Ph logo header
Site logo on drkbg
About
What is the F.O.G?
Open-Source Bible Trilogy
F.O.G Bible Updates
Kingdom Come Manifesto
Join the Kingdom
Read the Bible

Hebrew Bible

GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUT 1SA 2SA 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH EZR NEH EST JOB PSA PRO ECC SNG ISA JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOE AMO OBA JON MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL

New Testament

MAT MAR LUK JOH ACT ROM 1CO 2CO GAL EPH PHI COL 1TH 2TH 1TI 2TI TIT PHM HEB JAM 1PE 2PE 1JO 2JO 3JO JUD REV
Study the Bible
The F.O.G Commentary
The F.O.G Lexicon
Question the Bible
Bible Quizzes
Send a Gift
Send A Gift
$10.00 for each month
$25.00 for each month
$50.00 for each month
$100.00 for each month
$250.00 for each month
$500.00 for each month
$1,000.00 for each month
$0.00 for each month
$0.00 for each month
Members Lounge
Your Bookmarks
0
YouTube

2 Chronicles Chapter 3

0
October 9, 2025

Bible Challenge & Quiz

Read a New Bible. Take the 101 Quiz.
F.O.G Jr. selected first to celebrate launch. Learn more.

🏗️ Solomon Starts Building God’s Amazing House

Solomon was ready to build the most incredible house ever—not for himself, but for God! He chose a very special place in Jerusalem called Mount Moriah.ᵃ This was the same mountain where Abraham had shown his love for God many years before. It was also the place where David, Solomon’s dad, had bought a threshing floorᵇ from a man named Ornan. Solomon started the construction on the second day of the second month, in the fourth year he was king. It was finally time to build God’s house!

📏 How Big Was God’s House?

The temple was HUGE! It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide—that’s about as long as three school buses parked end to end! The front porch was super tall—180 feet high! That’s taller than a 15-story building. Imagine looking up and up and up to see the top! Solomon wanted everything to be beautiful for God, so he covered the inside of the porch with pure, shiny gold. It must have sparkled like crazy when the sun hit it!

✨ Making Everything Beautiful

Solomon didn’t stop with just one room covered in gold. He used special juniper wood to panel the great hallᶜ and covered it with even more fine gold. Then artists carved palm trees and chain designs into the walls. It was like the fanciest art gallery you’ve ever seen! He decorated the temple with precious stones—rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and all kinds of jewels that caught the light. The gold he used came from a place called Parvaim, which had the very best, most pure gold in the world. Gold was everywhere! The wooden beams, the doorways, the walls, the doors—all covered in gold. Artists carved beautiful angels called cherubimᵈ on the walls, watching over God’s house.

🚪 The Most Special Room of All

Inside the temple was an extra-special room called the Most Holy Place.ᵉ This room was 30 feet long and 30 feet wide—perfectly square! Solomon covered this room with 22.5 tons of gold. That’s as heavy as about 15 cars! Even the nails holding everything together were made of gold—20 ounces each. The rooms upstairs? You guessed it—more gold!

👼 Giant Golden Angels

In the Most Holy Place, Solomon put two enormous angel sculptures called cherubim. These weren’t little decorations—they were GIGANTIC! Their wings stretched out 30 feet from tip to tip—as wide as your whole classroom! Each wing was 7½ feet long. When the angels stood side by side, their wings touched the walls on both sides and touched each other in the middle. They were covered completely in gold and faced toward the main hall, like they were guarding something very precious.

🎨 The Beautiful Curtain

Solomon made a special curtain to hang in front of the Most Holy Place. It was woven from blue, purple, and crimson yarns mixed with fine linen. Skilled workers embroidered cherubim angels into the fabric. This curtain was like a beautiful door that separated the regular part of the temple from where God’s presence lived.ᶠ

🏛️ Two Tall Pillars With Cool Names

At the entrance to God’s house, Solomon built two massive bronze pillars. Each one was 52½ feet tall—that’s as tall as a five-story building! On top of each pillar was a fancy decorated piece that was 7½ feet high. He made chains that looked woven together and decorated them with 100 bronze pomegranates.ᵍ These pillars weren’t holding anything up—they were like giant welcome signs! Solomon named them special names. The pillar on the right was called “Jachin,” which means “God will make it strong.” The pillar on the left was called “Boaz,” which means “In God is strength.” Every time people walked between these pillars into God’s house, they would remember that God is strong and keeps His promises!

