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2 Chronicles Chapter 3

Old Testament Historical 17 Verses

What is 2 Chronicles 3 about?

Solomon's Temple construction and the history of the Judean kings through Josiah's reformation and the Babylonian exile. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Then 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 that David had appointed, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
2And he began to build in the second [day] of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
3Now 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.
4And 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.
5And the greater house he ceiled with fir-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and wrought thereon palm-trees and chains.
6And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
7He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubim on the walls.
8And he made the most holy house: the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
9And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
10And in the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and they overlaid them with gold.
11And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the 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.
12And the 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.
13The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.
14And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon.
15Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.
16And he made chains in the oracle, and put [them] on the tops of the pillars; and he made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.
17And he set 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.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“PLACE AND TIME OF BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (Ch2 3:1-2) Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David--These words seem to intimate that the region where the temple was built was previously known by the name of Moriah (Gen 22:2), and do not afford sufficient evidence for affirming, as has been done [STANLEY], that the name was first given to the mount, in consequence of the vision seen by David. Mount Moriah was one summit of a range of hills which went under the general name of Zion. The platform of the temple is now, and has long been, occupied by the haram, or sacred enclosure, within which stand the three…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Where the Lord appeared unto David - The marginal rendering, or “which was shown to David,” is preferred by some; and the expression is understood to point out to David the proper site for the temple by the appearance of the Angels and the command to build an altar 2 Samuel 24:17-25; 1 Chronicles 21:16-26. In the place that David had prepared - This seems to be the true meaning of the passage, though the order of the words in the original has been accidentally deranged. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Moriah - It was the belief of the ancient Jews, that the temple was built on that very place, where Abraham offered up Issac. 2 Chronicles 3:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“3:1-4a Although in Chronicles the Temple is the central topic of Solomon’s reign, attention to its actual architecture and furnishings is considerably less than that found in Kings (e.g., 1 Kgs 6:2-10). 3:1 While Kings emphasizes the time when the Temple was built, Chronicles places great emphasis on the Temple’s building site and the significance of the location. Geographically, it was in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the place where the Lord had appeared to David; it was selected under David’s authority, and it was the sacred place where the plague was stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“am 2993, bc 1011, An, Ex, Is, 480 Solomon: Kg1 6:1-14 in mount Moriah: Gen 22:2, Gen 22:14 where the Lord appeared unto David: or, which was seen of David Ornan: Sa2 24:18-25, Araunah, Ch1 21:18, Ch1 22:1 2 Chronicles 3:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“The building of the temple. - Ch2 3:1-3. The statements as to the place where the temple was built ( Ch2 3:1) are found here only. Mount Moriah is manifestly the mountain in the land of Moriah where Abraham was to have sacrificed his son Isaac ( Gen 22:2), which had received the name המּוריּה, i.e., "the appearance of Jahve," from that event. It is the mountain which lies to the north-east of Zion, now called Haram after the most sacred mosque of the Mohammedans, which is built there; cf. Rosen, das Haram von Jerusalem, Gotha 1866. לד נראה אשׁר is usually translated: "which was pointed out to David his father."…”
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