3:1 Solomon began building the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 

 

Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Moriah. Jesus was crucified at this same spot. The Dome of the Rock now occupies this location.

 

3:2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign. 

 

Solomon may have been gathering materials in the first three years of his reign. Since the returning Israelites would have to rebuild the temple, the author listed many of the details of the first temple.

 

3:3 Solomon laid the foundation for God’s temple; its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet. 

 

The temple was twice as big as the tabernacle.

 

3:4 The porch in front of the main hall was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple, and its height was 30 feet. He plated the inside with pure gold. 

 

The porch was plated with pure gold.

 

3:5 He paneled the main hall with boards made from evergreen trees and plated it with fine gold, decorated with palm trees and chains. 

 

The main hall was decorated with fine gold, palm trees, and chains.

 

3:6 He decorated the temple with precious stones; the gold he used came from Parvaim.

 

Scholars have not been able to identify the location of Parvaim. 

 

3:7 He overlaid the temple’s rafters, thresholds, walls and doors with gold; he carved decorative cherubim on the walls. 

 

The temple rafters, thresholds, walls, and doors were all overland with gold. Cherubim were the angels who surrounded the throne of God. Their images were decorated on the interior walls. 

 

3:8 He made the most holy place; its length was 30 feet, corresponding to the width of the temple, and its width 30 feet. He plated it with 600 talents of fine gold. 

 

The Most Holy Place was the location of the ark of the covenant. The Shechinah Glory dwelt in this room. Once a year, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies and offered the blood of the lamb for atonement of Israel’s sins.

 

3:9 The gold nails weighed 50 shekels; he also plated the upper areas with gold. 

 

Even the nails of the tabernacle were made of gold.

 

3:10 In the most holy place he made two images of cherubim and plated them with gold. 

 

The cherubim were the angels who surrounded God’s throne. The blood of the lamb was spilt upon the mercy seat. The mercy seat was between the wings of these two cherubim.

 

3:11 The combined wing span of the cherubs was 30 feet. One of the first cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched one wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the second cherub’s wings. 12 Likewise one of the second cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched the other wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the first cherub’s wings.

 

The cherub’s wings touched each other, as well as the walls of the temple. 

 

3:13 The combined wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. They stood upright, facing inward.

 

The cherubim stood straight up, facing each other, with wings spread across the room.

 

3:14 He made the curtain out of violet, purple, crimson, and white fabrics, and embroidered on it decorative cherubim. 

 

The curtain separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies. During the atonement of Christ, the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. This meant that everyone had access to God through the blood of Christ.

 

3:15 In front of the temple he made two pillars which had a combined length of 52½ feet, with each having a plated capital seven and one-half feet high.

 

Two large pillars were placed at the front entrance of the temple.

 

3:16 He made ornamental chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made one hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments and arranged them within the chains. 

 

Chains with pomegranate-shaped ornaments were placed upon the pillars.

 

3:17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right side and the other on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin, and the one on the left Boaz. 

 

Jachin means “He shall establish” and Boaz means “In it is strength.”