Salomón construye su palacio
1Salomón también terminó la construcción de su propio palacio, pero el proyecto le llevó trece años. 2Construyó el palacio «Bosque del Líbano», el cual medía cien codos de largo, cincuenta codos de ancho y treinta codos de alto.7:2 Es decir, aprox. 45 m de largo por 23 de ancho por 14 de alto. Cuatro hileras de columnas de cedro sostenían las vigas, las cuales también eran de cedro. 3Encima de las columnas había cuarenta y cinco cámaras laterales, quince en cada piso; y sobre las cámaras7:3 cámaras … sobre las cámaras. Alt. vigas, quince en cada hilera; y sobre las vigas. había un techo de cedro. 4Las ventanas estaban colocadas en tres filas, de tres en tres y unas frente a las otras. 5Todas las entradas tenían un marco rectangular y estaban colocadas de tres en tres, unas frente a las otras.
6Salomón también hizo un vestíbulo de columnas que medía cincuenta codos de largo y treinta codos de ancho.7:6 Es decir, aprox. 23 m de largo y 14 de ancho. Al frente había otro vestíbulo con columnas y un alero.
7Construyó además una sala para su trono, es decir, el tribunal donde impartía justicia. Esta sala la recubrió de cedro de arriba abajo. 8Su residencia personal estaba en un atrio aparte y tenía un modelo parecido. A la hija del faraón, con la cual se había casado, Salomón le construyó un palacio semejante.
9Desde los cimientos hasta las cornisas, y desde la parte exterior hasta el gran atrio, todo se hizo con bloques de piedra de buena calidad, cortados a la medida y aserrados por ambos lados. 10Para echar los cimientos se usaron piedras grandes y de buena calidad; unas medían diez codos y otras ocho.7:10 Es decir, aprox. 4.5 y 3.6 m; también en v. 23. 11Para la parte superior se usaron también piedras de buena calidad, cortadas a la medida, y vigas de cedro. 12El muro que rodeaba el gran atrio tenía tres hileras de piedra tallada por cada hilera de vigas de cedro, lo mismo que el atrio interior y el vestíbulo del templo del Señor.
Mobiliario del templo
7:23-26 – 2Cr 4:2-5
7:38-51 – 2Cr 4:6,10–5:1
13El rey Salomón mandó traer de Tiro a Hiram, 14que era hijo de una viuda de la tribu de Neftalí y de un nativo de Tiro, artesano en bronce. Hiram tenía sabiduría, inteligencia y capacidad para trabajar en toda clase de trabajo en bronce, así que se presentó ante el rey Salomón y realizó todo el trabajo que se le asignó.
15Hiram fundió dos columnas de bronce, cada una de dieciocho codos de alto y doce codos de circunferencia.7:15 Es decir, aprox. 8 m de alto y 5 m de circunferencia. 16Las columnas que hizo remataban en dos capiteles de bronce fundido que medían cinco codos de alto.7:16 Es decir, aprox. 2.3 m de alto; también en v. 23. 17Una red de cadenas trenzadas adornaba los capiteles en la parte superior de las columnas y en cada capitel había siete trenzas. 18El capitel de cada columna7:18 de cada columna (muchos mss. hebreos, LXX y Siríaca); de las granadas (TM). lo cubrió con dos hileras de granadas7:18 con dos hileras de granadas (dos mss. hebreos y LXX); hizo las columnas y dos hileras (TM). entrelazadas con las cadenas. 19Estos capiteles en que remataban las columnas del vestíbulo tenían forma de azucenas y medían cuatro codos.7:19 Es decir, aprox. 1.8 m; también en v. 38. 20La parte más alta y ancha de los capiteles de ambas columnas estaba rodeada por doscientas granadas, dispuestas en hileras junto a la red de cadenas. 21Cuando Hiram levantó las columnas en el vestíbulo de la nave central, llamó Jaquín a la columna de la derecha y Boaz a la de la izquierda.7:21 Jaquín (que probablemente significa él establece) estaba al sur, y Boaz (probablemente en él hay fuerza) estaba al norte. 22El trabajo de las columnas quedó terminado cuando se colocaron en la parte superior las figuras en forma de azucenas.
23Hizo también una fuente7:23 una fuente. Lit. el mar; así en el resto de este pasaje. circular de metal fundido que medía diez codos de diámetro y cinco codos de alto. Su circunferencia, medida a cordel, era de treinta codos.7:23 Es decir, aprox. 14 m. 24Debajo del borde hizo dos hileras de figuras de calabazas, diez por cada codo, las cuales estaban fundidas en una sola pieza con la fuente.
25La fuente descansaba sobre doce bueyes que tenían sus cuartos traseros hacia adentro. Tres bueyes miraban al norte, tres al oeste, tres al sur y tres al este. 26El grosor de la fuente era de un palmo7:26 Es decir, aprox. 7.5 cm. y su borde, en forma de copa, se asemejaba a un capullo de azucena. Tenía una capacidad de dos mil batos.7:26 Es decir, aprox. 44 000 l.
