1 USolomoni waseqalisa ukwakha ithempeli likaThixo eJerusalema eNtabeni yaseMoriya, lapho uThixo wayeke waziveza khona phambi kukayise uDavida. Kwakusesizeni sokubhulela amabele sika-Onani umJebusi, indawo eyayilungiselelwe nguDavida. 2 Waqalisa ukwakha ngosuku lwesibili lwenyanga yesibili ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe.

3 Isisekelo sesakhiwo sethempeli likaNkulunkulu esasimiswe nguSolomoni sasizingalo ezingamatshumi ayisithupha ubude baso njalo sibanzi okwezingalo ezingamatshumi amabili (kuyisilinganiso sezingalo zakudala). 4 Umkhandlwana owawuphambi kwethempeli wawubanzi okwezingalo ezingamatshumi amabili ulingana lowethempeli njalo umude ukuyaphezulu lakho kuzingalo ezingamatshumi amabili.

Ngaphakathi wagudula ngegolide elihle. 5 Wabethela indlu yalo enkulu ngamapulanka ephayini wasehuqa ngegolide elicengekileyo wacecisa ngokucomba amalala lemiceco yamaketane. 6 Wagqizisa ithempeli ngamatshe aligugu. Igolide alisebenzisayo kwakuligolide lePharivayimu. 7 Wasegudula ingaphakathi yophahla lemijabo yakhona, imigubazi, imiduli lezivalo zethempeli ngegolide, njalo wabazela amakherubhi emidulini.

8 Wakha iNdawo eNgcwelengcwele, ubude bayo bulingana lobubanzi bethempeli, izingalo ezingamatshumi amabili ubude njalo ezingamatshumi amabili ububanzi bayo. Wagudula ngaphakathi ngamathalenta angamakhulu ayisithupha egolide elicengekileyo. 9 Izipikili zegolide zilesisindo samashekeli angamatshumi amahlanu. Wabuye wagudula ngegolide izindawo ezingaphezulu.

10 ENdaweni eNgcwelengcwele wenza amakherubhi abaziweyo wawahuqa ngegolide. 11 Amaphiko amakherubhi nxa evulekile eyizingalo ezingamatshumi amabili. Uphiko olulodwa lwekherubhi lakuqala lwaluzingalo ezinhlanu ubude balo njalo luthinta umduli wethempeli, kusithi olunye uphiko, lalo luzingalo ezinhlanu, luthinta uphiko lwelinye ikherubhi. 12 Ngokufananayo uphiko lwekherubhi lesibili lwaluzingalo ezinhlanu ubude balo lalo luthinta omunye umduli wethempeli, njalo kusithi olunye uphiko lalo oluzingalo ezinhlanu ubude balo, luthinta uphiko lwekherubhi lakuqala. 13 Amaphiko amakherubhi ayechaye okuzingalo ezingamatshumi amabili. Ayemi ngezinyawo zawo, ekhangele indlu enkulu.

14 Wenza ikhetheni ngelembu eliluhlaza, leliyibubende lelibomvu, langelineni elicolekileyo, welukela imifanekiso yamakherubhi kilo.

15 Ngapha ngaphambi kwethempeli wamisa insika ezimbili, zona zombili zazizinde okwezingalo ezingamatshumi amathathu lanhlanu, ngalinye lilesiduku phezulu esilingana izingalo ezinhlanu. 16 Wenza amaketane aphotheneyo wawabeka phezu kwezinsika. Njalo wenza amaphomegranathi alikhulu wawanamathisela emaketaneni. 17 Wasesakha izinsika zaphansi kwethempeli, eyinye ngezansi eyinye layo ngenyakatho. Insika engezansi wayibiza ngokuthi Jakhini kwathi eyenyakatho wayibiza ngokuthi Bhowazi.