2 Chronicles 3NKJV
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2 Chronicles3

New King James Version

1Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

2And he began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

3This is the foundation which Solomon laid for building the house of God: The length was sixty cubits (by cubits according to the former measure) and the width twenty cubits.

4And the vestibule that was in front of the sanctuary was twenty cubits long across the width of the house, and the height was one hundred and twenty. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.

5The larger room he paneled with cypress which he overlaid with fine gold, and he carved palm trees and chainwork on it.

6And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was gold from Parvaim.

7He also overlaid the house—the beams and doorposts, its walls and doors—with gold; and he carved cherubim on the walls.

8And he made the Most Holy Place. Its length was according to the width of the house, twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits. He overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold.

9The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold; and he overlaid the upper area with gold.

10In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim, fashioned by carving, and overlaid them with gold.

11The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits in overall length: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the room, and the other wing was five cubits, touching the wing of the other cherub;

12one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the room, and the other wing also was five cubits, touching the wing of the other cherub.

13The wings of these cherubim spanned twenty cubits overall. They stood on their feet, and they faced inward.

14And he made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and wove cherubim into it.

15Also he made in front of the temple two pillars thirty-five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.

16He made wreaths of chainwork, as in the inner sanctuary, and put them on top of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the wreaths of chainwork.

17Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 3.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The building of the temple. (1-17).

vv1-17

There is a more particular account of the building of the temple in 1Ki 6. It must be in the place David had prepared, not only which he had purchased, but which he had fixed on by Divine direction. Full instructions enable us to go about our work with certainty and to proceed therein with comfort. Blessed be God, the Scriptures are enough to render the man of God thoroughly furnished for every good work. Let us search the Scriptures daily, beseeching the Lord to enable us to understand, believe, and obey his word, that our work and our way may be made plain, and that all may be begun, continued, and ended in him. Beholding God, in Christ, his true Temple, more glorious than that of Solomon's, may we become a spiritual house, a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Cross References

2 Chronicles 3
v11 Kings 6:1-14thematic

The primary parallel account detailing the timing and initial construction of Solomon's temple.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

David offers sacrifices on Ornan's threshingfloor, and God answers by fire, consecrating the temple site.

Supported by Matthew Poole

David explicitly identifies this site as the house of the Lord God and the altar of burnt offering.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Genesis 22:2thematic

Identifies Mount Moriah, the temple site, as the mountain where Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac.

Supported by JFB

David gives Solomon the divinely inspired plans and specifications for building the temple.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v101 Kings 6:23-28thematic

The parallel detailed account of crafting the two colossal cherubim of olive wood.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v14Exodus 26:31-35thematic

The Mosaic pattern for the veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, with cherubim.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v171 Kings 7:21thematic

The parallel account describing the erection and naming of the two pillars, Jachin and Boaz.

Supported by Matthew Poole

The New Jerusalem is adorned with precious stones and pure gold, fulfilling the temple's typological beauty.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v81 Kings 6:20-22thematic

Parallel details of the inner oracle, its cubical dimensions, and overlaying it with gold.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v14Matthew 27:51fulfillment

The tearing of the temple veil at Christ's death, signifying open access to God.

v14Hebrews 9:3thematic

New Testament explanation of the tabernacle layout, highlighting the veil before the Most Holy place.

The historical account of David purchasing the threshingfloor from Araunah (Ornan) the Jebusite.

v51 Kings 6:15-17thematic

Parallel description of ceiling the temple walls and floors with cedar and fir planks.

Supported by JFB

v151 Kings 7:15-24thematic

Parallel engineering details of casting the massive bronze pillars and their chapiters.