1. Kwathi ngomnyaka wamakhulu amane namashumi ayisishiyagalombili emva kokuphuma kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ezweni laseGibithe, ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kukaSolomoni phezu kwabakwa-Israyeli, ngenyanga kaZivi eyinyanga yesibili, waqala ukwakha indlu kaJehova.
2. Indlu inkosi uSolomoni eyayakhela uJehova, ubude bayo babuyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, nobubanzi bayo babungezingamashumi amabili, nokuphakama kwayo kwakuyizingalo ezingamashumi amathathu.
3. Umpheme ngaphambili kwendlu yethempeli wawuyizingalo ezingamashumi amabili ubude bawo maqondana nobubanzi bendlu; ububanzi bawo babuyizingalo eziyishumi ngaphambi kwendlu.
4. Wenzela indlu amafasitele anamahele angenakususwa.
5. Ngasodongeni lwendlu wakha izimpondo nxazonke ngasezindongeni zendlu nxazonke, ethempelini nasegumbini; wenza amakamelo asezinhlangothini nxazonke;
6. uphondo lwangaphansi lwaluyizingalo eziyisihlanu ububanzi balo, noluphakathi lwaluyizingalo eziyisithupha ububanzi balo, nolwesithathu lwaluyizingalo eziyisikhombisa ububanzi balo; ngokuba ngaphandle wenza uqaqa endlini nxazonke, ukuze imishayo ingangeni ezindongeni zendlu.
7. Indlu isakhiwa yakhiwa ngamatshe alungiswa enkwalini; akuzwakalanga sando nazembe naphiki* nanto yensimbi, isakhiwa.
8. Umnyango wekamelo lohlangothi eliphakathi wawuseceleni lokunene lendlu; kwakhushukwa ngezikhwelo ezishwilayo ukuya ophondweni olungaphakathi, kuphunywe kolungaphakathi kuyiwe kolwesithathu.
9. Wakha-ke kanjalo indlu, wayiqeda, wayifulela indlu ngemishayo nangamapulangwe emisedari.*
10. Wakha izimpondo zangasendlini yonke, yilolo nalolo lwaba yizingalo eziyisihlanu ukuphakama kwalo; zanamathela endlini ngemithi yemisedari.*
11. Izwi likaJehova lafika kuSolomoni, lathi:
12. “Kumi kanje maqondana nale ndlu oyakhayo: uma uyakuhamba ngezimiso zami, wenze izahlulelo zami, ugcine yonke imiyalo yami ukuba uhambe ngayo, ngiyakugcwalisa kuwe izwi engalikhuluma kuDavide uyihlo:
13. ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngingabashiyi abantu bami u-Israyeli.”
14. Wakha-ke uSolomoni indlu, wayiqeda.
15. Wakha izindonga zendlu ngaphakathi ngamapulangwe emisedari;* kusukela phansi endlini kuze kufike emishayweni yophahla wembesa ngamapulangwe ngaphakathi, wendlala phansi endlini ngamapulangwe emisayipuresi.*
16. Wakha futhi izingalo ezingamashumi amabili ngaseceleni lendlu lasemuva ngamapulangwe emisedari* kusukela phansi kuze kufike emishayweni, wazakhela phakathi okwaba yigumbi, okuyindawo engcwelengcwele.
17. Indlu yangaphambili yethempeli yayiyizingalo ezingamashumi amane.