2 Chronicles 3 Study Notes

3:8-9 The most holy place was covered with gold. Gold is very heavy, but it is also soft. The easiest way to achieve the gold on the ceiling would have been to apply it to the ceiling beams before they were put in place. The golden nails must have had an iron core, or they could not have sustained hammer blows or held their place given gold’s softness.

3:10-13 On the back wall of the most holy place were two cherubim, each with two wings 7½ feet long, adding up to 30 feet in width, the exact width of the wall.

3:14 The curtain became the highest expression of Phoenician art, with its fabric of many colors, including blue, purple, and crimson.

3:15-17 The design of the temple followed that of the tabernacle, though the temple was constructed from more permanent materials. Solomon did add two new structures—two pillars that were taller than the portico. Each of these pillars had a highly ornate capital, featuring a pomegranate motif. Pomegranates were a part of the decorative theme woven into the garments worn by priests (Ex 28:33), so the pomegranate decorations symbolized the priestly function connected to the temple. The names of the pillars, Jachin and Boaz, signified faith in God, meaning “he will establish” and “strength is in him.”