Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

3:1-17 The Chronicler's actual account of the construction of the temple is much briefer than his source (1 Kings 6). The architectural details of 1 Kings 6:4-20a are passed over, as are the descriptions of the intricate carvings or stonework in 1 Kings 6:29-36. Instead, the Chronicler leads his readers in their imagination through the vestibule (2 Chron. 3:4) into the ornate nave or Holy Place (vv. 5-7), then on to the Most Holy Place (vv. 8-13), partitioned off by the veil (v. 14). The numerous references to gold (vv. 4-10) and cherubim (vv. 7, 10-14) highlight the splendor of the temple as the heavenly King's earthly palace. As its structure and furnishings indicate, it stood in continuity with the Mosaic tabernacle, at the same time exceeding it in beauty and opulence. The temple measured about 90 feet by 30 feet (27 m by 9.1 m; v. 3), so it was not particularly large compared to many modern church buildings, and it did not function as a place of congregational worship. Only priests would have been admitted to the temple itself, and only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only on the Day of Atonement.

3:1 Mount Zion is identified here with Mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac (Gen. 22:2).

3:2 See 1 Kings 6:1. Depending on which chronology is followed, this may have been in either 966 or 959 b.c.

3:4 120 cubits. The Septuagint and other ancient versions of the OT suggest that the vestibule was actually 20 cubits (30 feet/9.1 m) high. The Hebrew text lacks the word "cubits," so precise identification of the height is uncertain.

3:6 Parvaim. Possibly a place in northeastern Arabia.

3:8-13 The Most Holy Place was the secret, cube-shaped room in which the ark of the covenant would be finally deposited (5:7). The cherubim were angelic beings that combined human and animal features (cf. Ezek. 10:14; 41:18-19) and served as throne-guards to the ark. On the construction of the temple, see note on 1 Kings 6:14-35.

3:14 The Most Holy Place was separated from the rest of the sanctuary by a veil as well as by doors (4:22). The inclusion of the veil signified the continuity of the temple with the Mosaic tabernacle (Ex. 26:31-35). Herod's temple was similarly arranged (Matt. 27:51); the tearing of the veil at the death of Christ indicated that the "shadow" of the Mosaic institutions had now given way to the final sacrifice of Christ, with all its benefits (see Heb. 9:11-12; 10:1).

3:15-17 thirty-five cubits high. Probably the combined heights of the pillars (see note on 1 Kings 7:15-21; cf. 1 Kings 7:15; 2 Kings 25:17). Jachin ("he establishes"); Boaz ("in him is strength"). The names may signify that Yahweh establishes his covenant through the temple.

4:1-5:1 The temple's furnishings communicated the same message as that signified by the structure of the building: the presence of the holy God in the midst of his people, and his gracious provision of atonement and forgiveness. For the Chronicler's own generation, the fact that these vessels had been returned from their Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:3-11; 6:5) was a sign as well that they were still God's covenant people and the heirs of his promises to David and Solomon.

4:1 Solomon's altar stood outside the temple. Perhaps it stood in front of the temple entrance, just as Moses' altar had stood before the entrance of the tabernacle (Ex. 40:6), though it may have stood in the northeast corner, opposite the bronze sea basin in the southeast corner.

4:2-6 On various details of the temple, cf. notes on 1 Kings 7:23-47. The sea was a large, circular water tank, located outside the southeast corner of the temple (2 Chron. 4:10) and used by the priests for their ceremonial cleansing before they entered the temple (v. 6). It corresponded to the bronze basin that had stood between the entrance to the tabernacle and the Mosaic altar (Ex. 30:18-21). 3,000 baths. First Kings 7:26 reads "two thousand baths." The difference may be due to a copyist's error. The twelve oxen probably signified the tribes of Israel, especially as they were encamped around the four sides of the tabernacle in the wilderness (see Num. 2:1-31).

4:2 ten cubits . . . thirty cubits. See note on 1 Kings 7:23.

4:7-8 In contrast to the tabernacle, with its one seven-branched lampstand and table (Ex. 25:31-36), Solomon's temple had ten of each. The tables were apparently for the "bread of the Presence" (2 Chron. 4:19; see 1 Chron. 9:32), a perpetual bread offering to Yahweh, through which Israel consecrated its life and labors to God (Ex. 25:30).

4:9 the court of the priests. A feature that also corresponds to the tabernacle; see Ex. 27:9-19.

4:11b-22 The bronze vessels and furnishings were located in the temple entrance and court, while those in the interior (the place of greater holiness) were made of gold. The golden altar was for the burning of incense (see Ex. 30:1-10; 1 Chron. 28:18). The Most Holy Place was separated from the nave (the Holy Place) by inner doors . . . of gold as well as the veil (2 Chron. 3:14).

4:19 Solomon made all the vessels. See note on 1 Kings 7:48-51.

5:1 A summary statement, again recalling that the temple was the joint enterprise of Solomon and David (see 1 Chron. 17:8; 22:2-16).