2 Chronicles 3:3
New International Version
The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard).

New Living Translation
These are the dimensions Solomon used for the foundation of the Temple of God (using the old standard of measurement). It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide.

English Standard Version
These are Solomon’s measurements for building the house of God: the length, in cubits of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Berean Standard Bible
The foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide, according to the old standard.

King James Bible
Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

New King James Version
This is the foundation which Solomon laid for building the house of God: The length was sixty cubits (by cubits according to the former measure) and the width twenty cubits.

New American Standard Bible
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits.

NASB 1995
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.

NASB 1977
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.

Amplified Bible
Now this is the [measurement of the] foundation which Solomon laid for the house of God: the length in cubits—by the old standard of measure—was sixty cubits (90 ft.), and the width was twenty cubits (30 ft.).

Christian Standard Bible
These are Solomon’s foundations for building God’s temple: the length was ninety feet, and the width thirty feet.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These are Solomon’s foundations for building God’s temple: the length was 90 feet, and the width 30 feet.

American Standard Version
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Contemporary English Version
The inside of the temple was 27 meters long and 9 meters wide, according to the older standards.

English Revised Version
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is how Solomon laid the foundation to build God's temple. It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. (They used the old standard measurement.)

Good News Translation
The Temple which King Solomon built was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide.

International Standard Version
These are the foundations that Solomon set in place for God's Temple. The length in terms of the former standard measurements: 60 cubits; its width: 20 cubits.

Majority Standard Bible
The foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide, according to the old standard.

NET Bible
Solomon laid the foundation for God's temple; its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet.

New Heart English Bible
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God?s house. The length, using the former standard measure, was one hundred three feet and four inches, and the breadth was thirty-four feet and five inches, and its height was fifty-one feet and eight inches.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now these are the things in which Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

World English Bible
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house: the length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And [in] these Solomon has been instructed to build the house of God: the length [in] cubits by the former measure [is] sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Young's Literal Translation
And in these hath Solomon been instructed to build the house of God: The length in cubits by the former measure is sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Smith's Literal Translation
And these Solomon founded to build the house of God. The length of cubits in the first measure, sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now these are the foundations, which Solomon laid, to build the house of God, the length by the first measure sixty cubits, the breadth twenty cubits.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And these are the foundations, which Solomon set forth so that he might build the house of God: the length in cubits by the first measure sixty, the width in cubits twenty.

New American Bible
These were the specifications laid down by Solomon for building the house of God: the length was sixty cubits according to the old measure, and the width was twenty cubits;

New Revised Standard Version
These are Solomon’s measurements for building the house of God: the length, in cubits of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now these are the measurements which Solomon measured for the building of the house of the LORD: The length of the house by the measure of the sanctuary was sixty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, and its breadth twenty cubits.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And these are the measuring lines that Solomon measured to build the house of LORD JEHOVAH: the length of the house, sixty cubits, by the measure of holiness, and its height, thirty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the ancient measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thus Solomon began to build the house of God: the length in cubits - even the first measurement from end to end, was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Temple Construction Begins
2Solomon began construction on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. 3 The foundation that Solomon laid for the house of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide, according to the old standard. 4The portico at the front, extending across the width of the temple, was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold.…

Cross References
1 Kings 6:2
The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.

1 Kings 6:3
The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits in front of the temple.

1 Kings 6:37-38
The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month of Ziv. / In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification. So he built the temple in seven years.

1 Kings 7:1-2
Solomon, however, took thirteen years to complete the construction of his entire palace. / He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high, with four rows of cedar pillars supporting the cedar beams.

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.

1 Kings 9:7
then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples.

1 Kings 9:10
Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon built these two houses, the house of the LORD and the royal palace,

1 Kings 9:25
Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, burning incense with them before the LORD. So he completed the temple.

1 Kings 10:4-5
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, / the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.

1 Kings 10:18-20
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. / The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. / Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

1 Kings 10:21
All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

1 Kings 10:23
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

1 Kings 10:26
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 10:27
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.


Treasury of Scripture

Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was three score cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

A.

1 Chronicles 28:11-19
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, …

instructed [heb] founded

1 Kings 6:2,3
And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits…

Jump to Previous
Ancient Base Breadth Building Construction Cubit Cubits First Foundation Foundations House Instructed Laid Measure Measurements Position Sixty Solomon Solomon's Standard Temple Threescore Twenty Using Wherein Wide Width
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Ancient Base Breadth Building Construction Cubit Cubits First Foundation Foundations House Instructed Laid Measure Measurements Position Sixty Solomon Solomon's Standard Temple Threescore Twenty Using Wherein Wide Width
2 Chronicles 3
1. The place and time of building the temple
3. The measure and ornaments of the house
11. The cherubim
14. The veil and pillars














