2 Chronicles 3:6

“he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty--better, he paved the house with precious and beautiful marble [KITTO]. It may be, after all, that these were stones with veins of different colors for decorating the walls. This was an ancient and thoroughly Oriental kind of embellishment. There was an under pavement of marble, which was covered with planks of fir. The whole interior was lined with boards, richly decorated with carved work, clusters of foliage and flowers, among which the pomegranate and lotus (or water-lily) were conspicuous; and overlaid, excepting the floor, with gold, either by gilding or in plates (1Ki. 6:1-38).”

“Precious stones for beauty - Not marbles but gems (compare 1 Chronicles 29:2). The phrase translated “for beauty” means “for its beautification,” “to beautify it.” Parvaim is probably the name of a place, but what is quite uncertain. return to 'Top of Page'”

“3:6 The gold from the land of Parvaim was the highest quality. The actual location of this place was unknown by the time of the earliest translators and might not have been known to the Chronicler either.”

“garnished: Heb. covered precious: Ch1 29:2, Ch1 29:8; Isa 54:11, Isa 54:12; Rev 21:18-21 Parvaim: Parvaim is supposed by Calmet to be the same as Sepharvaim in Armenia or Media; Bochart is of opinion that it is Taprobanes, now the island of Ceylon, which he drives from taph, a border, and Parvan, i.e., "the coast of Parvan;" but the late Editor of Calmet thinks it the same as the Parvatoi mountains of Ptolemy, at the head of the Indus. 2 Chronicles 3:7”