2 Chronicles 3:1

INSTRUCTIONS SOLOMON RECEIVED FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE; AND THINGS HE DID SINFULLY

The chief problem in this chapter relates to verse 3, which in our version states that:

"These are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God."

Yet the foundations are not even mentioned in this chapter. Furthermore, the RSV states that "These are Solomon's measurements." The Good News Bible omits the statement, and James Moffat has; "Here is the ground-plan drawn up by Solomon." It is quite evident that the true meaning of the verse is disputed.

This writer believes that the KJV should be followed in verse 3. The translators of that version believed that they were translating God's Word, but that conviction no longer guides the renditions of many modern translators; and their fanciful `emendations,' given for the purpose of giving `what the Spirit intended to say,' or `what He really meant.' are frequently inaccurate.

"Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God" - KJV.

This rendition is undoubtedly the best one; and it has the utility of clearing up what would otherwise be an impossible contradiction later in 2 Chronicles 3:14. Also the ASV honored this translation of the passage by including it in the marginal reference.

What is the significance of this? 2 Chronicles 3:14 below mentions Solomon's making the veil of the temple; but we have already noted that Solomon actually made two doors of olive-wood for the entrance to the oracle, and not a veil; therefore the reference here to his `making the veil' should be understood, not as what he did, but as what he was instructed to do, as plainly indicated in 2 Chronicles 3:3. (See our comment on this in the commentary on 1Kings, p. 76.)

Of course, there is another way of reconciling Kings and Chronicles regarding the two olive-wood doors (Kings) and the veil (Chronicles), namely, by the conclusion that the temple had both! While such is possible, that idea will not appeal to very many people.

Contrary to the usual opinion of commentators that the Chronicler was attempting to glorify Solomon in these chapters, this writer believes he had a totally different purpose, including here, not what Solomon had done with those olive-wood doors, but what he had been instructed to do by his father David, namely, to make the veil.

This was by no means all of Solomon's violations of God's Word. Those extravagantly large cherubim, the graven images of lions on each side of his throne, and the twelve brazen oxen that supported the laver, and the pagan pillars Jachin and Boaz - all of which violations are mentioned by the Chronicler, and to indicate, contrary to what many suppose, that the Chronicler was not attempting to glorify Solomon.

SOLOMON BEGINS ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

"Then Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem on mount Moriah, where Jehovah appeared unto David his father, which he made ready in the place which David had appointed, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. And the porch that was before the house, the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height a hundred and twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. And the greater house he ceiled with fir-wood; which he overlaid with fine gold, and wrought thereon palm-trees and chains. And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim. And he overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubim on the walls."

"And he began to build ... in the fourth year of his reign" (2 Chronicles 3:2). "The delay to the fourth year may have been due to the problems of collecting materials, or it may represent a four-year co-regency of Solomon with his father David."[1]

(See the chapter heading for a discussion of 2 Chronicles 3:3.)

"And the porch ... the height a hundred and twenty (cubits)" (2 Chronicles 3:4). "This height which so much exceeds the height of the main building (1 Kings 6:2) should probably be corrected by the reading of the Arabic version and by the Alexandrian Septuagint, which read twenty cubits."[2]

In this connection, we wonder why the RSV failed to make this obviously indicated correction. They have not failed to make many other changes with even less authority.