The Temple Part 1

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: It's too much. 00:00:03 Speaker 3: I dwell in a house of grandeur, while the ark of the Lord rests in a tent no greater than the one that I slept beneath in the wilderness. I, a man, dine in splendor while God's throne sits beneath canvas. 00:00:23 Speaker 4: How can that be right? 00:00:25 Speaker 5: I will build a temple here in Jerusalem, I will establish a house for you. When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 00:00:55 Speaker 6: Soon? 00:00:58 Speaker 4: We will complete the house of the Lord, a temple unlike any the world has ever seen. And as long as I sit on this throne, Israel will be a kingdom of wisdom, peace and prosperity. 00:01:12 Speaker 1: Though it was before dawn, Solomon woke with a start, his mind already churning with anticipation, tallying up the tasks to be done that day in his mind. 00:01:24 Speaker 5: He rolled over. 00:01:26 Speaker 1: And outside his bedroom window, the stars were just beginning to fade in the pre-dawn sky. He looked back over his shoulder at the sleeping form beside him. Her beauty staggered him as always, but the peacefulness that softened her exotic and alluring features captivated him. Sleeping on her side, her generous curves peaked and fell like the mountains of the Judean countryside. Ar-Bishak, his Shulamite lover. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. 00:02:02 Speaker 4: Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, I'll go away to the mountain of Myrrh and the hill of frankincense. You are altogether beautiful, my love. There's no flaw in you. 00:02:17 Speaker 1: A lazy smile pulled on her lips. Solomon leaned in closer and kissed her. He considered rekindling the passion they shared only a few hours before, but the pressure of what the day's preparations held nagged and tugged at the back of his mind, much like his other wives' endless bickering and jockeying for his attention. You're a lily among thorns, Solomon sighed. Perhaps he would have time for his beloved later. The temple that would define his legacy was set to be completed in just a few short months if he could keep preparations on track. He slipped out of bed and dressed quickly. He made his way through the palace to his favorite place to sit and study. It was a portico that connected two parts of the palace that overlooked the gardens. From the elevated position of the palace on Mount Zion, He surveyed the limestone structures on Mount Moriah to the north, currently gleaming softly in the pale early morning light. Solomon's quiet moment was broken by authoritative footsteps echoing through the hall. From behind a column he caught sight of a young man, perhaps ten years older than Rehoboam, with sharp, dark eyes and broad shoulders. His plain attire hinted at modest origins. but his posture was unmistakably that of a soldier, disciplined, steady and focused. Though young and therefore likely low in rank, there was a compelling confidence about him. Curious about who would tread so boldly through his palace at this hour, Solomon stepped into view and beckoned him over. 00:04:06 Speaker 4: You there, what is your business this early? 00:04:10 Speaker 1: The young man's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized his king. He immediately bowed before responding. 00:04:18 Speaker 2: Your Highness, I am Jeroboam, son of Nobat, of the tribe of Ephraim. I hail from Zereda. And I am overseeing a restoration project here in the palace of your father, King David. 00:04:28 Speaker 1: The young man was from central Israel, belonging to the tribe of Ephraim, which controlled the strategic heart of the country and served as the gateway to the northern tribes. Ephraim bordered Benjamin to the north, the tribe where the city of Jerusalem was located, positioning it as a crucial link between the northern and southern regions. 00:04:53 Speaker 4: You seem young for such a prominent role. 00:04:56 Speaker 2: The more experienced foremen have been called to the construction projects of Mount Moriah. Lord Ashahar, your palace overseer, thought I would be up for the task here in the city of David. I am very grateful for the opportunity, Your Highness. 00:05:07 Speaker 1: Solomon detected a hint of pride in his tone, but it seemed to be warranted. If a high shah approved of him, then he would be one to watch. 00:05:17 Speaker 5: I see. 00:05:18 Speaker 4: And you are military? Have you been in the city of David for long? 00:05:24 Speaker 2: Yes, my king. I served in your military and worked to fortify the great city of Gezer in my territory, but my commander saw fit to send me here. 00:05:32 Speaker 1: Giza, the city Pharaoh had sacked as a part of the marriage arrangement for Princess Nefertari. rooting out the Canaanites so Solomon could have a clean slate for the people of tribe Ephraim. The city was now a significant foothold once more in the heart of Israel, and this young man helped make it so. One to watch, indeed. 00:05:57 Speaker 4: Indeed. Well, young Jeroboam, see to your tasks this morning. Serve Israel with pride. 00:06:06 Speaker 2: You flatter me, Your Highness. but I should just be content to serve you and the needs of Israel. 00:06:12 Speaker 1: With another bow, Jeroboam hurried away. Solomon was not left alone with his thoughts for long when the familiar tread of his faithful head servant, Ahishah, approached to brief him on the day, as they did every day before breakfast. 