Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 3

Introduction

1  The place and time of building the temple.
3  The measure and ornaments of the house.
11  The cherubims.
14  The vail and pillars.
Verse 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.
A. M. 2993. B.C. 1011. An. Ex. Is. 480. Solomon
1 Kings 6:1-14
in mount Moriah
Genesis 22:2,14
where the Lord appeared unto David
or, which was seen of David. Ornan.
2 Samuel 24:18-25
Araunah
1 Chronicles 21:18, 22:1
Verse 2

And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
in the second
1 Kings 6:1
Verse 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.
A. M. 2993-3000. B.C. 1011-1004. Solomon
1 Chronicles 28:11-19
instructed
Heb. founded. The length.
1 Kings 6:2,3
the first measure
It is supposed, with much probability, that the first measure means the cubit used in the time of Moses, contradistinguished from that used in Babylon, and which the Israelites used after their return from captivity: and, as these Books were written after the captivity, it was necessary for the writer to make this remark, lest it should be thought that the measurement was by the Babylonish cubit, which was a palm or one-sixth shorter than the cubit of Moses; which may serve to reconcile some variations in the historical books, with respect to numbers when applied to measures.
Verse 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 an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.
the porch
John 10:23, Acts 3:11, 5:12
an hundred and twenty
As the height of the temple was only thirty cubits, 120 seems too great a height for the porch; but the Syriac, Arabic, and the LXX. in the codex Alexandrinus, have only twenty, probably reading, instead of maiah weesrim, "one hundred and twenty," ammoth esrim, "twenty cubits;" which brings it within the proportion of the other measures.
Verse 5

And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
the greater
1 Kings 6:15-17,21,22
Verse 6

And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
garnished
Heb. covered. precious.
1 Chronicles 29:2,8, Isaiah 54:11,12, Revelation 21:18-21
Parvaim
Parvaim is supposed by Calmet to be the same as Sepharvaim in Armenia or Media; Bochart is of opinion that it is Taprobanes, now the island of Ceylon, which he drives from taph, a border, and Parvan, i.e., "the coast of Parvan;" but the late Editor of Calmet thinks it the same as the Parvatoi mountains of Ptolemy, at the head of the Indus.
Verse 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.
overlaid
Exodus 26:29, 1 Kings 6:20-22,30, Ezekiel 7:20
graved cherubims
Exodus 26:1, 1 Kings 6:35
Verse 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.
the most holy
Exodus 26:33, 1 Kings 6:19,20, Hebrews 9:3,9, 10:19
Verse 10

And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
two cherubims
1 Kings 6:23-28
image work
or, as some think, of movable work.
Verse 13

The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward.
inward
or, toward the house.
Exodus 25:20
Verse 14

And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
the vail
Exodus 26:31-35, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 9:3, 10:20
wrought
Heb. caused to ascend.
Verse 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.
two pillars
1 Kings 7:15-24, Jeremiah 52:20-23
thirty
The Syriac and Arabic have, agreeably to the parallel passage, "eighteen cubits high;" but the Septuagint, Chaldee, and Vulgate have "thirty and five cubits high." See the Note on 1 Ki 7:15.
high
Heb. long.
Verse 16

And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.
chains
1 Kings 6:21
an hundred
1 Kings 7:20
Verse 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.
reared up
1 Kings 7:21
Jachin
that is, He shall establish. Boaz. that is, In it is strength.

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