1Aber an seinem eigenen Haus baute Salomo dreizehn Jahre, bis er es ganz vollendet hatte.2So baute er das Libanon-Waldhaus, hundert Ellen lang, fünfzig Ellen breit und dreißig Ellen hoch. Auf drei Reihen von Zedernsäulen legte er eine Decke von Zedernbalken3und deckte auch mit Zedernholz die Gemächer über den Säulen; und es waren fünfundvierzig Säulen, je fünfzehn in einer Reihe.4Und Gebälk lag in drei Reihen, und Fenster waren einander gegenüber dreimal.5Und alle Türen und Fenster waren viereckig, und die Fenster waren einander gegenüber dreimal.6Er baute auch eine Halle von Säulen, fünfzig Ellen lang und dreißig Ellen breit, und noch eine Halle vor diese mit Säulen und einem Aufgang davor;7und baute auch die Thronhalle, in der er Gericht hielt, die Gerichtshalle, und täfelte sie vom Boden bis zur Decke mit Zedernholz;8dazu sein Haus, in dem er wohnte, im andern Hof, hinten an der Halle, gebaut wie die andern; und baute noch ein Haus wie diese Halle für die Tochter des Pharao, die Salomo zur Frau genommen hatte. (1Kön 3,1)9Das alles war von kostbaren Steinen, nach dem Winkeleisen gehauen, mit Sägen geschnitten auf allen Seiten, vom Grund bis an das Dach und von außen bis zum großen Hof.10Die Grundsteine waren auch kostbare und große Steine, zehn und acht Ellen lang,11und darauf kostbare Steine, nach dem Winkeleisen gehauen, und Zedernholz.12Aber der große Hof hatte ringsum drei Schichten behauene Steine und eine Schicht Zedernbalken wie auch der innere Vorhof am Hause des HERRN und die Halle am Hause. (1Kön 6,36)
Die beiden Säulen vor dem Tempel und die heiligen Geräte
13Und der König Salomo sandte hin und ließ holen Hiram von Tyrus – (2Chr 2,12; 2Chr 3,15)14den Sohn einer Witwe aus dem Stamm Naftali, sein Vater aber war aus Tyrus gewesen –; der war ein Bronzeschmied, voll Weisheit, Verstand und Kunst in allerlei Bronzearbeit. Der kam zum König Salomo und machte ihm alle seine Werke.15Er goss zwei Säulen aus Bronze, jede achtzehn Ellen hoch, und eine Schnur von zwölf Ellen war das Maß um jede Säule herum. (2Kön 25,13; 2Kön 25,17; Jer 52,17; Jer 52,21)16Und er machte zwei Knäufe, aus Bronze gegossen, oben auf die Säulen zu setzen; jeder Knauf war fünf Ellen hoch.17Und es war an jedem Knauf oben auf den Säulen Gitterwerk, sieben geflochtene Reifen wie Ketten.18Und er machte an jedem Knauf zwei Reihen Granatäpfel ringsumher an dem Gitterwerk, mit denen der Knauf bedeckt wurde.19Und die Knäufe oben auf den Säulen waren wie Lilien, jeder vier Ellen dick.20Und es waren zweihundert Granatäpfel in den Reihen ringsum, oben und unten an dem Gitterwerk, das um die Rundung des Knaufs her ging, an jedem Knauf auf beiden Säulen.21Und er richtete die Säulen auf vor der Vorhalle des Tempels; die er zur rechten Hand setzte, nannte er Jachin, und die er zur linken Hand setzte, nannte er Boas.22Und oben auf den Säulen war Lilienschmuck. So wurde vollendet das Werk der Säulen.23Und er machte das Meer, gegossen, von einem Rand zum andern zehn Ellen weit, ganz rund und fünf Ellen hoch, und eine Schnur von dreißig Ellen war das Maß ringsherum.24Und um das Meer gingen Ranken an seinem Rand ringsherum, je zehn auf eine Elle; es hatte zwei Reihen Ranken, die beim Guss mitgegossen waren.25Und es stand auf zwölf Rindern, von denen drei nach Norden gewandt waren, drei nach Westen, drei nach Süden und drei nach Osten, und das Meer stand obendrauf, und ihre Hinterteile waren alle nach innen gekehrt.26Die Wanddicke des Meeres aber war eine Hand breit, und sein Rand war wie der Rand eines Bechers, wie eine aufgegangene Lilie, und es gingen zweitausend Eimer hinein.27Er machte auch zehn Gestelle aus Bronze, jedes vier Ellen lang und breit und drei Ellen hoch.28Es war aber das Gestell so gemacht, dass es Seiten hatte zwischen den Leisten.29Und an den Seiten zwischen den Leisten waren Löwen, Rinder und Cherubim, und ebenso auf den Leisten und oberhalb und unterhalb der Löwen und Rinder waren herabhängende Kränze.30Und jedes Gestell hatte vier bronzene Räder mit bronzenen Achsen. Und auf den vier Ecken waren Träger gegossen, jeder dem andern gegenüber, unten an den Kessel gegossen.31Aber seine Öffnung mitten auf dem Gestell war eine Elle hoch und rund, anderthalb Ellen weit, und es waren Schnitzereien an der Öffnung in Feldern, die viereckig waren und nicht rund.32Die vier Räder aber waren unten an den Seiten, und die Achsen der Räder waren am Gestell. Jedes Rad war anderthalb Ellen hoch.33Es waren Räder wie Wagenräder, und ihre Achsen, Naben, Speichen