The Temple was a very complex structure, and because of its destruction there is no abundance of information upon its exact design. Therefore, most of the information that we have today is taken from the books of Kings and also from the books of Chronicles in the Holy Bible. In this paper, the Biblical references come from a New King James Version of the Holy Bible. In this paper we will examine the history behind Solomon's Temple, its structure, and its downfall.

A Brief Introduction to Solomon's Temple

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, Solomon built the Temple. The building of Solomon's temple lasted seven years. The completion of the temple was in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. Although it underwent many changes a

nd renovations, Solomon's temple stood for nearly four centuries until its destruction in 586 BC.

After the death of his father David, Solomon issued the orders for the building of the First Temple to commence. The building of the Temple was a monumental task and in the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of Egypt, the construction began. This was in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel. In the fourth year of construction the foundation of the Temple was laid. Then the building of the "House of God" began.

Haran, Menahem. (1978) Temples and Temple-Service in Ancient Israel. (Oxford University Press, Oxford).

The hekal, the Holy Place, led directly into the debir, the Holy of Holies. This inner sanctuary was a perfect cube, which was 20 cubits in length, width, and height. The entrance of the Holy of Holies was closed with folding doors. No light would have entered into this chamber except when the doors were open, which would have been only rarely because God declared that he would live in darkness. In the inner sanctuary, Solomon made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. Five cubits was the length to the tip of each of the wings. Both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. The height of both cherubim was ten cubits. The wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. One other indication of the position of the cherubim is preserved where it is clearly stated that the wings covered the ark and its poles. The cherubim were overlaid with gold. Also within the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant. The ark was essentially the backbone of the Temple. The ark set Solomon's Temple apart from every other temple or shrine because it was where the presence of God was deemed to be. I Chronicles 22 says that the Temple was built to house the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God and to be the sanctuary of the Lord God. The ark remained in its place in the Temple of Jerusalem for more than three hundred years. There is not mention of the ark in connection with the sack of the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Very probably, it had been removed beforehand, in hopes that it might be concealed in some safe place. But, there is no known evidence to the whereabouts of the ark at this time.

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