Text: 1 Kings chapter 4-8

Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 9

BYU Lecture 32: Solomon now wants to construct a temple as was instructed by his father David and from the Lord. He reaches out to Hiram, King of Lebanon, who built David’s palace and humbly asks for his help. Hiram responds marvelously and promises to gift Solomon all the lumber and craftsmen needed for the job. Solomon need only provide manpower and food. Solomon sends 30,000 to Lebanon to help with the cutting of lumber and 150,000 to haul and hew the massive stone material.

The location of the temple was on the peak of Mount Moriah and was therefore required to build huge walls on the 3 descending sides and cut out the mountain on the inclining side. Large rocks were used to fill the empty space until the 35 acre area, called Temple Square, could be leveled and smoothed for the temple building itself. This massive endeavor took 3 years to complete.

Also constructed were giant cisterns to hold millions of gallons of water required for use in the sacrifices. These cisterns were carved out of the mountain rock and were supplied with water from aqueducts constructed, beginning at Solomon’s Pools about 10 miles away.

The temple itself was now ready for construction. The general plan was identical to the ancient Tabernacle except that it was twice as long (90 feet), twice as wide (30 feet) and three times as high (45 feet). The entire construction was done by pre-fabrication and then quietly and reverently put into place so as to maintain the sacredness of the grounds.

The temple had 2 courtyards, an inner courtyard for the sacrifices and an outer courtyard for all to enter and worship. It took nearly 8 years to complete the temple construction, after which the Ark of the Covenant and Tabernacle of Moses were brought from their locations into the temple.

After 7 days of sanctification, King Solomon held a Solemn Assembly and dedicated this magnificent new temple to the Lord.