According to the Hebrew Bible, Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple, was constructed by Solomon, king of the ancient Israelites, on mount Moriah in Jerusalem.
It housed the Ark of the Covenant and functioned as a religious focal point in ancient Judaism for the worship of YHWH (Yahweh, God).
According to historians, Solomon's Temple would have been completed around 960 BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians around 587 BCE. Traditional rabbinic sources state that the First Temple stood for 410 years and place construction in 832 BCE and destruction in 422 BCE.
The only source of information on Solomon's Temple is contained in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament. The following is a summary of the Deuteronomical history (Samuel and Kings), with notes on the variations to this story in the later Chronicler's history.
Construction of Solomon's Temple
The Shekinah (dwelling place) of Yahweh, the God of Israel, was originally the portable shrine called the Ark of the Covenant, which was placed in the Tabernacle tent.
King David, having unified all Israel, brought the Ark to his new capital, Jerusalem, intending to build there a temple in order to house the Ark in a permanent place.
David purchased a threshing-floor for the site of the Temple (1 Chronicles 21-22), but then Yahweh told him that he would not be permitted to build a temple. The task of building therefore passed to David's son and successor, Solomon. 1 Kings 6:1-38, 1 Kings Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 describe the construction and dedication of the Temple under Solomon.
King Solomon requested the aid of King Hiram of Tyre to provide both the quality materials and skilled craftsmen. During the construction, a special inner room named the Holy of Holies, was prepared to receive and house the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19); and when the Temple was dedicated, the Ark, containing the Tablets of Stone, was placed therein (1 Kings 8:6-9).
Free Bible Map of King Solomon's Temple
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