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BUILDING THE FIRST TEMPLE - PHASE 2
960 BC
With the foundations in place, the structure took shape in the form of three
sections: the porch or vestibule, or 'Ulam', was outside the Temple proper and
faced east. It led, via the main entrance, into the body of the Temple, or 'Hekal'.
The Holy of Holies, or 'Debir', occupied one third of the Temple furthest from
the main entrance. The combined internal measurements of the 'Hekal' and 'Debir'
were about 90 feet (27 m) long, 30 feet (9 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) high.
However, the floor of the Debir was raised about 10 feet (3 m) so that this
chamber then formed a perfect cube of about 30 feet (9 m). A frontal staircase
gave access to it. There may also have been a room underneath, but this is
unconfirmed.
The Ark was to be positioned in the centre of the Debir, flanked by two large
wooden gold-plated winged cherubim. The whole of the Holy of Holies, or Sanctum
Sanctorum, was to be shrouded from public view by linen curtains coloured red,
blue and purple.
The walls of the Temple were constructed in an unusual manner. First were
laid three courses of dressed stone, followed by one layer of interlocking cedar
beams or ties, then another three courses of dressed stone, followed by another
layer of timber, and so on (21).
It has been suggested that the reason for this was to make the structure better
able to withstand the occasional earth tremors in that region. (The second
Temple was built similarly) Indeed, even today, many buildings between eastern
Turkey and Afghanistan are built this way. Surprisingly, it is only in the last
half of this century that this principle of structural elasticity, in respect of
large buildings, has been re-adopted. It is now in widespread use in California
and Japan.
Interconnecting annexes, established upon three floors, abutted three sides
of the Temple. There were approximately 30 such rooms, each with one or more
slitted windows to enable use by archers if defence was needed. None of these
rooms had any access to the Temple itself: their entry was gained via doors and
stairs let into each side of the porchway. The Temple itself had its own single
entrance via the vestibule. There were never three entrances to the Temple
itself, although there may well have been such entrances to the Temple precinct.
Initially, all stonework within the Temple, as well as that outside the whole
structure, was clad completely in wooden panelling. The roof itself was almost
flat, supported by joists of cedar which, in turn, were supported by seven pairs
of pillars.
The reported absence of the use of metal tools in the construction of the
Temple edifice has never been made clear; i.e. whether it was purely the lack of
sound, or whether no metal tools at all were used. If the latter, it would have
necessitated the preparation of timber beams and panelling well away from the
site. Obviously metal tools had to be used in the underground quarry where,
naturally, no noise would have been audible on the surface.
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