👣 Footnotes:

  • ᵃ Mount Moriah: This special mountain is where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac, but God provided a ram instead. Now it was where God’s house would be built!
  • ᵇ Threshing floor: A flat place where farmers separated grain from the stalks. David bought this spot to build an altar to God, and now his son was building God’s temple there!
  • ᶜ Great hall: The main room where people could come to worship. Think of it like the biggest, fanciest living room ever, but for meeting with God!
  • ᵈ Cherubim: Special angels that guard holy places. They had wings and were beautiful and powerful. They showed everyone how amazing and holy God is!
  • ᵉ Most Holy Place: This was the most special room in the whole temple! Only the high priest could go in there once a year. It’s where the Ark of the Covenant was kept and where God’s presence lived in a special way.
  • ᶠ The curtain: Many years later, when Jesus died on the cross, this curtain ripped in two from top to bottom! This showed that because of Jesus, everyone could now come close to God, not just the high priest once a year.
  • ᵍ Pomegranates: A yummy fruit that was a symbol of life and blessing. Having 100 of them showed God’s abundant blessings!
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17

Footnotes:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17

Footnotes:

  • 1
    Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where [the LORD] appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
  • 2
    And he began to build in the second [day] of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
  • 3
    Now these [are the things wherein] Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure [was] threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
  • 4
    And the porch that [was] in the front [of the house], the length [of it was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height [was] an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.
  • 5
    And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
  • 6
    And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold [was] gold of Parvaim.
  • 7
    He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.
  • 8
    And he made the most holy house, the length whereof [was] according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, [amounting] to six hundred talents.
  • 9
    And the weight of the nails [was] fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
  • 10
    And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
  • 11
    And the wings of the cherubims [were] twenty cubits long: one wing [of the one cherub was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was likewise] five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.
  • 12
    And [one] wing of the other cherub [was] five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing [was] five cubits [also], joining to the wing of the other cherub.
  • 13
    The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces [were] inward.
  • 14
    And he made the vail [of] blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
  • 15
    Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that [was] on the top of each of them [was] five cubits.
  • 16
    And he made chains, [as] in the oracle, and put [them] on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put [them] on the chains.
  • 17
    And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
  • 1
    Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
  • 2
    Solomon began construction on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.
  • 3
    The foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide, according to the old standard.
  • 4
    The portico at the front, extending across the width of the temple, was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.
  • 5
    He paneled the main room with cypress, which he overlaid with fine gold and decorated with palm trees and chains.
  • 6
    He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and its gold was from Parvaim.
  • 7
    He overlaid its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.
  • 8
    Then he made the Most Holy Place; its length corresponded to the width of the temple—twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. And he overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold.
  • 9
    The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper area with gold.
  • 10
    In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold.
  • 11
    The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the wall of the temple, and its other wing was five cubits long and touched the wing of the other cherub.
  • 12
    The wing of the second cherub also measured five cubits and touched the wall of the temple, while its other wing measured five cubits and touched the wing of the first cherub.
  • 13
    So the total wingspan of these cherubim was twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main room.
  • 14
    He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.
  • 15
    In front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits high, each with a capital on top measuring five cubits.
  • 16
    He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He made a hundred pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork.
  • 17
    Then he set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south and one on the north. The pillar on the south he named Jachin, and the pillar on the north he named Boaz.

2 Chronicles Chapter 3 Commentary

1What’s 2 Chronicles 3 about?
2The Full Context
3What the Ancient Words Tell Us
4What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
5But Wait… Why Did They Need All This Gold?
6Wrestling with the Text
7How This Changes Everything
8Key Takeaway
9Further Reading

When God Gets a Permanent Address

What’s 2 Chronicles 3 about?

This chapter chronicles Solomon’s construction of the Temple – God’s first permanent earthly dwelling place among His people. It’s a masterclass in sacred architecture where every measurement, material, and detail carries profound theological weight about God’s desire to be near us.

The Full Context

2 Chronicles 3 sits at the heart of one of Scripture’s most ambitious construction projects. Written during the post-exilic period (likely 400-350 BCE), the Chronicler is addressing Jewish returnees from Babylon who desperately need to understand their identity and God’s faithfulness. They’re looking at the ruins of Solomon’s Temple, destroyed centuries earlier, wondering if God still cares about dwelling among them. The author meticulously records these building details not as ancient construction notes, but as theological proof that God always intended to make His home with His people.

This passage serves as the climactic moment in Solomon’s reign and the fulfillment of David’s dream in 1 Chronicles 17. The Temple represents more than religious architecture – it’s God’s answer to the portable Tabernacle, His commitment to putting down roots with Israel. The Chronicler emphasizes the continuity between David’s preparations and Solomon’s execution, showing how God’s plans unfold across generations. For the original audience, every golden detail and precise measurement reminded them that their God is a God of order, beauty, and permanent commitment to His covenant people.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew word for “temple” here is bayit, which simply means “house.” Think about that for a moment – God doesn’t demand a cathedral or shrine, but asks for a house. It’s the same word used for your family home, Solomon’s palace, or any dwelling place. The theological implications are staggering: the God of the universe wants to live in a house among His people.

Grammar Geeks

The phrase “Solomon began to build” uses the Hebrew verb banah, which appears over 40 times in Chronicles. But here’s what’s fascinating – it’s not just about construction. This same root gives us the word for “son” (ben) and appears when God “builds up” families. The Temple isn’t just being constructed; it’s being birthed as part of God’s family dwelling.