und Felgen waren alle gegossen.34Vier Schulterteile führten zu den vier Ecken des Gestells; von dem Gestell gingen seine Schulterteile aus.35Und oben auf dem Gestell, eine halbe Elle hoch, rundherum, waren Griffe und Leisten am Gestell.36Und er ließ auf die Flächen der Griffe und Leisten eingraben Cherubim, Löwen und Palmenbäume, so viel Platz auf jedem war, und Kränze ringsherum daran.37Auf diese Weise machte er zehn Gestelle, alle von einem Guss, einem Maß und einer Gestalt.38Und er machte zehn Kessel aus Bronze, dass vierzig Eimer in einen Kessel gingen, und jeder war vier Ellen weit, und auf jedem Gestell war ein Kessel.39Und er stellte fünf Gestelle an die rechte Seite des Hauses und die andern fünf an die linke Seite; aber das Meer stellte er rechts vor das Haus nach Süden hin.40Und Hiram machte auch Töpfe, Schaufeln, Schalen; und so vollendete er alle Werke, die der König Salomo am Hause des HERRN machen ließ:41die zwei Säulen und die kugligen Knäufe oben auf den zwei Säulen und die zwei Gitterwerke, die die beiden kugligen Knäufe auf den Säulen bedecken sollten,42und die vierhundert Granatäpfel an den zwei Gitterwerken, je zwei Reihen Granatäpfel an einem Gitterwerk, die die beiden kugligen Knäufe auf den Säulen bedecken sollten,43dazu die zehn Gestelle und zehn Kessel obendrauf44und das Meer und die zwölf Rinder unter dem Meer45und die Töpfe, Schaufeln und Schalen. Und alle diese Geräte, die Hiram dem König Salomo machte für das Haus des HERRN, waren von blanker Bronze.46In der Gegend des unteren Jordans ließ sie der König gießen in der Gießerei von Adama zwischen Sukkot und Zaretan.47Und Salomo ließ alle Geräte ungewogen wegen der sehr großen Menge der Bronze.48Auch ließ Salomo alles Gerät machen, das zum Hause des HERRN gehörte: den goldenen Altar, den goldenen Tisch, auf dem die Schaubrote liegen,49fünf Leuchter zur rechten Hand und fünf Leuchter zur linken vor dem Allerheiligsten von lauterem Gold mit goldenen Blumen, Lampen und Dochtscheren;50dazu Schalen, Messer, Becken, Löffel und Pfannen von lauterem Gold. Auch waren die Angeln an den Türen zum Allerheiligsten innen im Hause und an den Türen der Tempelhalle von Gold.51So wurde das ganze Werk vollendet, das der König Salomo gemacht hatte am Hause des HERRN. Und Salomo brachte hinein, was sein Vater David geheiligt hatte an Silber und Gold und Geräten, und legte es in den Schatz des Hauses des HERRN.
1But it took Solomon 13 years to finish constructing his palace and the other buildings related to it.2He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. It was 50 metres long. It was 25 metres wide. And it was 15 metres high. It had four rows of cedar columns. They held up beautiful cedar beams.3Above the beams was a roof made out of cedar boards. It rested on the columns. There were three rows of beams with 15 in each row. The total number of beams was 45.4The windows of the palace were placed high up in the walls. They were in groups of three. And they faced each other.5All the doorways had frames shaped like rectangles. They were in front. They were in groups of three. And they faced each other.6Solomon made a covered area. It was 25 metres long. And it was 15 metres wide. Its roof was held up by columns. In front of it was a porch. In front of that were pillars and a roof that went out beyond them.7Solomon built the throne hall. It was called the Hall of Justice. That’s where he would serve as judge. He covered the hall with cedar boards from floor to ceiling.8The palace where he would live was set further back. Its plan was something like the plan for the hall. Solomon had married Pharaoh’s daughter. He made a palace for her. It was like the hall.9All those buildings were made out of blocks of good quality stone. They were cut to the right size. They were made smooth on their back and front sides. Those stones were used for the outside of each building and for the large courtyard. They were also used from the foundations up to the roofs.10Large blocks of good quality stone were used for the foundations. Some were 5 metres long. Others were 4 metres long.11The walls above them were made out of good quality stones. The stones were cut to the right size. On top of them was a layer of cedar beams.12The large courtyard had a wall around it. The first three layers of the wall were made out of blocks of stone. The top layer was made out of beautiful cedar wood. The same thing was done with the inside courtyard of the LORD’s temple and its porch.
