1.
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.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
mount Moriah. Not mentioned since Genesis 22:2 , nor ever again.
Moriah. Vision of Jah. Refers here to "where Jehovah appeared".
where. See note on 1 Chronicles 22:1 .
had prepared. Compare 1 Chronicles 22:14 ; 1 Chronicles 2:7 .
2.
And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
3.
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.
God. Hebrew. ha-'elohlm, the [true or triune] God.
4.
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.
according to = in the front of.
an hundred and twenty. Read "twenty" by a transposition of letters.
5.
And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
the greater house: i.e. the holy of holies.
cieled = covered. Walls as well as roof.
fir = cypress.
fine = pure.
palm trees: i.e. artificial.
chains = wreathen work. Only found in connection with Tabernacle and Temple.
6.
And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
7.
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.
posts = thresholds.
8.
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.
the most holy = the holy of holies. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
9.
And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
weight of the nails. These small and simple things not excluded. They held all together; and, though out of sight, are remembered and named by God.
10.
And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
image work = carved work. This was no breach of the second commandment, for it was by the Divine Lawgiver's own direction.
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.
inward = toward the Ark.
14.
And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
the vail. Not mentioned in 1 Kings 6 .
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.
thirty and five cubits. In 1 Kings 7:15 = eighteen cubits. But there it is "apiece"; here they are reckoned together. See note on 1 Kings 7:15 .
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.
chains = wreathen work.
the oracle. See note on 2 Samuel 16:23 .
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.
Jachin . . . Boaz. See notes on 1 Kings 7:21 .