When the text mentions the Temple being built “on Mount Moriah,” we’re not getting casual geographical information. This is the same mountain where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac in Genesis 22, and where David met the angel of the Lord in 1 Chronicles 21. The Hebrew word Moriah likely means “provided by Yahweh” – this location carries centuries of God’s provision and presence.

The measurements given aren’t random numbers but follow the sacred cubit system. When the text says the Temple was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, these proportions create perfect mathematical harmony. The ancient world understood that certain ratios reflected divine order – this wasn’t just functional architecture but cosmic symbolism.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

For post-exilic Jews reading this account, every detail would have resonated with profound loss and hope. They knew this Temple – their grandparents had worshiped here before Nebuchadnezzar’s armies reduced it to rubble. The Chronicler’s meticulous attention to materials and measurements wasn’t architectural nostalgia; it was theological assurance.

Did You Know?

The 600 talents of gold used to overlay the inner sanctuary (2 Chronicles 3:8) would equal roughly 22.5 tons of gold – worth approximately $1.4 billion today. This wasn’t just expensive; it was economically impossible for most ancient kingdoms. The message was clear: nothing is too costly when creating a dwelling place for God.

When they heard about the “Most Holy Place” being overlaid with pure gold, they’d remember the stories their elders told about the Shekinah glory filling this very space. The Hebrew phrase qodesh haqodashim (Holy of Holies) wasn’t just describing a room – it was the cosmic meeting point between heaven and earth, the place where God’s presence literally dwelt among them.

The mention of Hiram-Abi, the skilled craftsman from Tyre, would remind them that God uses people from all nations to accomplish His purposes. Even in building His house, God demonstrates that His love extends beyond Israel’s borders.

But Wait… Why Did They Need All This Gold?

Here’s something that puzzles modern readers: why would an invisible, omnipresent God need such extravagant earthly accommodations? The ancient Near Eastern mindset helps us understand – temples weren’t just worship centers but cosmic models of divine reality.

The gold overlay throughout the Temple wasn’t about impressing visitors (most people never saw the interior). Gold doesn’t tarnish or decay – it represents the eternal, unchanging nature of God. When light hit those golden surfaces, the entire interior would have shimmered like heaven itself.

Wait, That’s Strange…

The cherubim described in 2 Chronicles 3:10-13 have wingspans totaling 20 cubits – exactly the width of the Holy of Holies. But here’s the puzzle: these aren’t the same cherubim from the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon adds massive guardian figures whose wings touch both walls and each other. Why duplicate the cherubim imagery?

The answer lies in understanding these cherubim as throne guardians. In ancient royal courts, the king’s throne was flanked by protective figures. The smaller cherubim on the Ark represented God’s mercy seat; these larger ones proclaimed His sovereignty over all creation.

Wrestling with the Text

The most challenging aspect of this chapter isn’t the construction details but the theological implications. How do we reconcile an infinite God choosing to dwell in a finite building? Acts 7:48 reminds us that “the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands,” yet here we see God not just approving but commanding such a structure.

The answer emerges when we understand the Temple as sacramental – not containing God but making Him accessible. Just as a wedding ring doesn’t contain love but symbolizes and mediates it, the Temple didn’t house God’s essence but provided a tangible meeting place for divine-human encounter.

The detailed measurements and materials teach us that God cares about beauty and excellence in worship. This wasn’t utilitarian construction but artistic expression that reflected God’s character. The Temple demonstrated that approaching God deserves our finest efforts and most beautiful offerings.

“The Temple wasn’t God’s cage but His welcome mat – an invitation for heaven to touch earth in the most beautiful way possible.”

Consider the social implications too. This massive construction project required cooperation between Israel and surrounding nations, skilled and unskilled workers, royalty and common laborers. The Temple became a symbol of unity and shared purpose under God’s blessing.

How This Changes Everything

This chapter revolutionizes how we think about God’s presence. Before the Temple, God met His people at the portable Tabernacle – a tent that emphasized movement and temporary dwelling. The Temple represented God’s commitment to put down roots, to make Israel His permanent earthly address.

For New Testament believers, this takes on even richer meaning. 1 Corinthians 6:19 declares that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. The same care, excellence, and reverence that went into Solomon’s Temple should characterize how we treat ourselves and others as God’s dwelling places.

The Temple’s destruction and eventual replacement by the church reminds us that God’s ultimate plan was never about buildings but about people. Yet the principles remain: God deserves our best, beauty matters in worship, and divine presence transforms ordinary spaces into holy ground.

The economic investment Solomon made challenges our priorities. If the ancient world could dedicate such resources to creating a place for God’s presence, how much more should we invest in cultivating that presence in our lives and communities?

Key Takeaway

God’s desire to dwell among His people is so strong that He’ll provide detailed blueprints, unlimited resources, and international cooperation to make it happen – and today, He’s chosen to make His home in us.

Further Reading

Internal Links:

External Scholarly Resources:

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Entries
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Coffee mug svgrepo com
Coffee mug svgrepo com
Have a Coffee with Jesus
Read the New F.O.G Bibles
Get Challenges Quicker
0
Add/remove bookmark to personalize your Bible study.
←
→