27También hizo diez bases de bronce, cada una de las cuales medía cuatro codos de largo, cuatro codos de ancho y tres codos de alto.7:27 Es decir, aprox. 1.8 m de largo, 1.8 m de ancho y 1.4 m de alto. 28Estaban revestidas con paneles entre los bordes. 29En los paneles había figuras de leones, bueyes y querubines, mientras que en los bordes, por encima y por debajo de los leones y los bueyes, había guirnaldas repujadas. 30Cada base tenía cuatro ruedas de bronce con ejes también de bronce y tenía un recipiente que se apoyaba sobre cuatro soportes fundidos que tenían guirnaldas en cada lado. 31La boca del recipiente era circular y sobresalía un codo;7:31 Es decir, aprox. 45 cm. con su pedestal medía un codo y medio.7:31 Es decir, aprox. 68 cm; también en v. 32. Alrededor de la boca había entalladuras, pero los paneles de la base eran cuadrados, no redondos. 32Las cuatro ruedas estaban debajo de los paneles y los ejes de las ruedas estaban unidos a la base. Cada rueda medía un codo y medio de diámetro 33y estaba hecha de metal fundido, como las ruedas de los carros, con sus ejes, aros, rayos y cubos.
34Cada base tenía cuatro soportes unidos a ella, uno en cada esquina. 35En la parte superior de la base había un marco circular de medio codo.7:35 Es decir, aprox. 23 cm. Los soportes y paneles formaban una misma pieza con la parte superior de la base. 36Sobre las superficies de los soportes y sobre los paneles Hiram grabó querubines, leones y palmeras, con guirnaldas alrededor, según el espacio disponible. 37De esa manera hizo las diez bases, las cuales fueron fundidas en los mismos moldes y eran idénticas en forma y tamaño.
38Hiram hizo también diez recipientes de bronce, uno para cada base. Cada uno de ellos medía cuatro codos y tenía capacidad para cuarenta batos.7:38 Es decir, aprox. 880 l. 39Colocó cinco de las bases al lado derecho del templo y cinco al lado izquierdo. La fuente de metal la colocó en la esquina del lado derecho, al sureste del templo. 40También hizo las ollas,7:40 las ollas (muchos mss., LXX, Siríaca y Vulgata; véase v. 45); los lavabos (TM). las tenazas y los tazones.
Así Hiram terminó todo el trabajo que había emprendido para el rey Salomón en el templo del Señor, es decir:
41las dos columnas;
los dos capiteles en forma de tazón que coronaban las columnas;
las dos redes que decoraban los capiteles;
42las cuatrocientas granadas, dispuestas en dos hileras para cada red que cubrían los tazones que estaban en lo alto de las columnas;
43las diez bases con sus diez recipientes de bronce;
44la fuente de metal y los doce bueyes que la sostenían;
45las ollas, las tenazas y los tazones.
Todos esos utensilios que Hiram hizo para el templo del Señor por orden del rey Salomón eran de bronce pulido. 46El rey los hizo fundir en moldes de arcilla en la llanura del Jordán, entre Sucot y Saretán. 47Eran tantos los utensilios que Salomón ni los pesó, así que no fue posible determinar el peso del bronce.
48Salomón también mandó hacer los otros utensilios que estaban en el templo del Señor, es decir:
el altar de oro;
la mesa de oro sobre la que se ponía el pan de la Presencia;
49los candelabros de oro puro, cinco en el lado sur y cinco en el lado norte, en frente del santuario interior;
la obra floral, las lámparas y los cortapabilos, que también eran de oro;
50las vasijas, los cortapabilos, los tazones, la vajilla y los incensarios;
y las bisagras de oro para las puertas del Lugar Santísimo, como también para las puertas de la nave central del templo.
51Una vez terminada toda la obra que el rey había mandado hacer para el templo del Señor, Salomón hizo traer el oro, la plata y los utensilios que su padre David había consagrado, y los depositó en el tesoro del templo del Señor.
Solomon Builds His Palace
1But it took Solomon 13 years to finish constructing his palace and the other buildings related to it. 2He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long. It was 75 feet wide. And it was 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar columns. They held up beautiful cedar beams. 3Above the beams was a roof made out of cedar boards. It rested on the columns. There were three rows of beams with 15 in each row. The total number of beams was 45. 4The windows of the palace were placed high up in the walls. They were in groups of three. And they faced each other. 5All the doorways had frames shaped like rectangles. They were in front. They were in groups of three. And they faced each other.
6Solomon made a covered area. It was 75 feet long. And it was 45 feet wide. Its roof was held up by columns. In front of it was a porch. In front of that were pillars and a roof that went out beyond them.
7Solomon built the throne hall. It was called the Hall of Justice. That’s where he would serve as judge. He covered the hall with cedar boards from floor to ceiling. 8The palace where he would live was set farther back. Its plan was something like the plan for the hall. Solomon had married Pharaoh’s daughter. He made a palace for her. It was like the hall.
