2 Chronicles
Summary
The construction of the house of the LORD begins on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, on the site that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. The chapter provides the precise dimensions and detailing of the construction, including the overlaying of the interior with pure gold, the crafting of two massive cherubim for the Most Holy Place, and the hanging of the veil. Finally, two great bronze pillars named Jachin and Boaz are erected at the entrance of the sanctuary as a testament to God's strength and establishment.
Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
And he began to build on the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
These are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God: The length by cubits (according to the former measure) was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.
And the porch that was in front of the house, its length was according to the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was one hundred and twenty. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.
The larger house he panelled with cypress, which he overlaid with fine gold, and he carved palm trees and chains on it.
And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was gold from Parvaim.
He also overlaid the house, the beams, the doorposts, its walls and its doors, with gold; and he engraved cherubim on the walls.
And 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 fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculpted work and overlaid them with gold.
The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits in total length: one wing of the first cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits, touching the wing of the other cherub.
One wing of the second cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits, joining the wing of the first cherub.
The wings of these cherubim spread out twenty cubits; they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.
And he made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and wove cherubim onto it.
Also he made in front of the house two pillars thirty-five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.
He made chains, as 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.
Then 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.