2 Chronicles 3: Summary and Commentary

Verse 1

3:1-4a Although in Chronicles the Temple is the central topic of Solomon’s reign, attention to its actual architecture and furnishings is considerably less than that found in Kings (e.g., 1 Kgs 6:2-10).

3:1 While Kings emphasizes the time when the Temple was built, Chronicles places great emphasis on the Temple’s building site and the significance of the location. Geographically, it was in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the place where the Lord had appeared to David; it was selected under David’s authority, and it was the sacred place where the plague was stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Abraham bound Isaac in the land of Moriah (Gen 22:2), and tradition associated the Temple Mount as the place where the Lord provided for Abraham (Gen 22:14).

Verse 2

3:2 The book of Kings dates the beginning of the Temple construction in relation to the exodus from Egypt (1 Kgs 6:1). Chronicles consistently omits references to the Exodus, perhaps to emphasize the continuous and abiding bond between the people, the land, and God.

Verse 5

3:5-7 The interior of the Temple was finished with costly materials (see 1 Kgs 6:15-18, 29).

Verse 6

3:6 The gold from the land of Parvaim was the highest quality. The actual location of this place was unknown by the time of the earliest translators and might not have been known to the Chronicler either.

Verse 8

3:8 A special area was constructed at the extreme interior of the hall known as the Most Holy Place (the divine throne room). It might have been a sacred throne space within the long hall, or it might have been a secondary room within the main hall. The dimensions of the Most Holy Place were equally 30 feet (20 cubits) in all directions. It might have rested on an elevated platform, as did the shrines of other temples, and a space might have existed between the room and the roof. The Most Holy Place was prepared as a repository for the Ark, which contained the terms of the covenant.

Verse 10

3:10-13 The figures shaped like cherubim were made of costly wild olive wood and were covered with gold. Similar carvings have been found in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Canaan; such figures were a distinguishing feature of ancient thrones. Cherubim were composite creatures signifying the union of royalty (lion) with the highest powers of strength (bull), speed (eagle), and sagacity (human). Ancient temples found in Phoenicia show the throne of the deity supported by two animals. The sides of ancient Canaanite thrones were commonly shaped as cherubs. The cherubs of Solomon’s Temple were distinct because they were not designed to serve as a human throne. They were attached to the Ark, which was the footstool to God’s throne, with the wings touching in the middle and extending to the walls of the throne room. There was no actual seat to the throne, since none was necessary.

Verse 15

3:15-16 The two pillars set in the porch of the Temple were made of bronze and were ornately decorated (cp. 1 Kgs 7:15-22).

Verse 17

3:17 Jakin (“he establishes”) might refer to God’s promise regarding the kingdom (see 1 Chr 17:7-14). Boaz (“in him is strength”) might have been a proclamation of trust in God. The gilded reliefs of cherubs, palms, and flowers adorning the doors and walls of the Temple suggest that the pillars were related to the tree of life (Gen 2:9).

Verse 1

Here is, I. The place where the temple was built. Solomon was neither at liberty to choose nor at a loss to fix the place. It was before determined (Ch1 22:1), which was an ease to his mind. 1. It must be at Jerusalem; for that was the place where God had chosen to put his name there. The royal city must be the holy city. There must be the testimony of Israel; for there are set the thrones of judgment, Psa 122:4, Psa 122:5. 2. It must be on Mount Moriah, which, some think, was that very place in the land of Moriah where Abraham offered Isaac, Gen 22:2. So the Targum says expressly, adding, But he was delivered by the word of the Lord, and a ram provided in his place. That was typical of Christ's sacrifice of himself; therefore fitly was the temple, which was likewise a type of him, built there. 3. It must be where the Lord appeared to David, and answered him by fire, Ch1 21:18, Ch1 21:26. There atonement was made once; and therefore, in remembrance of that, there atonement was made once; and therefore, in remembrance of that, there atonement must still be made. Where God has met with me it is to be hoped that he will still manifest himself. 4. It must be in the place which David has prepared, not only which he had purchased with his money, but which he had purchased with his money, but which he had pitched upon divine direction. It was Solomon's wisdom not to enquire out a more convenient place, but to acquiesce in the appointment of God, whatever might be objected against it. 5. It must be in the threshold floor of Ornan, which, if (as a Jebusite) it gives encouragement to the Gentiles, obliges us to look upon temple-work as that which requires the labour of the mind, no less than threshing-work dos that of the body.

II. The time when it was begun; not till the fourth year of Solomon's reign, Ch2 3:2. Not that the first three years were trifled away, or spent in deliberating whether they should build the temple or no; but they were employed in the necessary preparations for it, wherein three years would be soon gone, considering how many hands were to be got together and set to work. Some conjecture that this was a sabbatical year, or year of release and rest to the land, when the people, being discharged from their husbandry, might more easily lend a hand to the beginning of this work; and then the year in which it was finished would fall out to be another sabbatical year, when they would likewise have leisure to attend the solemnity of the dedication of it.

III. The dimensions of it, in which Solomon was instructed (Ch2 3:3), as he was in other things, by his father. This was the foundation (so it may be read) which Solomon laid for the building of the house. This was the rule he went by, so many cubits the length and breadth, after the first measure, that is, according to the measure first fixed, which there was no reason to make any alteration of when the work came to be done; for the dimensions were given by divine wisdom, and what God does shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, or taken from it, Ecc 3:14. His first measure will be the last.

