Temple Construction Begins

(1 Kings 6:1-4)

1And Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem on mount Moriah, where he appeared to David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2And he began to build on the second of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

Dimensions and Materials

3And this was Solomon's foundation for the construction of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. 4And the porch which was in front was twenty cubits in length, in front of the house broadways, and the height was a hundred and twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. 5And the greater house he boarded with cypress-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set on it palm-trees and chains. 6And he overlaid the house with precious stones for beauty; and the gold was gold of Parvaim. 7And he covered the house, the beams, the threshold, and its walls, and its doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.

8And he made the house of the most holy place, the length of which was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and its breadth twenty cubits; and he covered it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. 9And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he covered the upper chambers with gold.

10And in the house of the most holy place he made two cherubim of image work, and they overlaid them with gold.

The Cherubim

(1 Kings 6:23-30)

11And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: one wing of five cubits touched the wall of the house; and the other wing of five cubits touched the wing of the other cherub. 12And the wing of the other cherub of five cubits touched the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits joining the wing of the other cherub. 13The wings of these cherubim spread forth were twenty cubits; and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.

The Veil and Pillars

14And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and byssus, and made cherubim upon it.

15And before the house he made two pillars thirty-five cubits long; and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16And he made chains [as] in the oracle, and he put them on the top of the pillars; and he made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17And he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; and he called the name of that on the right Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.