1Luego Salomón edificó su propia casa. La construcción tardó trece años.2Construyó la casa llamada«Bosque del Líbano». Era grande y tenía cuarenta y cinco metros de largo, veintidós metros y medio de ancho, y trece metros y medio de alto. Las grandes vigas de cedro del techo descansaban sobre cuatro hileras de columnas de cedro.3-4En la sala había cuarenta y cinco ventanas colocadas en tres hileras, una sobre la otra, cinco por hilera, en cada una de las tres paredes.5Cada una de las puertas y ventanas tenía un marco cuadrado.6Además, construyó la Sala de los Pilares. Tenía veintidós metros y medio de largo por trece metros y medio de ancho. Tenía un pórtico en el centro, cubierto por un enrejado sostenido por columnas.7También estaba la Sala del Trono o Sala del Juicio, donde Salomón se sentaba a escuchar asuntos legales. Estaba cubierta con madera de cedro, desde el piso hasta el techo.8Sus propias habitaciones, cubiertas de madera de cedro, rodeaban un patio que estaba tras esta sala. Diseñó habitaciones similares, del mismo tamaño, para el palacio que edificó para la hija del faraón, una de sus esposas.9Estos edificios fueron construidos por completo con costosas y enormes piedras cortadas a medida.10Las piedras de los cimientos medían entre tres metros y medio, y cuatro metros y medio. Todas esas piedras eran costosas y de buena calidad.11Las grandes piedras de las paredes también fueron cortadas a la medida; y en la parte superior llevaban vigas de cedro.12El gran atrio tenía tres hileras de piedra labrada en sus paredes, en cuya parte superior pusieron vigas de cedro, de la misma manera que en el atrio interior del templo del SEÑOR y en el pórtico de la casa real.
Mobiliario del templo
13El rey Salomón entonces hizo traer de Tiro a un hombre llamado Hiram, quien era un artesano muy capacitado para trabajos en bronce.14Era medio judío, pues era hijo de una viuda de la tribu de Neftalí, y su padre había sido fundidor en Tiro. Así que vino a trabajar para el rey Salomón.15Hizo dos columnas huecas de bronce, cada una de ocho metros de alto y cinco metros y medio de circunferencia.16-22En la parte superior de las columnas hizo dos capiteles de bronce fundido, cada uno de dos metros y veinticinco centímetros de alto. Cada capitel estaba decorado con siete juegos de bronce trenzado a manera de red y con cuatrocientas granadas dispuestas en dos filas. Los capiteles tenían la forma de lirios. Hiram puso estos pilares a la entrada. El del lado sur fue llamado Jaquín, y el del lado norte Boaz.23Asimismo hizo una fuente de bronce, de forma circular, que medía dos metros con veinticinco centímetros de alto; de un borde al otro había cuatro metros y medio, y su circunferencia era de trece metros y medio.24Por debajo del borde había dos hileras de adornos. Estos adornos estaban dispuestos de diez en diez cada cincuenta centímetros, y formaban una sola pieza con la fuente.25La fuente descansaba sobre doce bueyes de bronce, que estaban parados con las ancas al centro, tres miraban al norte, tres hacia el occidente, tres hacia el sur, y tres hacia el oriente.26Las paredes de la fuente tenían ocho centímetros de espesor. El borde era en forma de cáliz; en la fuente cabían unos cuarenta y cuatro mil litros de agua.27-30Entonces hizo diez bases móviles de cuatro ruedas, cada una de un metro con ochenta centímetros de largo y de ancho, por un metro y treinta y cinco centímetros de alto. Estaban construidas con soportes y marcos cuadrados. Estos soportes estaban decorados con relieves de leones, bueyes y querubines. Encima y debajo de los leones y bueyes había decorados de guirnaldas. Cada una de estas bases transportables tenía cuatro ruedas de bronce, con ejes de bronce. Estas bases eran sostenidas en cada esquina por soportes de bronce, decoradas con guirnaldas en cada costado.31En la parte superior de cada base había una pieza redonda de cuarenta y cinco centímetros de alto. Su centro era cóncavo, y se apoyaba sobre una base de sesenta y siete centímetros de alto, decorado en su parte exterior con guirnaldas. Sus paneles no eran redondos, sino cuadrados.32Las bases rodaban sobre cuatro ruedas que estaban conectadas a ejes que habían sido fundidos como parte de las mismas. Las ruedas tenían unos sesenta y siete centímetros de altura,33y parecían ruedas de carro. Todas las partes de las bases fueron hechas de bronce fundido, incluyendo los ejes, los radios, los cubos y los cinchos.34En cada una de las cuatro esquinas de las bases había soportes, los cuales también fueron fundidos en una sola pieza con las bases.35La parte superior de la base estaba rodeada por una banda de veintidós centímetros de altura, apoyada con paneles. Todo estaba fundido de una sola pieza con la base.36En los bordes de la banda, había relieves de querubines, leones y palmeras, rodeados por guirnaldas.37Las diez bases eran del mismo tamaño y tenían la misma forma, porque todas fueron fundidas con el mismo molde.38También Hiram hizo diez lavamanos de bronce, y los colocó sobre las bases. Cada lavamanos tenía un metro con ochenta centímetros, y una capacidad de ochocientos ochenta litros de agua.39Cinco de estos lavamanos fueron colocados a la izquierda, y cinco a la derecha de la sala. La fuente de bronce estaba en la esquina sudeste, en el costado derecho de la sala.40Hiram hizo además, las calderas, tenazas y cuencos que eran necesarios, y al fin completó la obra del templo del SEÑOR, que le había sido