SOLOMON BUILDS THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

1 KINGS 5–9; 1 CHRONICLES 21:18–26; 2 CHRONICLES 2

The Bible is very clear about where Solomon was to build the Temple for the Lord. David’s desire to build that Temple (carried out by Solomon) resulted in a massive public works project that consumed the hill located just north of the wall that had enclosed David’s thirteen-acre Jerusalem. This hill had come into royal possession years earlier when David bought it and built an altar on the threshing floor of a Jebusite named Araunah (1 Chron. 21:20–26). He did this to build an altar to the Lord in order to stop a plague (2 Sam. 24:18–25). This area, sometimes referred to as the Temple Mount, was the area where Solomon built the Temple complex—for a reason.

From Abram to the time of David and into the early years of Solomon there had not been a centralized, permanent worship building for the Hebrew people.19 So why build a permanent Temple for the Lord on the northern hill bordering David’s Jerusalem? Geographically, the location is reasonable. It is immediately adjacent to David’s capital city. Its location is protected on all sides except the north by the same valley system that surrounds the City of David, yet it is somewhat higher and can be seen from a great distance by approaching visitors. Topographically, it was an impressive site for the location of the Lord’s Temple. In addition, there is no indication that the hill was associated with any of the high places that had been used for either legitimate or corrupted worship.

The building of the Temple at Jerusalem may be associated with Abram. The earliest biblical reference to Jerusalem goes back to when Abram visited the city of Salem (i.e., Jerusalem) after he had rescued Lot’s family (Genesis 14). The rescue complete, Abram returned home through the hill country, where he passed through Salem and was met by the king, Melchizedek, who was also the “priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18; see also Hebrews 7). In this encounter, Melchizedek proclaimed, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High” (Gen. 14:19–20). Thus it was in Jerusalem that Abram was blessed by God and the Lord was blessed by the priest of the Most High. Moreover, Mount Moriah (i.e., the Temple Mount) was associated with the location where the Lord instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22:2; see also 2 Chron. 3:1). So when the Temple was completed, it was understood as the site of the Lord’s choosing (1 Kings 8:29) where the Israelites were to appear three times a year to worship the God of Abraham (Deut. 16:16–17).

Worship ceremonies for the Temple were designed to focus on the Lord, the goodness of his character, and the Israelites’ relationship with him. Following the plans and preparation of his father, David, Solomon constructed the Temple in Jerusalem “so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you” (2 Chron. 6:33).

Silver amulet (ca. seventh century BC) written in paleo-Hebrew script and containing the priestly blessing (Num. 6:24–26).
© Dr. James C. Martin. The Israel Museum.

The Temple built by Solomon once stood on the mount where the gold Dome of the Rock and El-Aqsa Mosque now reside.

Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem for a reason. The Lord God could have located this Temple in other significant places in Israel, but he chose a specific hill in Jerusalem for its construction. He directed David to prepare for the building of the Temple and confirmed the choice by sending fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice that David offered (1 Chron. 21:26–30). Once completed, it was no coincidence that fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices Solomon offered at the Temple’s dedication (2 Chron. 7:1–3).

This Israelite temple sanctuary at Arad (tenth century BC) measured 60 by 45 feet. The Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high (1 Kings 6:2).

Jerusalem at the time of David and Solomon