Temple Construction Begins

(1 Kings 6:1-4)

1Then Solomon began to build Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

Dimensions and Materials

3Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house: the length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. 4The porch that was in front, its length, across the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. 5He made the larger room with a ceiling of cypress wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains. 6He decorated the house with precious stones for beauty. The gold was gold from Parvaim. 7He also overlaid the house, the beams, the thresholds, its walls, and its doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.

8He made the most holy place. Its length, according to the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. 9The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper rooms with gold.

10In the most holy place he made two cherubim by carving, and they overlaid them with gold.

The Cherubim

(1 Kings 6:23-30)

11The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the one was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. 12The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits, joining to the wing of the other cherub. 13The wings of these cherubim spread themselves out twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.

The Veil and Pillars

14He made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and ornamented it with cherubim.

15Also he made before the house two pillars thirty-five cubits heigh, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16He made chains in the inner sanctuary, and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17He set 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.