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.
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.
2 Chronicles 3:3. Now these are the things wherein Solomon, &c.— Now Solomon made these mensurations for the building, &c. Houbigant.
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.
2 Chronicles 3:4. And the height was an hundred and twenty— And the height was twenty cubits. Houbigant. See 1 Kings 6:2.
5.
And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
6.
And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
2 Chronicles 3:6. And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty— And he paved the floor with beautiful and excellent stones. Houbigant. The Vulgate has it, with marble. Houbigant thinks that the next clause belongs to the 7th verse, where accordingly he places it. The doors thereof with gold, and the gold was gold of Parvaim; which some take for the name of a place, supposed by them to have been the island Taprobanes, now called Sumatra, which abounds with fine gold: while others imagine, that the word is expressive of the quality of the gold, deep and red in its colour, like the blood of bullocks; deriving the word פרוים parvaiim from פר par, a bullock. See Parkhurst's Lexicon.
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.
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.
9.
And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
2 Chronicles 3:9. The upper chambers— This would have been rendered more properly here, the ceiling, the upper part of the house.
10.
And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
2 Chronicles 3:10. Cherubims of image work— Of wrought work. Le Clerc. Opere coagmentato, or of work formed in different parts, which might easily be taken in pieces. Houbigant. Parkhurst says, that the original word צעצעים tsaatsuiim expresses the manner of the workmanship, or of covering the cherubims with gold, to have been by spreading or laying along the gold close upon all the parts. See his Lexicon צעה tsaah.
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.
2 Chronicles 3:15. Two pillars of thirty and five cubits— See 1 Kings 7:15.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The account of the building of the temple, we had, 1 Kings 6 more at large. Three years were taken up in needful preparations; on the fourth, Solomon laid the foundation. The dimensions exactly corresponded with the pattern given him by David, 1 Chronicles 28:2. The porch led into the greater house, or the holy place; and that into the holiest of all, within the vail. The whole was covered throughout, on the inside, with plates of gold, with golden chains, and palm-trees embossed; the very nails were fine gold, each of fifty shekels weight, or perhaps of that value. In the gold, the precious stones were set, glittering by the light of the lamps with inconceivable lustre; yet how poor all this, great and glorious as it was, compared with that heavenly temple, where every faithful believer consecrated to God is not only for a time to minister, but for eternity to dwell! See Revelation 21:18-19; Revelation 21:21.
2nd, The cherubims represented the angels, bending in adoration towards the mercy-seat, to teach us, that what is their work should be ours. A vail separated the most holy place: that dispensation was dark; but the vail is done away in Christ, and the mercy-seat open to every believing sinner. On this vail cherubims were wrought, or caused to ascend, either raised work, or in an ascending posture, as if mounting to heaven, whither in our devotions our hearts should soar. The two pillars were at the entrance; see 1 Kings 7:15. Every true believer is like these, firm and immoveable against all enemies; and adorned with divine graces more precious than wrought gold.
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.