(10) Two cherubims.--1Kings 6:23-28. They were made of oleaster, plated with gold.

Of image work.--Literally, a work of statuary. The Hebrew word meaning "statuary" occurs here only, and looks suspicious. The Vulg. renders opere statuario; the LXX. "a work of logs"; the Syriac "a durable work." With the last three renderings comp. 1Kings 6:23, "wood (or blocks) of oleaster," a specially hard wood. The rendering of the LXX. suggests that the original reading may have been ma'as?h '?cim, "woodwork."

And overlaid.--Heb., and they overlaid.

Verse 10. - Image work. The word in the Hebrew text (צַעֲצֻעִים) translated thus in our Authorized Version is a word unknown. Gesenius traces it to "an unused" Hebrew root צוַע, of Arabic derivation (meaning "to carry on the trade of a goldsmith"), and offers to translate it "statuary" work with the Vulgate (opus statuarium). The parallel (1 Kings 6:23) gives simply "wood of oil" (not "olive," Nehemiah 8:15), i.e. the oleaster tree wood. It is obvious that some of the characters of these words would go some way to make the other unknown word. But it must be confessed that our text shows no external indications of a corrupt reading.

3:1-17 The building of the temple. - There is a more particular account of the building of the temple in #1Ki 6". It must be in the place David had prepared, not only which he had purchased, but which he had fixed on by Divine direction. Full instructions enable us to go about our work with certainty and to proceed therein with comfort. Blessed be God, the Scriptures are enough to render the man of God thoroughly furnished for every good work. Let us search the Scriptures daily, beseeching the Lord to enable us to understand, believe, and obey his word, that our work and our way may be made plain, and that all may be begun, continued, and ended in him. Beholding God, in Christ, his true Temple, more glorious than that of Solomon's, may we become a spiritual house, a habitation of God through the Spirit.See Chapter Introduction