III. THE ERF.OTION. 1. The house, or the temple proper. (1) Its dimensions: 60 cubits long, 20 broad (ver. 3), 30 high (1 Kings vi. 2); i.e. taking the cubit at 1·33 feet, 79·8 feet, 26·6 f'let, and 39·9 feet, or, in round numbers, 80 feet, 27 feet, and 40 feet. (2) Its parts. "The greater house" (ver. 5), i.e. the holy place, or the outer of the two compartments into which the house wa.e divided, and" the most holy house" (ver. 8), or the inner of the two compartments. .As this latter was a perfect cube, 20 cubits each way, the former was (internally viewed) a rectangular parallelopiped, of length 40, of breadth 20, of height 30 cubits. BesideR these were "the upper chambers" (ver. 9), or the space above the holy of holies, whose dimensions were 20 cubits long, 20 broad, and 10 high. (3) Its ornaments. '£he house was built of white freestone cut from the royal quarries under Bezetha, the northern hill on which Jern- salem is built (Warren,' Underground Jerusalem,' p. 60), smoothly polished and laid so skilfully and harmoniously together that "there appeared to the spectators no sign of any hammer or other instrument of architecture, but as if, without any use of them, the entire materials had nature.Uy united themselves together" (Josephus,' Ant.,' viii. 3. 2). The interior of the house was covered with wood, the walls and the ceiling with cedar, the floor with cypress (1 Kings vi. 15), so that no part of the stonework was visible. The wood was ornamented with carved work representing palm trees (ver. 5) and cherubim (ver. 7), the latter on the walls, the former on the roof. In addition were knops or gourds and open flowers (1 Kings vi. 18). Similar decorations were carved upon the outer sides of the walls (1 Kings vi. 29). The whole house, interior and exterior-walls, roof, beams, posts, doors-was overlaid with gold plates, which received impressions from the carved work underneath. "To say all in a word, Solomon left no part of the temple, neither internal nor external, but what was covered with gold" (Josephus). The gold, of the finest quality (1 Kings vi. 20), was fetched from Parvaim, a place of uncertain location-Ophir in Ceylon (Bochart), Ophir in India (Knobel), Peru and Mexico (Ritter), Southern or Eastern .Arabia (Bertheau), the peninsula of Malacca (Leyrer, in Herzog), having all been suggested. 'fhe veil which divided the compartments was made of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen- the same materials as were employed in constructing the tabernacle vail (Exod. xxvi. 31)-and was ornamented with similar cherubic figures. The precious stones where- with the walls were garnished are not mentioned. 2. The porch. (I) Its situation: in front of the house. (2) Its dimensions: 20 cubits broad, 120 high, and 10 long (1 Kings vi. 3). 'l'he disproportion between the ground measures and the altitude has suggested the existence in this place of an error (Keil), or of an intentional exaggeration (Bertheau), though Josephus appears to have regarded it as literally correct (' Ant.,' viii. 3. 2). Ewald, who upholds the text as genuine, thinks of a tower rising above the porch to the height of 120 feet (' History of Israel,' iii. 236); but this is far from pro- bable, indeed statically impossible, and must be rejected. On the assumption of a corrupt text, the question remains how high the porch was. Some say 20 cubits (Keil), or 10 lower than the house; others 30, i.e. the exact height of the house (Bertheau); a third 23, at least as high as the pillars (Merz, in Herzog; Schiirer, in Riehm). (3) Its ornaments. Its interior was overlaid with fine gold (ver. 4); its entrance guarded by two massive columns. 3. The pillars. (1) Their names: that on the right Ja.chin, or," He shall establish," meaning that in this shrine Jehovah would hence:orth permanently abide (1 Kings viii. 13; Ps. lxxxvii. 5; cxxxix. 14), or that through this would the kingdom be henceforth immovably established (Ps. lxx.xix. 5); that on ,he left Boaz, signifying "In him, or in it, is strength," and pointing perhaps to the fulness of heavenly might that resides in him who is the sanctuary's God (Isa. xlv. 24), or to the consolidation which should henceforth be given to the kingdom through the erection of this temple (Ps. cxliv. 14). Other explanations have been given, as that Jachin and Boaz were the names of the donors or builders of the pillars (Gesenius), or of two youthful sons of Solomon (Ewald), or that the two words should be read together, as if both were inscribed on each pillar, "He will establish, or may he establish, it with strength" (TheniuB), Least acceptable of all solutions is that of the Fathers, that tho two names were intended to point to the two natures in Christ, in whom, though appearing in a lowly garb of humanity, dwelt the fuluess of Divine strength. (2) Their height: thirty-five cubits, inclusive of the chapiter of five cubits with which each was crowned (ver. 15); each shaft eighteen cubits, and each crown five cubits, or both 42 THE SEOOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [011:. 1v. 1-22.
together twenty-three oubits (1 Kings vii. 15, 16; Jer. lii. 21; Josephus, • Ant.,' vii. 3. 4). It hR.s been Ruggested thR.t, e.s twioe 18 R.re 36, the Chronicler should bo regarded e.s stating the length of the two columns together. But a.s this does not get over the discrepancy, it is better to reoognize the.t the original text he.s suffered some corruption, (3) Their position: before the temple. Whether within the porch (1 Kings vii. 21), perhaps supporting the roof, or outside and apR.rt from the building, is contested. (For the. arguments on both sides, the Exposition may be consulted.) 'l.'he e.blest art echolnrs who hR.ve gi,•en attention to the subject he.ve decided for the latter (see Riehm,• He.nd- worterbuch,' art. "Ja.chin and Boaz"). ( 4) Their parts : first, a hollow column of brass, eighteen cubits high as e.bove mentioned, twelve cubits in circumference, and of metal four fingers thick; and, second, a cha.piter or crown of lily-work, i.e. a b1"e.ss cup shaped like a fully-opened lily-the under part a belly-shaped be.nd of network, bulging out between an under and an upper row of pomegranates strung on cha.ins; above the upper row the lily-shaped cup, or crown, decorated all over with buds, flowers, and leaves like those of lilies. LESSONS. 1. The place due to religion in communities and individuals, the first. 2. The que.lity of service given to God and the Church, the best. 3. The power of art to e:i.:press the ideas and emotions ofreligion.-W.