Building the Temple

1Then Solomon begana to build the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriahb where the LordA had appeared to his father David, at the site David had prepared on the threshing floor of OrnanB the Jebusite. 2He began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. 3These are Solomon’s foundationsA for building God’s temple: the lengthB was ninety feet,C and the width thirty feet.D 4The portico, which was across the front extending across the width of the temple, was thirty feet wide; its height was thirty feet;A he overlaid its inner surface with pure gold. 5The larger roomA he paneled with cypress wood, overlaid with fine gold, and decorated with palm trees and chains. 6He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim. 7He overlaid the temple — the beams, the thresholds, its walls and doors — with gold,a and he carved cherubim on the walls.b

The Most Holy Place

8Then he made the most holy place; its length corresponded to the width of the temple, 30 feet, and its width was 30 feet.a He overlaid it with forty-five thousand poundsA of fine gold. 9The weight of the nails was twenty ouncesA of gold, and he overlaid the ceiling with gold.

10He madea two cherubim of sculptured work, for the most holy place, and he overlaid them with gold. 11The overall length of the wings of the cherubim was 30 feet: the wing of one was 7 1/2 feet,A touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7 1/2 feet, touching the wing of the other cherub. 12The wing of the otherA cherub was 7 1/2 feet, touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7 1/2 feet, reaching the wing of the other cherub. 13The wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. They stood on their feet and faced the larger room.A

14He made the curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, and he wove cherubim into it.a

The Bronze Pillars

15In front of the templea he made two pillars, each 27 feetA high. The capital on top of each was 7 1/2 feet high. 16He had made chainwork in the inner sanctuary and also put it on top of the pillars.a He made a hundred pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork. 17Then he set up the pillars in front of the sanctuary, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right JachinA and the one on the left Boaz.B