FEATURE
Temple Built by Solomon
Solomon built a temple for Jehovah after Israel had settled in the Promised Land and had come into possession of the city upon which Jehovah later put his name. The architect was Jehovah himself. Solomon’s father, David, had received “the architectural plan of everything . . . by inspiration.” (1Ch 28:11, 12) More than 180,000 men worked for seven and a half years to construct the temple, completing it in 1027 B.C.E. (1Ki 5:13-16; 6:1, 38) The temple, like the tabernacle before it, represented the “true tent,” the spiritual temple of Jehovah.—Heb 8:1-5; 9:2-10, 23.
DIAGRAM: Ground plan of the temple and of the inner courtyard
An inside view of the temple gives some idea of the beauty of this magnificent structure. The inside walls were made of cedar engraved with carvings of cherubs, palm trees, and blossoms; the walls and ceiling were overlaid with gold and studded with gems