NGAPHAMBI kokuba afe uDavide, wanika uSolomoni amapulani kaNkulunkulu okwakha ithempeli likaJehova. Ngonyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe, uSolomoni uqala ukwakha ithempeli, futhi lithatha iminyaka eyisikhombisa nengxenye ukuba liphele. Unamadoda angamashumi ezinkulungwane asebenza ethempelini, futhi le ndlu iyizindleko ezinkulu. Lokhu kungenxa yegolide eliningi nesiliva elisetshenziswa kuyo.

Leli thempeli linamakamelo amabili ama-khulu, njengasetaberna-kele. Kodwa la makamelo aphindwe kabili ngobukhulu kunawetabernakele. USolomoni uyala ukuba umphongolo wesivumelwano ufakwe ekamelweni lethempeli elingaphakathi, ezinye izinto ezazisetabernakele zifakwe kwelinye ikamelo.

Uma ithempeli seliphelile, kunomkhosi omkhulu. USolomoni uguqa phambi kwethempeli athandaze, njengoba ungase umbone esithombeni. USolomoni uthi kuJehova: ‘Ngisho nezulu alinakukwanela. Kakhulu kangakanani-ke leli thempeli. Kodwa, Nkulunkulu wami, lalela abantu bakho uma bekhulekela le ndawo.’

Uma uSolomoni eqeda umthandazo wakhe, kwehla umlilo ezulwini. Ushisa umnikelo wezilwane owenziwe. Ukukhanya okukhulu okuvela kuJehova kugcwalise ithempeli. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uJehova ulalele, nokuthi uyathokoza ngethempeli nomkhuleko kaSolomoni. Esikhundleni setabernakele, manje ithempeli liba yindawo abantu abakhuleka kuyo.

USolomoni ubusa isikhathi eside ngokuhlakanipha, nabantu bethokoza. Kodwa uSolomoni ushada nabesifazane abaningi bakwamanye amazwe abangamkhonzi uJehova. Uyambona omunye wabo ekhulekela isithombe? Ekugcineni abafazi bakhe benza uSolomoni akhonze abanye onkulunkulu naye. Uyazi ukuthi kwenzekani uma uSolomoni enza lokhu? Akasabaphathi kahle abantu. Uba nokhahlo, abantu abasathokozi.

Lokhu kwenza uJehova amthukuthelele uSolomoni, athi kuye: ‘Umbuso ngiyowususa kuwe ngiwunike omunye umuntu. Ngeke ngikwenze lokhu usaphila, kodwa ekubuseni kwendodana yakho. Kodwa ngeke ngibathathe bonke abantu bombuso kuyo.’ Ake sibone ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani.