Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions:
One-sentence summary: Solomon builds his own house.
Solomon takes 13 years to build his own house. He also builds the house of the forest of Lebanon. He makes a hall for the throne, a hall of judgment where he may judge. He also makes a house for Pharaoh's daughter, his wife. These are all made with costly stones. He makes a great court enclosed with stones, and also the inner court of the house of the Lord and the vestibule of the temple. He sends for a bronze worker from Tyre, who is "filled with wisdom and understanding" and skilled in bronze work, so he does all the bronze work for Solomon, the pillars, with two rows of pomegranates all around. The inside temples are topped with bronze lilies as are the pillars in the temple. The sea, or a large basin for ablution (ceremonial washing) of the priests, is described as well as the lavers, which are smaller washing basins for the same purpose. Solomon does not even weigh how much bronze or materials he uses, because it is so much. It says that Solomon brings in the dedicated items (by David) and puts them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
The bronze altar is described in detail in 2 Chronicles, along with the sea, having carved oxen underneath it in rows, facing outward. There were 3,000 baths and 10 carts with lavers on them on each side for washing as well. The sea is for the priests only. He makes ten lamp stands of gold, five on each side for the temple with ten tables, five on each side. He makes 500 bowls of gold, the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court overlaid with bronze. He sets the sea on the right side toward the southeast. Pomegranates also surround Solomon's pillars. The bronze worker also makes all the other items for the temple and finishes the work. And it says there is so much material that Solomon does not even weight it.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Solomon built the Lord's house first. We should ask ourselves if there something we are trying to do first before we do what God has asked us to do.