asignada por el rey Salomón.41-46Esta es una lista de las cosas que él hizo: Dos columnas; un capitel para la parte superior de cada columna; las redes que cubrían las bases de los capiteles de cada columna; cuatrocientas granadas dispuestas en dos hileras sobre la red, para cubrir las bases de los dos capiteles; diez bases movibles, cada una con un lavamanos; una gran fuente y doce bueyes para sostenerla; calderos, paletas y cuencos. Todo esto fue hecho de bronce pulido, y los fundieron en las llanuras del río Jordán, entre Sucot y Saretán.47Salomón no hizo pesar los utensilios de bronce hechos por Hiram, pues eran muchísimos.48Todos los utensilios y enseres usados en el templo del SEÑOR fueron hechos de oro macizo. Esto incluía el altar, la mesa de los panes de la proposición,49los candelabros (cinco a la derecha y cinco a la izquierda frente al Lugar Santísimo), las flores, las lámparas, las tenazas,50los cántaros, las despabiladeras, las tazas, las cucharillas, los incensarios, los quiciales de las puertas del Lugar Santísimo, y de la entrada principal del templo. Todo esto fue hecho de oro macizo.51Cuando finalmente se acabó la construcción del templo del SEÑOR, Salomón llevó a la tesorería del templo del SEÑOR el oro, la plata y todos los utensilios que David, su padre, había dedicado para ese propósito.
1Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house. (1 R 3:1; 1 R 9:10; 2 Cr 8:1)2He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits[1] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four[2] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. (1 R 10:17; 1 R 10:21)3And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row.4There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers.5All the doorways and windows[3] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.6And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them. (1 R 7:12; Ez 41:25)7And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.[4] (1 R 6:15)8His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken in marriage. (1 R 3:1; 2 Cr 8:11)9All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court.10The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits.11And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar.12The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and the vestibule of the house. (1 R 6:36; 1 R 7:6)
The Temple Furnishings
13And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. (2 Cr 2:14)14He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work. (Ex 31:3; Ex 35:31)15He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.[5] (1 R 7:41; 2 R 25:17; 1 Cr 18:8; 2 Cr 3:15; 2 Cr 4:12; Jer 52:21)16He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. (1 R 7:15)17There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice[6] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital.18Likewise he made pomegranates[7] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital.19Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits.20The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. (1 R 7:42; 2 Cr 3:16; 2 Cr 4:13; Jer 52:23)21He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. (2 Cr 3:17)22And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.23Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. (Ex 30:18; 2 R 16:17; 2 R 25:13; 1 Cr 18:8; 2 Cr 4:2; Jer 52:17)24Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. (1 R 6:18)25It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. (Jer 52:20)26Its thickness was a handbreadth,[8] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.[9]27He also made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. (2 R 25:13; 2 Cr 4:14; Jer 52:17)28This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames,29and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work.30Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each.31Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round.32And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.33The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast.34There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands.35And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it.36And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around.37After this manner he made the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form. (1 R 7:27)38And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. (Ex 30:18; 2 Cr 4:6)39And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.40Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: (Ex 27:3; Ex 38:3; 2 Cr 4:11)41the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; (1 R 7:17)42and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; (1 R 7:20)43the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands;44and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea. (1 R 7:23; 1 R 7:25)45Now the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. (Ex 27:3; Ex 38:3)46In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. (Jos 3:16; Jos 13:27)47And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained. (1 Cr 22:3; 1 Cr 22:14)48So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, (Ex 25:30; Ex 37:10; Ex 37:25; Lv 24:5; 2 Cr 4:8)49the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; (Ex 25:31; 2 Cr 4:7)50the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple. (Ex 27:3; 1 R 6:16)51Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord. (2 S 8:11)