Brief History
This page concerns the Jerusalem temples. For the development of the fraternity, see Historical Origins and Evolution of Freemasonry.
Solomon's Temple, conventionally called the First Temple, is described in the Hebrew Bible as the sanctuary built by King Solomon in Jerusalem. Its construction, destruction and later replacement provide a historical and literary setting for subjects discussed elsewhere on this wiki.
The First Temple in the biblical account
1 Kings 6 places the beginning of construction in Solomon's fourth regnal year and its completion seven years later. It describes stone construction, timber panelling and gold decoration, with an inner sanctuary intended to house the Ark of the Covenant.[1]
The editors of that translation caution that the chapter's schematic chronology should be used carefully in historical reconstruction. They also note uncertainties in its technical architectural vocabulary and the possibility that the description includes features from a later period.[1]
2 Kings 25 describes the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar and the burning of the Temple. It also records the removal of metal furnishings and the deportation of inhabitants.[2]
The Second Temple
The book of Ezra describes the return from exile and the rebuilding of the sanctuary under Persian rule. Ezra 6 dates completion to the sixth year of Darius and names the prophets Haggai and Zechariah as supporters of the work.[3]
Herod's later building programme greatly enlarged the Temple Mount platform. The surviving Western Wall formed part of the retaining structure supporting that platform; it was not a wall of Solomon's sanctuary.[4] Roman forces destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE.[5]
See also
- King Solomon
- The Ark of The Covenant
- Zerubbabel
- Haggai
- Historical Origins and Evolution of Freemasonry
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1 Kings 6, especially verses 1, 14–22 and 37–38, New American Bible, Revised Edition, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- ↑ 2 Kings 25:8–17, New American Bible, Revised Edition, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- ↑ Ezra 6:14–16, New American Bible, Revised Edition, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- ↑ Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Who Built the Western Wall and Why?, 28 July 2024.
- ↑ Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem: The Upper City during the Second Temple Period. Accessed 24 September 2026.
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