IV. The ornaments of the temple. The timber-work was very fine, and yet, within, it was overlaid with pure gold (Ch2 3:4), with fine gold (Ch2 3:5). and that embossed with palm-trees and chains. It was gold of Parvaim (Ch2 3:6), the best gold. The beams and posts, the walls and doors, were overlaid with gold, Ch2 3:7. The most holy place, which was ten yards square, was all overlaid with fine gold (Ch2 3:8), even the upper chambers, or rather the upper floor or roof - top, bottom, and sides, were all overlaid with gold. Every nail, or screw, or pin, with which the golden plates were fastened to the walls that were overlaid with them, weighed fifty shekels, or was worth so much, workmanship and all. A great many precious stones were dedicated to God (Ch1 29:2, Ch1 29:8), and these were set here and there, where they would show to the best advantage. The finest houses now pretend to no better garnishing than good paint on the roof and walls; but the ornaments of the temple were most substantially rich. It was set with precious stones, because it was a type of the new Jerusalem, which has no temple in it because it is all temple, and the walls, gates, and foundations of which are said to be of precious stones and pearls, Rev 21:18, Rev 21:19, Rev 21:21.

Verse 10

Here is an account of 1. The two cherubim, which were set up in the holy of holies. There were two already over the ark, which covered the mercy-seat with their wings; these were small ones. Now that the most holy place was enlarged, though these were continued (being appurtenances to the ark, which was not to be made new, as all the other utensils of the tabernacle were), yet those two large ones were added, doubtless by divine appointment, to fill up the holy place, which otherwise would have looked bare, like a room unfurnished. These cherubim are said to be of image-work (Ch2 3:10), designed, it is likely, to represent the angels who attend the divine Majesty. Each wing extended five cubits, so that the whole was twenty cubits (Ch2 3:12, Ch2 3:13), which was just the breadth of the most holy place, Ch2 3:8. They stood on their feet, as servants, their faces inward toward the ark (Ch2 3:13), that it might appear they were not set there to be adored (for then they would have been made sitting, as on a throne, and their faces towards their worshippers), but rather as themselves attendants on the invisible God. We must not worship angels, but we must worship with angels; for we have come into communion with them (Heb 12:22), and must do the will of God as the angels do it. The thought that we are worshipping him before whom the angels cover their faces will help to inspire us with reverence in all our approaches to God. Compare Co1 11:10 with Isa 6:2. 2. The veil that parted between the temple and the most holy place, Ch2 3:14. This denoted the darkness of that dispensation, and the distance which the worshippers were kept at; but, at the death of Christ, this veil was rent; for through him we are made nigh, and have boldness not only to look, but to enter, into the holiest. On this he was wrought cherubim. Heb. he caused them to ascend, that is, they were made in raised work, embossed. Or he made them on the wing in an ascending posture, as the other two that stood on their feet in an attending posture, to remind the worshippers to lift up their hearts, and to soar upwards in their devotions. 3. The two pillars which were set up before the temple. Both together were somewhat above thirty-five cubits in length (Ch2 3:15), about eighteen cubits high a-piece. See Kg1 7:15, etc., where we took a view of those pillars, Jachin and Boaz, establishment and strength in temple-work and by it.

Verse 3

MEASURES AND ORNAMENTS OF THE HOUSE. (Ch2 3:3-7)

these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God—by the written plan and specifications given him by his father. The measurements are reckoned by cubits, "after the first measure," that is, the old Mosaic standard. But there is great difference of opinion about this, some making the cubit eighteen, others twenty-one inches. The temple, which embodied in more solid and durable materials the ground-form of the tabernacle (only being twice as large), was a rectangular building, seventy cubits long from east to west, and twenty cubits wide from north to south.

Verse 4

the porch—The breadth of the house, whose length ran from east to west, is here given as the measure of the length of the piazza. The portico would thus be from thirty to thirty-five feet long, and from fifteen to seventeen and a half feet broad.

the height was an hundred and twenty cubits—This, taking the cubit at eighteen inches, would be one hundred eighty feet; at twenty-one inches, two hundred ten feet; so that the porch would rise in the form of a tower, or two pyramidal towers, whose united height was one hundred twenty cubits, and each of them about ninety or one hundred five feet high [STIEGLITZ]. This porch would thus be like the propylÃ&brvbrum or gateway of the palace of Khorsabad [LAYARD], or at the temple of Edfou.

Verse 5

the greater house—that is, the holy places, the front or outer chamber (see Kg1 6:17).

Verse 6

he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty—better, he paved the house with precious and beautiful marble [KITTO]. It may be, after all, that these were stones with veins of different colors for decorating the walls. This was an ancient and thoroughly Oriental kind of embellishment. There was an under pavement of marble, which was covered with planks of fir. The whole interior was lined with boards, richly decorated with carved work, clusters of foliage and flowers, among which the pomegranate and lotus (or water-lily) were conspicuous; and overlaid, excepting the floor, with gold, either by gilding or in plates (1Ki. 6:1-38).

Verse 8

DIMENSIONS, &C., OF THE MOST HOLY HOUSE. (Ch2 3:8-13)

the most holy house—It was a perfect cube (compare Kg1 6:20).

overlaid it with . . . gold, amounting to six hundred talents—at £4 per ounce, equal to £3,600,000.

Verse 10

two cherubims—These figures in the tabernacle were of pure gold (Exo. 25:1-40) and overshadowed the mercy seat. The two placed in the temple were made of olive wood, overlaid with gold. They were of colossal size, like the Assyrian sculptures; for each, with expanded wings, covered a space of ten cubits in height and length—two wings touched each other, while the other two reached the opposite walls; their faces were inward, that is, towards the most holy house, conformably to their use, which was to veil the ark.

The united height is here given; and though the exact dimensions would be thirty-six cubits, each column was only seventeen cubits and a half, a half cubit being taken up by the capital or the base. They were probably described as they were lying together in the mould before they were set up [POOLE]. They would be from eighteen to twenty-one feet in circumference, and stand forty feet in height. These pillars, or obelisks, as some call them, were highly ornamented, and formed an entrance in keeping with the splendid interior of the temple.

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