Temple, Solomon's: Before his death David had "with all his might" provided
materials in great abundance for the building of the temple on the
summit of Mount Moriah
(1 Chronicles 22:14; 29:4; 2 Chronicles 3:1) on the east of the
city, on the spot where Abraham had offered up Isaac
(Genesis 22:1-14) In
the beginning of his reign Solomon set about giving effect to the
desire that had been so earnestly cherished by his father, and
prepared additional materials for the building. From subterranean
quarries at Jerusalem he obtained huge blocks of stone for the
foundations and walls of the temple. These stones were prepared for
their places in the building under the eye of Tyrian master-builders.
He also entered into a compact with Hiram II., king of Tyre, for the
supply of whatever else was needed for the work, particularly timber
from the forests of Lebanon, which was brought in great rafts by the
sea to Joppa, whence it was dragged to Jerusalem
(1 Kings 5:1-6:38) As the
hill on which the temple was to be built did not afford sufficient
level space, a huge wall of solid masonry of great height, in some
places more than 200 feet high, was raised across the south of the
hill, and a similar wall on the eastern side, and in the spaces
between were erected many arches and pillars, thus raising up the
general surface to the required level. Solomon also provided for a
sufficient water supply for the temple by hewing in the rocky hill
vast cisterns, into which water was conveyed by channels from the
"pools" near Bethlehem. One of these cisterns, the "great sea," was
capable of containing three millions of gallons. The overflow was led
off by a conduit to the Kidron. In all these preparatory undertakings
a space of about three years was occupied; and now the process of the
erection of the great building began, under the direction of skilled
Phoenician builders and workmen, in the fourth year of Solomon's
reign, 480 years after the Exodus
(1 Kings 6:1)ff
(2 Chronicles 3:1)ff Many
thousands of labourers and skilled artisans were employed in the
work. Stones prepared in the quarries underneath the city
(1 Kings 5:17,18)
of huge dimension
(See QUARRIES)
were gradually placed on the massive walls, and closely fitted
together without any mortar between, till the whole structure was
completed. No sound of hammer or axe or any tool of iron was heard as
the structure arose
(1 Kings 6:7) "Like some tall palm the noiseless
fabric sprang." The building was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and
30 cubits high. The engineers of the Palestine Exploration Fund, in
their explorations around the temple area, discovered what is believed
to have been the "chief corner stone" of the temple, "the most
interesting stone in the world." It lies at the bottom of the
south-eastern angle, and is 3 feet 8 inches high by 14 feet long. It
rests on the solid rock at a depth of 79 feet 3 inches below the
present surface.
(See PINNACLE)In examining the walls the engineers were "struck with admiration at
the vastness of the blocks and the general excellence of the
workmanship." At length, in the autumn of the eleventh year of his
reign, seven and a half years after it had been begun, the temple was
completed in all its architectural magnificence and beauty. For
thirteen years there it stood, on the summit of Moriah, silent and
unused. The reasons for this strange delay in its consecration are
unknown. At the close of these thirteen years preparations for the
dedication of the temple were made on a scale of the greatest
magnificence. The ark was solemnly brought from the tent in which
David had deposited it to the place prepared for it in the temple, and
the glory-cloud, the symbol of the divine presence, filled the house.
Then Solomon ascended a platform which had been erected for him, in
the sight of all the people, and lifting up his hands to heaven poured
out his heart to God in prayer
(1 Kings 8:1)ff
(2 Chronicles 6:1-7:1)ff
The feast of dedication, which lasted seven days, followed by the
feast of tabernacles, marked a new era in the history of Israel. On
the eighth day of the feast of tabernacles, Solomon dismissed the vast
assemblage of the people, who returned to their homes filled with joy
and gladness, "Had Solomon done no other service beyond the building
of the temple, he would still have influenced the religious life of
his people down to the latest days. It was to them a perpetual
reminder and visible symbol of God's presence and protection, a strong
bulwark of all the sacred traditions of the law, a witness to duty, an
impulse to historic study, an inspiration of sacred song." The temple
consisted of,
1. The oracle or most holy place
(1 Kings 6:19; 8:6) called also the
"inner house"
(1 Kings 6:27) and the "holiest of all"
(Hebrews 9:3) It
was 20 cubits in length, breadth, and height. It was floored and
wainscotted with cedar
(1 Kings 6:16) and its walls and floor were
overlaid with gold
(1 Kings 6:20,21,30) There was a two-leaved door
between it and the holy place overlaid with gold
(2 Chronicles 4:22) also
a veil of blue purple and crimson and fine linen
(2 Chronicles 3:14) comp.
(Exodus 26:33) It had no windows
(1 Kings 8:12) It was indeed the
dwelling-place of God.
2. The holy place (q.v.),
(1 Kings 8:8-10) called also the "greater
house"
(2 Chronicles 3:5) and the "temple"
(1 Kings 6:17)
3. The porch or entrance before the temple on the east
(1 Kings 6:3; 2 Chronicles 3:4; 29:7) In the porch stood the two pillars Jachin and Boaz(1 Kings 7:21; 2 Kings 11:14; 23:3)
4. The chambers, which were built about the temple on the southern,
western, and northern sides
(1 Kings 6:5-10) These formed a part of
the building.
Round about the building were,
1. The court of the priests
(2 Chronicles 4:9) called the "inner court"
(1 Kings 6:36) It contained the altar of burnt-offering
(2 Chronicles 15:8)
the brazen sea
(2 Chronicles 4:2-5,10) and ten lavers
(1 Kings 7:38,39)
2. The great court, which surrounded the whole temple
(2 Chronicles 4:9) Here
the people assembled to worship God
(Jeremiah 19:14; 26:2)
This temple erected by Solomon was many times pillaged during the
course of its history,
1.
(1 Kings 14:25,26) Sishak, king of Egypt
2.
(2 Kings 14:14) Jehoash, king of Israel
3.
(2 Kings 16:8,17,18) Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria
4.
(2 Kings 18:15,16) Sennacherib, king of Assyria
5. At last it was pillaged and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar
(2 Kings 24:13; 2 Chronicles 36:7) He burned the temple, and carried all its treasures with
him to Babylon
(2 Kings 25:9-17; 2 Chronicles 36:19; Isaiah 64:11) These sacred
vessels were at length, at the close of the Captivity, restored to
the Jews by Cyrus
(Ezra 1:7-11)
