II Chronicles 3:14 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 3:14 Commentary: The Veil of the Temple and Access to God
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the Chronicler adds the veil not in 1 Kings. Colors, cherubim, and how this veil points to Christ tearing the barrier to God’s presence.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon made the temple veil from royal colors and fine linen, weaving cherubim into it, to separate the holy place from the most holy place.
- Key words: Parokhet (veil/curtain); telekh (blue); argaman (purple); karmil (crimson); buts (fine linen); cherubim (angelic guardians).
- Main debate: Historical authenticity, whether the veil existed in Solomon’s temple or was added by the Chronicler to mirror the tabernacle (Cambridge Bible notes the absence in 1 Kings).
- Theological theme: The holiness of God, the barrier of sin, and the atoning work of Christ that opens access for all believers.
- Best use: As a bridge between the temple worship and the gospel. Use it to teach typology, covenant continuity, and the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and ornamented it with cherubim.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he maketh the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and causeth cherubs to go up on it.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and byssus, and made cherubim upon it.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He made also a veil of violet, purple, scarlet, and silk: and wrought in it cherubims.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Hizo también el velo de cárdeno, púrpura, carmesí y lino, é hizo resaltar en él querubines.
Fez também o véu de azul, púrpura, carmesim e linho, e fez ressaltar em ele querubins.
Il fit le voile bleu, pourpre et cramoisi, et de byssus, et il y représenta des chérubins.
Er machte auch einen Vorhang von blauem und rotem Purpur, von Scharlach und köstlichem weißen Leinwerk und machte Cherubim darauf.
Hij maakte ook den voorhang van hemelsblauw, en purper, en karmozijn, en fijn linnen; en hij maakte cherubs daarop.
E fece il velo di filo violaceo, porporino, scarlatto e di bisso, e vi fece ricamare dei cherubini.
Sprawił też zasłonę z hijacyntu, i z szarłatu, i z jedwabiu, i z subtelnego lnu, i dał wyhaftować na niej Cherubiny.
И сделал завесу из яхонтовой, пурпуровой и багряной ткани и из виссона и изобразил на ней херувимов.
又用藍色、紫色、朱紅色 線和細麻 織 幔子，在其上 繡出 基路伯來。
And he made the veil of blue and purple and red, of the best linen, worked with winged ones.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 3:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the Chronicler includes the veil (absent in 1 Kings) to connect Solomon’s temple with the tabernacle described in Exodus 26:31. Barnes notes it was made of “exactly the same colors” as the tabernacle veil. Keil and Delitzsch add that it was woven with cherub figures, just as in the tabernacle. The Cambridge Bible observes that 1 Kings 6:31-32 mentions olive-wood doors rather than a veil, and suggests the Chronicler may have borrowed the detail from Exodus for theological reasons. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes highlight what the veil signified: “the distance at which the worshippers were kept.” But he immediately points forward: “At the death of Christ this veil was rent; for through him we are brought nigh.” All supplied sources agree the veil separated the Holy of Holies and that its colors (blue, purple, crimson) and cherubim symbolize divine royalty, sacrifice, and the guarding of God’s presence.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The text describes a veil made of four colored materials with cherubim woven in, which separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place; this veil prefigures Christ’s work in granting believers access to God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical existence of the veil in Solomon's temple | All supplied commentators recognize that the Chronicler describes a veil woven into the temple narrative. | Cambridge Bible suggests the veil may be borrowed from the tabernacle account (Exodus 26:31) and not originally part of 1 Kings' temple description. Keil & Delitzsch treat it as actual history. Both traditions accept the Chronicler's text as authoritative for the post-exilic community. |
| Symbolic meaning of the colors and cherubim | Christians agree that the colors (blue, purple, crimson) and cherubim carry symbolic weight, royalty, sacrifice, and divine presence guarded. | Some interpret the color symbolism specifically (e.g., blue for heaven, crimson for atonement) while others see them simply as costly materials honoring God. The presence of cherubim is universally understood as representing angels or guardians of God's throne. |
| The veil as a type of Christ's atoning work | All traditions see the tearing of the veil at Christ's death (Matthew 27:51) as a fulfillment of Old Testament shadows (Hebrews 10:20). | Catholic and Orthodox traditions emphasize the lasting importance of the temple and its symbols, seeing them as continuing in the liturgy. Reformation traditions (Lutheran, Reformed) stress that the veil's removal signifies direct access through faith alone, without earthly mediators. Both affirm Christ as the sole ground of access. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Second Chronicles 3 records Solomon’s building of the Jerusalem temple. Verse 14 describes the inner curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence rested above the ark of the covenant. The veil was made of four colors: blue (tekeleth), purple (argaman), crimson (karmil), and fine linen (buts). These same dyes and fabrics appear in the tabernacle veil (Exodus 26:31), the high priest’s garments (Exodus 28), and the temple’s furnishings.
Blue and purple were costly dyes from Mediterranean mollusks, associated with royalty. Crimson came from the kermes insect, linked to sacrifice and atonement. Fine linen (byssus) was an expensive Egyptian weave, symbolizing purity and righteousness. Together the colors evoke a king who is both priest and sacrifice.
Cherubim woven into the veil (literally, “he caused cherubim to go up on it,” from the verb alah, “to ascend”) recall the cherubim who guarded the way to the tree of life in Eden (Genesis 3:24) and those above the mercy seat in the tabernacle. In the temple, these winged figures signified that God’s throne required a mediated approach. Only the high priest could pass behind this veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. The Chronicler’s inclusion of the veil (when 1 Kings does not) may emphasize the continuity of God’s dwelling with his people and the holy distance that still stood between them and his presence.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants are noted in the supplied sources for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. Variations across English translations (WEB “ornamented it with cherubim”; KJV “wrought cherubims thereon”; YLT “causeth cherubs to go up on it”) reflect translation choices for the verb alah (“to ascend”) in the Hiphil stem, not a manuscript difference.