The foundation that Solomon laid
This phrase emphasizes the intentional and divinely guided effort of Solomon, the son of David, in constructing the temple. The Hebrew word for "foundation" (יְסוֹד, yesod) signifies a base or support, indicating the importance of a strong beginning. Solomon's role as the builder of the temple fulfills the promise God made to David, highlighting the continuity of God's covenant with Israel. The foundation is not just physical but also spiritual, symbolizing the establishment of a place where God's presence would dwell among His people.

for the house of God
The "house of God" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship for the Israelites. In Hebrew, the term "house" (בַּיִת, bayit) can mean both a physical structure and a household or family, suggesting that the temple is both a literal building and a spiritual home for God's people. This temple was to be a permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's presence and His covenant with Israel. The construction of the temple marks a significant moment in Israel's history, transitioning from the portable tabernacle to a fixed place of worship.

was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide
The dimensions given here, "sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide," reflect the grandeur and majesty of the temple. A cubit, an ancient measurement roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 centimeters, indicates that the temple was approximately 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. These measurements underscore the temple's significance and the resources dedicated to its construction. The specific dimensions also reflect the divine instructions given to Solomon, ensuring that the temple would be a fitting place for God's presence.

according to the old standard
This phrase, "according to the old standard," suggests adherence to traditional measurements and practices. The Hebrew term for "standard" (מִדָּה, middah) implies a measure or norm, indicating that Solomon followed established guidelines, possibly those used in the construction of the tabernacle or other sacred structures. This adherence to tradition underscores the continuity of worship practices and the importance of maintaining a connection to the past while moving forward in faith. It reflects a respect for the divine order and the wisdom of previous generations in the service of God.

(b) DIMENSIONS OF THE TEMPLE; THE PORCK AND THE HOLY PLACE, OR NAVE (2Chronicles 3:3-7).

(3) Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed.--Rather, And this is the foundation (or ground-plan) of Solomon. The plural pronoun '?lle, "these," is used as a neut. sing. "this" (comp. 1Chronicles 24:19), and the hophal infinitive h-sad, "to be founded," is used substantively, as in Ezra 3:11. So Vulgate, "Et haec sunt fundamenta quae jecit Solomon."

After the first measure.--Rather, in the ancient measure, an explanation not found in the parallel passage, 1Kings 6:2. The ancient or Mosaic cubit was one hand -breadth longer than the cubit of later times (Ezekiel 40:5; Ezekiel 43:13). The chronicler has omitted the height, which was thirty cubits (1Kings 6:2). . . .

Verse 3. - Now these. Perhaps the easiest predicate to supply to this elliptical clause is are the measures, or the cubits. Was instructed. The verb is hoph. conjugation of יָסַד to "found;" and the purport of the clause is that Solomon caused the foundations of the building to be laid of such dimensions by cubit. Ezra 3:11 and Isaiah 28:16 give the only other occurrences of the hoph. conjugation of this verb. Cubits after the first measure. This possibly means the cubit of pre-Captivity times, but at all events the Israelites' own ancient cubit - perhaps a hand-breadth (Ezekiel 43:13) longer than the present, or seven in place of six. The cubit (divided into six palms, and a palm into four finger-breadths) was the unit of Hebrew lineal measure. It stands for the length from the elbow to the wrist, the knuckle, or the tip of the longest finger. There is still considerable variation in opinion as to the number of inches that the cubit represents, and considerable perplexity as to the two or three different cubits (Deuteronomy 3:11; Ezekiel 40:5; Ezekiel 43:13) mentioned in Scripture. One of the latest authorities, Conder ('Handbook to the Bible,' 2nd edit., pp. 56-59, 371, 386), gives what seem to be reasons of almost decisive character for regarding the cubit of the temple buildings as one of sixteen inches. The subject is also discussed at length in Smith's ' Bible Dictionary,' 3:1736 - 1739. And the writer finally concludes to accept, under protest, Thenius's calculations, which give the cubit as rather over nineteen inches.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The foundation
הוּסַ֣ד (hū·saḏ)
Verb - Hofal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3245: To set, to found, to sit down together, settle, consult

that Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne

laid
לִבְנ֖וֹת (liḇ·nō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1129: To build

for the house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of God
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

[was] sixty
שִׁשִּׁ֔ים (šiš·šîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 8346: Sixty

cubits
אַמּ֞וֹת (’am·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

long
הָאֹ֡רֶךְ (hā·’ō·reḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 753: Length

and twenty
עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

cubits
אַמּ֥וֹת (’am·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

wide,
וְרֹ֖חַב (wə·rō·ḥaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7341: Breadth, width

according to the old
הָרִֽאשׁוֹנָה֙ (hā·ri·šō·w·nāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

standard.
בַּמִּדָּ֤ה (bam·mid·dāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4060: Extension, height, breadth, a measure, a portion, a vestment, tribute


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 3:3 Now these are the foundations which Solomon (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
2 Chronicles 3:2
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