Temple in Jerusalem
King Solomon began construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem during the 10th century BCE. The Hebrew Bible states that this building project was completed by 957 BCE. This structure replaced the portable Tabernacle used during the Exodus under Moses. It served as the sole place for Israelite sacrifices and worship. A few decades after completion, Pharaoh Shishak sacked the temple around 922 BCE. King Jehoash invested considerable sums to repair damage in 835 BCE. Yet Sennacherib stripped the site again shortly thereafter. The Neo-Babylonian Empire destroyed the entire complex during the Siege of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.
Cyrus the Great ordered the rebuilding of the Second Temple in 538 BCE. Construction work officially started in April 536 BCE according to some calculations. Ezra 3:8, 10 dates the completion to the 21st of February 515 BCE. Jewish governor Zerubbabel dedicated the new temple. Three Achaemenid emperors issued edicts to support the project over time. Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to enforce Hellenization in 164 BCE. He erected a statue of Zeus inside the sanctuary. Mattathias' son Judas Maccabeus rededicated the temple that same year. Pompey entered the Holy of Holies in 63 BCE without destroying it. Marcus Licinius Crassus looted the treasury in 54 BCE. Herod the Great renovated and expanded the structure around 20 BCE. Roman forces destroyed this version during the siege of 70 CE.
Excavations have not found physical remnants of the First Temple. Concrete evidence for the Second Temple includes warning inscriptions on walls. These inscriptions forbid pagans from entering the sacred courtyard. The Trumpeting Place inscription marks where priests declared Shabbat. Scholars debate three main theories about the exact location. Professor Asher Kaufman places the temple north of the Dome of the Rock. Professor Joseph Patrich argues for a position east of the current shrine. Chapter 54 of Tractate Berakhot aligns the Holy of Holies with the Golden Gate. This theory suggests a northern placement relative to the Dome of the Rock. Chapter 54 of Tractate Yoma asserts the Holy of Holies stood directly on the Foundation Stone. The Foundation Stone sits beneath the Dome of the Rock today.
The Talmud describes thirteen gates surrounding the main courtyard. Four gates existed on the south side including the Water Gate. Four gates lined the north wall such as the Gate of Song. Levites entered through these gates with musical instruments. Queen Helena of Adiabene donated a golden candlestick and plate. The Mishnah lists concentric circles of holiness radiating outward. Services included daily morning and afternoon offerings. Levites recited Psalms during specific moments of worship. Psalm 100 served as the Thanksgiving Offering song. A prayer service formed the basis of traditional Jewish morning services. The Hall of Hewn Stones functioned as the Sanhedrin meeting place. It sat half inside the sanctuary and half outside the building.
Jewish fast days mourn the destruction of the Temple. Tisha B'Av marks the primary day of mourning for this event. Three minor fasts also commemorate related historical tragedies. Weddings traditionally conclude with the groom breaking a glass. This act recalls Psalm 137:5, 6 about forgetting Jerusalem. Medieval marriage contracts often depicted the temple in illuminated manuscripts. Some communities left sections of houses unplastered as reminders. Brides in Tripoli threw hen's eggs against new home walls. These customs preserve memory even during joyful occasions. Daily prayers include petitions to rebuild the house soon. The Amidah prayer contains requests for divine mercy on the temple.
Jesus predicted the destruction of the Second Temple in Matthew 24:2. Christian thought developed themes linking the temple to Christ's body. Muhammad prayed facing Jerusalem before Mecca became the qibla direction. Islamic tradition describes the Night Journey ending at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Quran identifies this site as the Farthest Mosque. Over forty hadith encourage visiting and praying there. Imam Abdul Hadi Palazzi states that authoritative sources affirm the temples. Muslims view the temple mount as their inheritance through biblical prophets. Prayer in Al-Aqsa Sanctuary offers five hundred times more reward than elsewhere. The Dome of the Rock stands on the traditional location since 691 CE.
Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 during the Six-Day War. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 declared the Jerusalem Law a violation. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf maintains administrative control today. Groups within Judaism argue both for and against constructing a Third Temple. Roman emperor Julian ordered Alypius of Antioch to rebuild in 363 CE. Contemporary accounts mention divine fire falling or sabotage causing failure. A Galilee earthquake ended all attempts ever since. The Book of Ezekiel prophesies details for an eternal house of prayer. Documentary films like Lost Temple explore these controversies with religious authorities. Political status makes reconstruction difficult while existing mosques occupy the site.
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Common questions
When was the First Temple in Jerusalem completed?
The Hebrew Bible states that King Solomon's building project for the First Temple in Jerusalem was completed by 957 BCE. This structure replaced the portable Tabernacle used during the Exodus under Moses and served as the sole place for Israelite sacrifices and worship.
Who ordered the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem?
Cyrus the Great ordered the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 538 BCE. Construction work officially started in April 536 BCE according to some calculations, and Ezra 3:8, 10 dates the completion to the 21st of February 515 BCE.
Where is the Holy of Holies located relative to the Dome of the Rock?
Scholars debate three main theories about the exact location of the Holy of Holies within the temple complex. Professor Asher Kaufman places the temple north of the Dome of the Rock while Chapter 54 of Tractate Yoma asserts the Holy of Holies stood directly on the Foundation Stone beneath the Dome of the Rock today.
What fast day marks the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem?
Tisha B'Av marks the primary day of mourning for the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Three minor fasts also commemorate related historical tragedies, and Jewish fast days mourn the destruction of the Temple through daily prayers including petitions to rebuild the house soon.
When did Roman forces destroy the Second Temple in Jerusalem?
Roman forces destroyed this version of the Second Temple during the siege of 70 CE. Herod the Great had renovated and expanded the structure around 20 BCE before its final destruction by these Roman forces.