Solomon's Temple-Bronze, Cedar, and Gold

By Mary Vee
I Kings 6, II Chronicles 3

From Solomon's Scrolls

Are you ready to continue our journey?

Last time we looked at the curtain and felt the masterful workmanship. Let's walk this way and notice the the interior walls. Smell. Doesn't the cedar freshen your soul? Ever inch of the walls from the floor to the ceiling are cedar boards. The floor is covered with planks of sweet pine. A fresh scent. Go ahead, take in a deep breath.

Yes, now let me show you the doors. The entrance of the inner sanctuary have doors made from olive wood, and notice the craftmanship in the jambs. We'll never have problems with these doors. Now, rub your hand along the surface, feel the cherubim's, palm trees, and open flowers carved into the wood and overlaid with gold. Exquisite work.

The doors to the entrance of the main hall are quite similar. The gold, you see was hammered evenly over the carvings. A true work of art.

Let's walk outside and look at the whole structure, set on a firm foundation. This building, dedicated to the Name of the Lord, took us seven years to build.

Over here, by the portico, Huram, a gifted  craftsman in bronze, cast two bronze pillars. Stretch your head back to see the height of eighteen cubits. You won't be able to reach around the twelve cubits width. 

On top of the pillars are two capitals of bronze, five cubits high each and shaped like lilies. See at the top, the two rows of pomegranates encircling each capital to decorate the top. Magnificent, isn't it?

And now, come see the altar. Made of bronze, the altar is twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. Quite large, I know. This will enable the priests to keep up with the people's offerings. 

The priests will wash over here. We call it the Sea. It is made of cast metal, circular, and measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. Below the rim, see the figures of bulls encircling it. The bulls were casted in one piece. Very difficult to do. This portion is set on top of twelve bulls, representing the twelve tribes. Three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. I had the Sea placed here on the southeast corner to be used by the priests for washing.

All these works were handcrafted by Huram, the skilled craftsman sent to help us from Tyre:
two pillars
two bowl-shaped capitals on tip of the pillars
two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars
four hundred pomegranates for those capitals
ten stands with ten basins
the sea and the twelve bulls under it
the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls.


I didn't even weigh them. The bronze weight was so great it could not be determined.

And last, the golden vessels. Look here are the

golden altar
the golden table on which we set the bread 
the lamp stands of pure gold, (ten in all)
gold floral work, lamps, and tongs
pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers
gold sockets for the doors
ten tables
hundred gold sprinkling bowls

Truly a beautiful sight to present to the Name of the Lord.
The Lord has blessed us with the supplies to make this structure for Him. Praise His Holy Name.

Next week we will have the dedication of the Temple. I hope you plan to attend. There will be music, and singing, food, and a wonderful celebration.

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1.  How long did it take to build the temple?
2.  How would you have felt standing inside the building?