There is a lot
of repetition from I and II Kings in II Chronicles. Students will notice
this early on, for the story of King Solomon’s asking for wisdom and an
understanding heart is very familiar. (II Chronicles 1:10 “Now give me
wisdom and knowledge to rule them properly, for who is able to govern by
himself such a great nation as this one of yours?” [Living Bible] and also I
Kings 3:5-15.)
I am heartened by the possibility that men and women in authority wish for wisdom in carrying out their duties. Yes, some may even pray for it. As in every aspect of life, we need to be unselfish in our asking, not asking for personal power.
The story offers great detail on the sumptuousness of the temple fit-out. I recall when I was First Reader in a Christian Science church many years ago, that, because we had a fine artist (painting and craft) in our membership, I once prepared readings on the beauty of arts and crafts.
Of interest: the phrase “and he made” appears often in the story, “he” being Hiram, king of Tyre.
How come Solomon was so rich? Trade, gifts (e.g. Queen of Sheba), heavy taxes, and the use of resident aliens as forced labour on public works were some of the means available to him. One commentator tells us that he even charged a hefty yearly set fee for anyone who desired to hear his wisdom.
Incidentally, after Solomon passed from the scene, under his son Rehoboam the people revolted against the high taxes.
Tabernacle (Moses) and Temple (Solomon) Comparison
It may be
worthwhile to compare the tabernacle with the temple. After Moses gave the Ten
Commandments to the people, he invited them to bring him materials out of which
a travelling tabernacle (a movable tent) would be built. This they did
willingly. Exodus 35-40 give full details. These chapters describe tent
curtains of fine twined linen in blue, purple, and scarlet with cherubims of
cunning work, and the “bars of shittim wood for the tabernacle sides, overlaid
with gold”.
Exodus 35:
25-26 The women skilled in sewing
and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread and cloth, and
fine-twined linen, and brought them in. Some other women gladly used their
special skill to spin the goats’ hair into cloth. (Living Bible)
One Bezaleel made the Ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half
in length, a cubit and a half in breadth, and a cubit and a half in
height. It was overlaid with pure gold within and without, with a crown of
gold to it round about. This Ark of the Covenant held Moses’ two tablets of
stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments.
Figure 1: Tabernacle (top) and Temple (below) –
uploaded by Michael Hickenbotham on quora.com.
The spiritual
significance of the tabernacle is explained by Louise Mattheus Martin in her
article “The Tabernacle of God” (Christian Science Sentinel March 19,
1927):
“…The
interpretations of God as a mighty lawgiver, which had come to humanity through
Moses, the great Hebrew leader, were clarified and beatified by the spiritual
revelations of God which Christ Jesus unfolded; and thus the ancient tabernacle
built by Moses and his people stands in the dim perspective of the centuries as
a type and shadow of better things to come. The Man of Galilee rent the veil of
ignorance and doubt which had hidden the Holy of Holies for so long, and opened
the sacred sanctuary to all mankind by his abundant interpretation of God as
Love, universal and ever present. He revealed the nature and character of God,
without mystery or limitation, and unveiled the glories of divine Being…”
Joyce Voysey
Ed. Contemplating the tabernacle information above, I came
across a most interesting article by Fred H. Wight called “excerpts from
Manners and Customs of Bible Lands: Tent dwellings”. Here is the image
that accompanies that article from the Ancient Hebrew Research Centre website:
Figure 2: Tents such as people may have used in Bible times
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