9All those buildings were made out of blocks of good quality stone. They were cut to the right size. They were made smooth on their back and front sides. Those stones were used for the outside of each building and for the large courtyard. They were also used from the foundations up to the roofs. 10Large blocks of good quality stone were used for the foundations. Some were 15 feet long. Others were 12 feet long. 11The walls above them were made out of good quality stones. The stones were cut to the right size. On top of them was a layer of cedar beams. 12The large courtyard had a wall around it. The first three layers of the wall were made out of blocks of stone. The top layer was made out of beautiful cedar wood. The same thing was done with the inside courtyard of the Lord’s temple and its porch.
More Facts About the Temple
13King Solomon sent messengers to Tyre. He wanted them to bring Huram back with them. 14Huram’s mother was a widow. She was from the tribe of Naphtali. Huram’s father was from Tyre. He was skilled in working with bronze. Huram also had great skill, knowledge and understanding in working with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the work he was asked to do.
15Huram made two bronze pillars. Each of them was 27 feet high. And each was 18 feet around. 16Each pillar had a decorated top made out of bronze. Each top was seven and a half feet high. 17Chains that were linked together hung down from the tops of the pillars. There were seven chains for each top. 18Huram made two rows of pomegranates. They circled the chains. The pomegranates decorated the tops of the pillars. Huram did the same thing for each pillar. 19The tops on the pillars of the porch were shaped like lilies. The lilies were 6 feet high. 20On the tops of both pillars were 200 pomegranates. They were in rows all around the tops. They were above the part that was shaped like a bowl. And they were next to the chains. 21Huram set the pillars up at the temple porch. The pillar on the south he named Jakin. The one on the north he named Boaz. 22The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the work on the pillars was finished.
23Huram made a huge metal bowl for washing. Its shape was round. It measured 15 feet from rim to rim. It was seven and a half feet high. And it was 45 feet around. 24Below the rim there was a circle of gourds around the bowl. In every 18 inches around the bowl there were ten gourds. The gourds were arranged in two rows. They were made as part of the bowl itself.
25The huge bowl stood on 12 bulls. Three of them faced north. Three faced west. Three faced south. And three faced east. The bowl rested on top of the bulls. Their rear ends were toward the center. 26The bowl was three inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup. The rim was shaped like the bloom of a lily. The bowl held 12,000 gallons of water.
27Huram also made ten stands out of bronze. They could be moved around. Each stand was six feet long. It was six feet wide. And it was four and a half feet high. 28Here is how the stands were made. They had sides that were joined to posts. 29On the sides between the posts were lions, bulls and cherubim. They were also on all of the posts. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths made out of hammered metal. 30Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. Each stand had a bowl that rested on four supports. The stand had wreaths on each side. 31There was a round opening on the inside of each stand. The opening had a frame 18 inches deep. The sides were 27 inches high from the top of the opening to the bottom of the base. There was carving around the opening. The sides of the stands were square, not round. 32The four wheels were under the sides. The axles of the wheels were connected to the stand. Each wheel was 27 inches across. 33The wheels were made like chariot wheels. All the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were made out of metal.
34Each stand had four handles on it. There was one on each corner. They came out from the stand. 35At the top of the stand there was a round band. It was nine inches deep. The sides and supports were connected to the top of the stand. 36Huram carved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the sides of the stands. He also carved them on the surfaces of the supports. His carving covered every open space. He had also carved wreaths all around. 37That’s how he made the ten stands. All of them were made in the same molds. And they had the same size and shape.
38Then Huram made ten bronze bowls. Each one held 240 gallons. The bowls measured six feet across. There was one bowl for each of the ten stands. 39He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple. He placed the other five on the north side. He put the huge bowl on the south side. It was at the southeast corner of the temple. 40He also made the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls.
So Huram finished all the work he had started for King Solomon. Here’s what he made for the Lord’s temple.
41He made the two pillars.
He made the two tops for the pillars. The tops were shaped like bowls.
He made the two sets of chains that were linked together. They decorated the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars.
42He made the 400 pomegranates for the two sets of chains. There were two rows of pomegranates for each chain. They decorated the bowl-shaped tops of the pillars.
43He made the ten stands with their ten bowls.
44He made the huge bowl. He made the 12 bulls that were under it.
45He made the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls.
Huram made all those objects for King Solomon for the Lord’s temple. He made them out of bronze. Then he shined them up. 46The king had made them in clay molds. It was done on the plain of the Jordan River between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 47Solomon didn’t weigh any of those things. There were too many of them to weigh. No one even tried to weigh the bronze they were made out of.
48Solomon also made everything in the Lord’s temple.
He made the golden altar.
He made the golden table for the holy bread.
49He made the pure gold lampstands. There were five on the right and five on the left. They were in front of the Most Holy Room.
He made the gold flowers. He made the gold lamps and tongs.
50He made the bowls, wick cutters, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and shallow cups for burning incense. All of them were made out of pure gold.
He made the gold bases for the doors of the inside room. That’s the Most Holy Room. He also made gold bases for the doors of the main hall of the temple.
51King Solomon finished all the work for the Lord’s temple. Then he brought in the things his father David had set apart for the Lord. They included the silver and gold and all the other things for the Lord’s temple. Solomon placed them with the other treasures that were there.
