2 Chronicles 3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Solomon, in the fourth year of his reign, builds the temple. The measure and ornaments thereof: the cherubims and pillars.

Before Christ 1011.

Now these are the things wherein Solomon, &c.— Now Solomon made these mensurations for the building, &c. Houbigant.

And the height was an hundred and twenty— And the height was twenty cubits. Houbigant. See 1 Kings 6:2.

And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty— And he paved the floor with beautiful and excellent stones. Houbigant. The Vulgate has it, with marble. Houbigant thinks that the next clause belongs to the 7th verse, where accordingly he places it. The doors thereof with gold, and the gold was gold of Parvaim; which some take for the name of a place, supposed by them to have been the island Taprobanes, now called Sumatra, which abounds with fine gold: while others imagine, that the word is expressive of the quality of the gold, deep and red in its colour, like the blood of bullocks; deriving the word פרוים parvaiim from פר par, a bullock. See Parkhurst's Lexicon.

The upper chambers— This would have been rendered more properly here, the ceiling, the upper part of the house.

Cherubims of image work— Of wrought work. Le Clerc. Opere coagmentato, or of work formed in different parts, which might easily be taken in pieces. Houbigant. Parkhurst says, that the original word צעצעים tsaatsuiim expresses the manner of the workmanship, or of covering the cherubims with gold, to have been by spreading or laying along the gold close upon all the parts. See his Lexicon צעה tsaah.

Two pillars of thirty and five cubits— See 1 Kings 7:15.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, The account of the building of the temple, we had, 1 Kings 6 more at large. Three years were taken up in needful preparations; on the fourth, Solomon laid the foundation. The dimensions exactly corresponded with the pattern given him by David, 1 Chronicles 28:2. The porch led into the greater house, or the holy place; and that into the holiest of all, within the vail. The whole was covered throughout, on the inside, with plates of gold, with golden chains, and palm-trees embossed; the very nails were fine gold, each of fifty shekels weight, or perhaps of that value. In the gold, the precious stones were set, glittering by the light of the lamps with inconceivable lustre; yet how poor all this, great and glorious as it was, compared with that heavenly temple, where every faithful believer consecrated to God is not only for a time to minister, but for eternity to dwell! See Revelation 21:18-19; Revelation 21:21.

2nd, The cherubims represented the angels, bending in adoration towards the mercy-seat, to teach us, that what is their work should be ours. A vail separated the most holy place: that dispensation was dark; but the vail is done away in Christ, and the mercy-seat open to every believing sinner. On this vail cherubims were wrought, or caused to ascend, either raised work, or in an ascending posture, as if mounting to heaven, whither in our devotions our hearts should soar. The two pillars were at the entrance; see 1 Kings 7:15. Every true believer is like these, firm and immoveable against all enemies; and adorned with divine graces more precious than wrought gold.