More facts about the temple
13King Solomon sent messengers to Tyre. He wanted them to bring Huram back with them.14Huram’s mother was a widow. She was from the tribe of Naphtali. Huram’s father was from Tyre. He was skilled in working with bronze. Huram also had great skill, knowledge and understanding in working with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the work he was asked to do.15Huram made two bronze pillars. Each of them was 9 metres high. And each was 6 metres round.16Each pillar had a decorated top made out of bronze. Each top was 2.5 metres high.17Chains that were linked together hung down from the tops of the pillars. There were seven chains for each top.18Huram made two rows of pomegranates. They circled the chains. The pomegranates decorated the tops of the pillars. Huram did the same thing for each pillar.19The tops on the pillars of the porch were shaped like lilies. The lilies were 2 metres high.20On the tops of both pillars were 200 pomegranates. They were in rows all around the tops. They were above the part that was shaped like a bowl. And they were next to the chains.21Huram set the pillars up at the temple porch. The pillar on the south he named Jakin. The one on the north he named Boaz.22The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the work on the pillars was finished.23Huram made a huge metal bowl for washing. Its shape was round. It measured 5 metres from rim to rim. It was 2.5 metres high. And it was 15 metres round.24Below the rim there was a circle of gourds around the bowl. In every half a metre round the bowl there were ten gourds. The gourds were arranged in two rows. They were made as part of the bowl itself.25The huge bowl stood on 12 bulls. Three of them faced north. Three faced west. Three faced south. And three faced east. The bowl rested on top of the bulls. Their rear ends were towards the centre.26The bowl was 8 centimetres thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup. The rim was shaped like the bloom of a lily. The bowl held 48,000 litres of water.27Huram also made ten stands out of bronze. They could be moved around. Each stand was 2 metres long. It was 2 metres wide. And it was 1.5 metres high.28Here is how the stands were made. They had sides that were joined to posts.29On the sides between the posts were lions, bulls and cherubim. They were also on all of the posts. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths made out of hammered metal.30Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. Each stand had a bowl that rested on four supports. The stand had wreaths on each side.31There was a round opening on the inside of each stand. The opening had a frame half a metre deep. The sides were 75 centimetres high from the top of the opening to the bottom of the base. There was carving around the opening. The sides of the stands were square, not round.32The four wheels were under the sides. The axles of the wheels were connected to the stand. Each wheel was 75 centimetres across.33The wheels were made like chariot wheels. All the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were made out of metal.34Each stand had four handles on it. There was one on each corner. They came out from the stand.35At the top of the stand there was a round band. It was 25 centimetres deep. The sides and supports were connected to the top of the stand.36Huram carved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the sides of the stands. He also carved them on the surfaces of the supports. His carving covered every open space. He had also carved wreaths all around.37That’s how he made the ten stands. All of them were made in the same moulds. And they had the same size and shape.38Then Huram made ten bronze bowls. Each one held 960 litres. The bowls measured 2 metres across. There was one bowl for each of the ten stands.39He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple. He placed the other five on the north side. He put the huge bowl on the south side. It was at the southeast corner of the temple.40He also made the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished all the work he had started for King Solomon. Here’s what he made for the LORD’s temple.41He made the two pillars. He made the two tops for the pillars. The tops were shaped like bowls. He made the two sets of chains that were linked together. They decorated the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars.42He made the 400 pomegranates for the two sets of chains. There were two rows of pomegranates for each chain. They decorated the bowl-shaped tops of the pillars.43He made the ten stands with their ten bowls.44He made the huge bowl. He made the 12 bulls that were under it.45He made the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Huram made all those objects for King Solomon for the LORD’s temple. He made them out of bronze. Then he polished them.46The king had made them in clay moulds. It was done on the plain of the River Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan.47Solomon didn’t weigh any of those things. There were too many of them to weigh. No one even tried to weigh the bronze they were made out of.48Solomon also made everything in the LORD’s temple. He made the golden altar. He made the golden table for the holy bread.49He made the pure gold lampstands. There were five on the right and five on the left. They were in front of the Most Holy Room. He made the gold flowers. He made the gold lamps and tongs.50He made the bowls, wick cutters, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and shallow cups for burning incense. All of them were made out of pure gold. He made the gold bases for the doors of the inside room. That’s the Most Holy Room. He also made gold bases for the doors of the main hall of the temple.51King Solomon finished all the work for the LORD’s temple. Then he brought in the things his father David had set apart for the LORD. They included the silver and gold and all the other things for the LORD’s temple. Solomon placed them with the other treasures that were there.