Santo e do Lugar Santíssimo eram todas enfeitadas com figuras entalhadas, representando querubins, palmeiras e flores. 30 Até mesmo o assoalho das duas divisões era revestido de ouro.

31 Na entrada do Lugar Santíssimo foi colocada uma porta dupla feita de madeira de oliveira; no alto as ombreiras formavam um arco em ponta. 32 As portas eram enfeitadas com figuras entalhadas, representando querubins, palmeiras e flores. As portas, os querubins e as palmeiras eram folheados a ouro. 33 Para a entrada do Lugar Santo foram feitos batentes retangulares de madeira de oliveira. 34 Havia duas portas de duas folhas, que eram feitas de pinho 35 e enfeitadas com figuras entalhadas de querubins, palmeiras e flores, que também eram folheadas a ouro.

36 Em frente ao Templo foi construído um pátio interno, fechado por muros que tinham uma carreira de vigas de cedro para cada três carreiras de pedras.

37 Os alicerces do Templo foram colocados no mês de zive, o segundo mês, no quarto ano do reinado de Salomão. 38 No décimo primeiro ano do reinado de Salomão, no oitavo mês, o mês de bul, o Templo foi completamente terminado, exatamente como havia sido planejado. Salomão levou sete anos para construí-lo.

1 AND now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the *twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward.3 And they granted unto those robbers who had entered into a covenant to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to remain Lamanites, lands, according to their numbers, that they might have, with their labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and thus they did establish peace in all the land.4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and justice.5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.6 And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge, Lachoneus, and those who had been appointed leaders, who had established this great peace in the land.7 And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew, and there were many old cities repaired.8 And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made, which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from place to place.9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had continual peace.10 But it came to pass in the *twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the *thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this-Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year-the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should-and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did govern the people that year.20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things.22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could have power to condemn any one to death save their condemnation was signed by the governor of the land.23 Now there were many of those who testified of the things pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their death came not unto the governor of the land until after their death.24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death except they had power from the governor of the land-25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to the governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law.26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought up before the judge, to be judged of the crime which they had done, according to the law which had been given by the people.27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law.28 And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be administered according to the law.30 And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.