II
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. III.
It
was a much larger and more particular account of the building of the temple
which we had in the book of Kings than is here in this book of Chronicles. In
this chapter we have, I. The place and time of building the temple, ver. 1, 2.
II. The dimensions and rich ornaments of it, ver. 3-9. III. The cherubim in
the most holy place, ver. 10-13. IV. The veil, ver. 14. V. The two pillars,
ver. 15-17. Of all this we have already and an account, 1 Kings vi., vii.
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The
Temple
Built.
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B.
C. 1012.
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1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the
LORD at Jerusalem in mount
Moriah, where the LORD
appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the
threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 And he began to build in
the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his
reign. 3 Now these are the things wherein Solomon was
instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after
the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty
cubits. 4 And the porch that was in the front of the
house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house,
twenty cubits, and the height was a hundred and twenty: and he overlaid
it within with pure gold. 5 And the greater house he cieled with
fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and
chains. 6 And he garnished the house with precious stones for
beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim. 7 He overlaid
also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors
thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls. 8 And he
made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the
breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits:
and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred
talents. 9 And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of
gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
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 (1
Chron. xxii. 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, Ps. cxxii. 4, 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. xxii. 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, 1 Chron. xxi. 18, 26. 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 does that of the body.
II. The time when it was begun; not till the fourth year of Solomon's reign, v.
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 (v. 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, Eccl. iii. 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 (v. 4), with fine gold
(v. 5), and that embossed with palm-trees and chains. It was
gold of Parvaim (v. 6), the best gold. The beams and posts,
the walls and doors, were overlaid with gold, v.
7. The most holy place, which was ten yards square, was all overlaid with
fine gold (v. 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
(1 Chron. xxix. 2, 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. xxi. 18, 19, 21.
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The
Furniture of the Temple.
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B.
C. 1012.
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10 And in the most holy house he made two
cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold. 11 And the
wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one
cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other
wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other
cherub. 12 And one wing of the other cherub was five
cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five
cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub. 13
The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they
stood on their feet, and their faces were inward. 14 And he
made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and
wrought cherubims thereon. 15 Also he made before the house two
pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on
the top of each of them was five cubits. 16 And he made
chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the
pillars; and made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the
chains. 17 And he reared 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.
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 (v. 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 (v. 12, 13),
which was just the breadth of the most holy place, v. 8. They stood on
their feet, as servants, their faces inward toward the ark (v. 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. xii. 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 1 Cor. xi. 10 with Isa. vi. 2. 2. The veil that
parted between the temple and the most holy place, v. 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 (v.
15), about eighteen cubits high a-piece. See 1 Kings vii. 15, &c., where
we took a view of those pillars, Jachin and Boaz, establishment
and strength in temple-work and by it.
Contents
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