2 Chronicles 3

Template:Short description Template:Bible chapter 2 Chronicles 3 is the third chapter of the Second Book of Chronicles the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or of the second part of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BC.Template:Sfn This chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingship of Solomon (2 Chronicles 1 to 9).Template:Sfn The focus of this chapter is the construction of the temple in Jerusalem.Template:Sfn

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and is divided into 17 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century) and Codex Leningradensis (1008.Template:Sfn

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $𝔊$^B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $𝔊$^A; 5th century).Template:SfnTemplate:Efn

Old Testament references

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Template:Anchor Temple construction begins (3:1–4)

3rd century depiction of the temple on glass bowl

This section records the start of temple construction, a parallel of 1 Kings 6.Template:Sfn The structure of the temple was based on the desert tabernacle and linked to Abraham.Template:Sfn Whereas the books of Kings contains the calculation of dates and months from the year of Solomon's accession and from the Exodus, the Chronicles focused more on the exact location (Mount Moriah; only appeared one time in Genesis 22:2) and authentication (YHWH appeared to David there, and sent fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering).Template:Sfn

Verse 1

So Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where He appeared to David his father, at the place that David established on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

• "Mount Moriah": the site of the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22:2).Template:Sfn Also the location where David was instructed to build an altar to God (1 Chronicles 21:18-22:1) after the judgement of his sin for performing census (1 Chronicles 21:1-14).Template:Sfn
• "He" according to Masoretic Text and Vulgate, whereas Septuagint has "the Lord" and Targum has "the Angel of the Lord".
• "Ornan": written as "Araunah" in 2 Samuel 24:16ff.

Template:Anchor The temple's interior (3:5–17)

Verses 6–7 indicates a mosaic made with precious stones on the floor (cf 1 Chronicles 29:2). The repeated phrase 'he made' emphasizes the similarity to the report in Exodus, portraying the parallels between the temple and the tabernacle.Template:Sfn The golden nails in verse 9 parallel with the (differently named) golden nails in Exodus 26:32, 37, although fifty shekels of gold is probably a symbolic number (cf. 2 Samuel 24:24).Template:Sfn The Chronicles focuses on the construction material and position of the cherubims (verses 10–13), while omitting the height (mentioned in 1 Kings 6:23).Template:Sfn The curtain described in verse 14 (not mentioned in 1 Kings 6, possibly missing from 6:21b) is also mentioned in the writing of Josephus (Jewish War 5.5.5), recalling that of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:31).Template:Sfn

Verse 9

And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.

And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

• "50 shekels": about 1¼ pounds or 575 grams, as a "shekel" was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

See also

• Related Bible parts: Exodus 30, Exodus 31, Leviticus 24, Numbers 28, Numbers 29, 2 Samuel 7, 1 Kings 6, 1 Kings 7, 1 Chronicles 16, 1 Chronicles 22, Jonah 1, Ezra 3

Sources

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External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Divrei Hayamim II - II Chronicles - Chapter 3 (Judaica Press) in Hebrew and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • 2 Chronicles Chapter 3. Bible Gateway