00:06:29 Speaker 7: Good morning, my king. 00:06:32 Speaker 1: Solomon nodded deeply in greeting and stood to fall in step with the older paternal man as they strode through the hallways and corridors of King David's palace, their echoing steps in sync. Solomon had enjoyed their morning ritual. In many ways, Ahishah was the father Solomon had been robbed of, as David's condition worsened in Solomon's formative years. 00:06:58 Speaker 4: Good morning, Ahishar. Today will be a monumental one, don't you think? Is everything arranged? 00:07:05 Speaker 7: Yes, my king. The royal entourage of Tyre will enter the city in a few hours. From there, you will show him the temple. 00:07:15 Speaker 4: Show him how his investment is coming along. I'm there every day, so I'm eager to see the progress through new eyes. I hope it will be worthy of King Hiram and my father's friendship. all those years ago? 00:07:29 Speaker 5: It will be, my king. 00:07:32 Speaker 7: What you've built in your father's name for the Lord is unsurpassed. Truly, it is rare and exceptional. 00:07:42 Speaker 4: Thank you, Ahishar. And if it's not, King Hiram's household is being paid generously for the lumber either way. 00:07:51 Speaker 7: And have you decided yet on the gift you will give him when it is completed? 00:07:58 Speaker 5: Not yet. 00:07:59 Speaker 4: We discussed cities and land in the Northern Territories, but I... My son! Rehoboam! You're up and about early this morning. 00:08:09 Speaker 1: Rehoboam, now a teenager, merely grunted in response. He was on the edge of manhood. While his grandfather David was already commanding Saul's armies at sixteen, Rehoboam spent his days in the company of a roving gang of other teenagers. the children of Solomon's advisors and other nobles. A twinge of guilt at the distance that had grown between them twisted in Solomon's stomach. He really should be giving the boy more attention as his heir. 00:08:42 Speaker 4: Have you decided to join me and the other students in our scribal debates? My wisest advisors will be joining us this week. High Priest Zadok and the Lords Eloharif, Ahalub and Jehoshaphat. 00:08:57 Speaker 6: Why would I want to go listen to your scribes and historians? 00:09:01 Speaker 4: You already make me sit with my tutors every day. Then where are you spending all your time outside your lessons? With my friends. 00:09:11 Speaker 1: Solomon could feel his irritation rising to frustration. 00:09:16 Speaker 4: And what do you and your friends do all day? Why do you care? You have so many other things to do than worry about me. I mean.... 00:09:26 Speaker 7: We're just exploring the caves south of Jerusalem. 00:09:29 Speaker 4: It's not important compared to everything you're doing. 00:09:31 Speaker 7: I have to go. 00:09:32 Speaker 4: I'm meeting them at dawn. 00:09:35 Speaker 1: With that, the young prince sauntered away, leaving Solomon watching his retreating figure with a tight jaw. Ahisha offered a sympathetic smile, sensing the king's frustration. Solomon shook it off. Today, there were more pressing matters demanding his attention. There were always other things to build. Hours later, the golden light of the late afternoon sun bathed Jerusalem's skyline, glinting off the scaffolding surrounding the towering temple structure. The air was thick with dust and the faint scent of cedar carried on an early summer breeze from the construction site. Despite the monumental scale of the project, an eerie stillness hovered over. 00:10:24 Speaker 5: The temple grounds. 00:10:26 Speaker 1: No hammer rang out, no chisel struck stone, only the soft shuffle of sandal-clad feet and the rustle of workers moving carefully through the site. Solomon walked beside King Hiram of Tyre. the older man's deep-set eyes crinkling in the bright sun as he took in the near-finished temple. Hiram's silver-streaked beard tugged upward as he smiled, clearly impressed. 00:10:56 Speaker 6: Ah, your father David would have been proud, King Solomon. I see the care you've taken to build this is more than a monument. This is a covenant in stone. 00:11:11 Speaker 4: Thank you, King Hiram. That was always the plan. This isn't just for us. It's for every generation that follows. 00:11:20 Speaker 1: The two kings moved through towering cedar columns. Sunlight filtered through latticework cut into the towering white limestone walls, painting shifting patterns onto the golden interior. Conscripted servants paused and bobbed in reverence, but quickly returned to their work, eager to keep their foreman's strict project deadlines. Solomon gestured upward to the polished cedar beams overhead, their surfaces intricately carved with gourds, palm trees, and open flowers. Their delicate beauty stood in striking contrast to the temple's monumental scale. 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high, over 2,700 square feet of sacred space. The crisp white limestone gleamed under the sun, its brilliance softened by the warm cedar accents and the opulent gold inlays that adorned both interior and exterior. At the entrance, a sweeping portico stretched out, adding another fifteen feet to its length, like an open invitation for worshippers to step into the presence of the divine. 