Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 3:5
And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
5 7 (cp. 1Ki 6:15 ; 1Ki 6:21; 1Ki 6:29-30). The Temple
5. the greater house ] It was forty cubits long (1Ki 6:17), whereas the shrine was twenty (1Ki 6:16; 1Ki 6:20).
he cieled ] i.e. lined or boarded. The same Hebrew word is translated overlaid in this same verse.
set thereon ] R.V. wrought thereon, perhaps in the form of reliefs.
palm trees and chains ] The “chains” perhaps connected one palm tree with another. In 1Ki 6:29, “cherubim and palm trees and open flowers.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The greater house – i. e., the holy place, or main chamber of the temple, intervening between the porch and the holy of holies (so in 2Ch 3:7).
He cieled with fir tree – Rather, he covered, or lined. The reference is not to the ceiling, which was entirely of wood, but to the walls and floor, which were of stone, with a covering of planks (marginal reference). The word translated fir bears probably in this place, not the narrow meaning which it has in 2Ch 2:8, where it is opposed to cedar, but a wider one, in which cedar is included.
Palm trees and chains – See 1Ki 6:29. The chains are supposed to be garlands or festoons.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The greater house, i.e. the holy place, which was thrice as large as the lesser house, or the holy of holies, which is called the most holy house, Deu 8. See Poole “1Ch 28:11“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. the greater housethat is,the holy places, the front or outer chamber (see 1Ki6:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[See comments on 2Ch 3:1].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) The greater house.Or, the great chamber, i.e. the Holy Place, or nave. (Comp. 1Ch. 28:11.)
He cieled with fir tree.He covered with planks of fir; or, panelled with fir. To ciel, or rather seel (from syle or cyll, a canopy: Skeat, Etymol. Dict. s.v.) a room, meant in old English to wainscot or panel it. (Comp. 1Ki. 6:15-16.)
Which he overlaid with fine gold.And covered it (the chamber) with good gold. The cypress wainscoting was plated with gold.
And set thereon palm trees and chains.Brought up on it (i.e., carved upon it) palms and chain-work (1Ki. 7:17). (For the palms, see 1Ki. 6:29; Eze. 41:18.) The chain-work must have consisted of garland-like carvings on the fir panels. 1Ki. 6:18 omits mention of it; LXX., carved on it palms and chains; Syriac, figured on it the likeness of palms and lilies; Vulgate, graved on it palms and as it were chainlets intertwining.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 3:5 And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.
Ver. 5. Which he overlaid with fine gold. ] As the parts of this temple were not seen naked, so neither must our souls be seen without faith, love, and other golden graces.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the greater house: i.e. the holy of holies.
cieled = covered. Walls as well as roof.
fir = cypress.
fine = pure.
palm trees: i.e. artificial.
chains = wreathen work. Only found in connection with Tabernacle and Temple.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the greater: 1Ki 6:15-17, 1Ki 6:21, 1Ki 6:22
Reciprocal: Exo 39:15 – chains at the ends 1Ki 5:8 – timber of fir 1Ch 28:11 – the houses Jer 22:14 – ceiled with cedar Eze 40:16 – palm trees Eze 40:22 – palm trees Eze 41:16 – ceiled with wood