Reception History
Early Christian writers (notably the author of Hebrews, 10:20) read the temple veil as a figure of Christ’s flesh, a barrier torn open to give believers confidence to enter God’s presence. The church father Origen allegorized the veil as the separation between the material and spiritual worlds. In the medieval period, the rood screen that separated clergy from congregation in many cathedrals echoed the temple veil, symbolizing holy distance even as it depicted biblical scenes. The Reformation saw renewed attention to the once-for-all opening of the veil through Christ, with John Wesley emphasizing that the darkness of the Old Covenant dispensation gave way to bold access through the cross. Matthew Henry applied the verse directly to the believer’s privilege: “Through him we are brought nigh, and have boldness … to enter into the holiest.”
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The veil as barrier: The colors and cherubim show the glory and holiness of God, but the veil itself separates. Worshippers could not enter. The veil keeps the people at a distance (Wesley).
- The veil as promise: The same materials as the tabernacle veil (Exodus 26:31) connect this temple to God’s earlier dwelling. God has not abandoned his covenant; he is still present, though hidden.
- The veil torn open: At the death of Christ, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51). What Solomon made to separate, God removed through his Son (Hebrews 10:20). Access is now open to all who come in faith.
Five-point outline
- A curtain of four colors: Blue (heavenly royalty), purple (earthly royalty), crimson (sacrifice), fine linen (righteousness). Each points to Christ, priest, king, victim, and sinless one.
- Cherubim woven in: Guarding the way to God’s throne. Even the high priest entered with blood and trembling.
- Only the high priest entered: Once a year. The veil reminded Israel that sin creates distance.
- The gap in 1 Kings: The Chronicler deliberately includes the veil. He writes after the exile, reconnecting the second temple to the promises of God.
- The torn veil in the Gospels: Matthew places the tearing at the exact moment Christ dies. The barrier is not removed by human effort but by God’s action in the cross.
Illustration hooks
- A courtroom with a heavy curtain between the judge and the public. You can hear the judge but not see his face, until the curtain is pulled back.
- A king’s throne room where only a royal messenger may enter. The veil in the temple was the thick fabric that separated ordinary people from the King of kings.
- A hospital maternity ward where a curtain divides the waiting area from the newborn nursery. Parents long to see beyond it. When the curtain opens, they have access to their child.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God seem distant sometimes? The veil teaches that the distance is real, but Christ has opened the way.
- What does it mean to “enter the holy of holies” as a believer? Hebrews 10:19-22 tells us we can draw near with confidence because of Jesus’ blood.
- Is the Old Testament still relevant for New Testament Christians? This verse shows how a piece of furniture from 3,000 years ago still speaks of Christ’s work today.
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in the midst of Solomon’s building projects. It describes a single object, the temple veil, but this veil becomes a thread that runs from Eden to the cross. By studying it together, we will see how the Old Testament furniture points to Jesus.
Discussion questions
- Look at the four colors and the fine linen. What might each one represent? Compare with the high priest’s garments in Exodus 28.
- Why do you think the Chronicler includes the veil when 1 Kings does not mention it? What does this tell us about the purpose of the book of Chronicles?
- Cherubim are woven into the veil. What did cherubim do in Genesis 3:24 and in the tabernacle? Why place them on a curtain that no one could pass through?
- Read Exodus 26:31. How is the temple veil the same? How is it different? What does this continuity say about God’s plan?
- Wesley writes that the veil denoted distance and darkness. How did that change when Christ died (Matthew 27:51)?
- Hebrews 10:20 says Christ opened “a new and living way through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” In what ways does Jesus’ own body function like the temple veil, and how is he also the one who tears it open?
- How does knowing that God once required a barrier to his presence affect your gratitude for the access you now have through Christ?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 26:31 | “You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. It shall be the work of a skillful workman. |
| Exodus 26:35 | You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lamp stand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south. You shall put the table on the north side. |
| Matthew 27:51 | Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. |
| Hebrews 9:3 | After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, |
| Hebrews 10:20 | by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that this detail about the veil does not appear in the parallel account in Kings. He observes that the veil described here was woven from exactly the same colors as the veil of the tabernacle, linking the temple furnishings directly to the earlier wilderness sanctuary.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that Solomon's Temple apparently had no veil at the entrance to the Holy of Holies, only carved wooden doors. He suggests the Chronicler borrowed the description of a veil from the tabernacle account in Exodus rather than reporting the actual Temple furnishings.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes draw attention to the specific materials and decoration of the veil: it was made of blue, purple, and crimson silk along with fine linen, and had cherubim woven into it. This detail highlights the costly and ornate nature of the tabernacle's inner curtain.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the inner veil of Solomon's temple, though not recorded in the account of 1 Kings 6:21, matched the tabernacle veil in materials, colors, and cherub figures. They also clarify a Hebrew phrase as a general way to describe weaving these designs into the fabric.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange focuses on how Chronicles reworks the Kings account, giving more precise details about the temple's plan and arranging the furnishings in an unbroken narrative, while leaving out the interruptions found in 1 Kings. He notes the Chronicler's habit of excerpting and rearranging his sources to highlight the building's significance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that when Solomon enlarged the most holy place, two large cherubim were added by divine appointment so the space would not look bare and unfurnished. These new cherubim, representing angels attending God, filled what would otherwise have been an empty room.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley’s focus is on what the torn veil now makes possible: not merely a clearer view of God’s presence, but actual entry into it. Before Christ’s death, the veil kept worshippers at a distance; after it, believers have boldness to go directly into the holiest place.