00:12:38 Speaker 4: Every beam and every stone has been cut and shaped off-site. The temple itself has remained silent during construction, as the Lord instructed. No hammer or iron tool touched these walls here. It was all fitted together like a puzzle in the quarries off-site. 00:12:56 Speaker 1: Hiram's gaze swept the massive bronze doors set aside, waiting to be hung, their gleaming surfaces adorned with intricate reliefs shaped by the hands of master craftsmen. He nodded approvingly. 00:13:10 Speaker 6: The work here is as precise and prosperous as your work. 00:13:16 Speaker 4: As a statesman. 00:13:18 Speaker 6: I hear tell of your diplomacy and trade agreements from every corner of the country. 00:13:25 Speaker 4: Israel is well. 00:13:26 Speaker 6: Fed, grows richer by the day, and not a whisper of dissent or war to be found. 00:13:36 Speaker 4: As the old. 00:13:36 Speaker 6: Saying goes, each man is living under his own vine and fig tree in Israel. 00:13:44 Speaker 1: Solomon smiled in response. He had, of course, heard similar reports from across the kingdoms. but it pleased him to know the news was the same as far north as Tyre. Solomon led Hiram toward another section of the construction site. The metallic tang of heated bronze grew stronger as they approached. A wide open yard revealed a vast bronze casting area. At its heart stood Huram, sleeves rolled, hands darkened with soot, a heavy apron tied around his waist. His muscled arms glistened with sweat as he gestured toward a towering bronze structure. 00:14:26 Speaker 4: King Hiram, meet Huram, also of Tyre, our master bronze craftsman. 00:14:32 Speaker 1: Huram turned, his face weathered from years of labor, but his eyes bright with pride. 00:14:38 Speaker 5: He bowed to the. 00:14:39 Speaker 1: King of his homeland. 00:14:42 Speaker 4: An honor, your majesty. King Solomon's vision is, well, it's the greatest challenge I've faced. 00:14:49 Speaker 1: He swept his hand toward the two towering bronze pillars, freshly cast and gleaming under the afternoon sun. 00:14:59 Speaker 4: These, named Jaqen and Boaz, will stand at the temple's entrance. He establishes, and in him his strength. They'll rise nearly thirty feet tall, adorned with lily-shaped designs and seven-foot-wide networks of chainwork and pomegranates. This work rivals anything I've seen. And a man from Tyres behind it? 00:15:24 Speaker 6: You make our city proud, craftsman. Bezalel of the Tabernacle born again. 00:15:29 Speaker 4: Huram is a genius with bronze. But it's not just the pillars. 00:15:36 Speaker 1: Huram guided them to a massive circular structure. A shimmering sea of molten bronze now cooling into its final shape. Its scale was staggering, a vast basin supported by twelve bronze oxen, three facing in each cardinal direction. 00:15:56 Speaker 4: This is the Bronze Sea, for ritual washing. It will hold over 11,000 gallons of water. And the oxen symbolize strength and stability, holding the weight of the water, just as the tribes hold Israel. 00:16:11 Speaker 1: King Hiram walked around it, running his hand over the cooling bronze. 00:16:17 Speaker 4: The scale of this! 00:16:21 Speaker 6: I'm almost surprised the earth doesn't groan beneath it! 00:16:26 Speaker 1: The men laughed, and Huram's pride was palpable as he gestured to a row of ten smaller bronze stands, each covered with intricate carvings of lions, oxen and cherubim. 00:16:41 Speaker 4: These are for the priests. Portable water basins for ritual purification. Every detail from the latticework to the handles is designed for both beauty and function. 00:16:55 Speaker 1: The older king's face split into a wide grin and he clapped Solomon on the shoulder. 00:17:01 Speaker 6: David was right to trust you with this. 00:17:05 Speaker 4: It's not just a house for your god. 00:17:07 Speaker 6: It's a crown on the city itself. 00:17:10 Speaker 4: It's nearly done. Months from now we'll bring the Ark of the Covenant here and the Lord will finally have his house. 00:17:19 Speaker 1: They stood in silence for a beat, the weight of the moment settling over them. In the distance, workers moved like ants, lifting the final pieces into place. The future of Israel, its faith, its identity, its legacy. was crystallizing in stone and gold before their very eyes. But Solomon's gaze drifted beyond the temple walls, sweeping over the undeveloped plots on Mount Moriah, envisioning the empire he still hoped to build, a golden age for Israel unlike anything the world had seen. Yet even in this moment of success, unease tugged at the edges of his mind, There were other voices, whispers in his court, wives vying for his time, complaining of betrothals arranged for their daughters, arguments over altars to their foreign gods beyond the city's walls, advisors with conflicting agendas, each pushing their own vision for Israel's future. And then there was Rehoboam and their widening distance. But for now, there was peace and there was promise. Solomon exhaled, willing his thoughts back to the present. The nearly complete temple stood tall, its triumphant limestone walls gleaming in the sunlight. It had captured the heart and imagination of man, but would it please the heart of God? Would the sum of Solomon's reign and his life be found worthy in the eyes of the Lord? This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Schellebarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People... please rate and leave a review.