The Temple Rebuilt by Herod

The temple referred to here isn’t elaborately detailed in the Scriptures. Our main account comes from Josephus, who witnessed the structure firsthand and documented its reconstruction in his works, The Jewish War and Jewish Antiquities. Additional insights are derived from the Jewish Mishnah and some archaeological findings. Consequently, the descriptions provided here are based on these sources, which may sometimes be subject to debate.

In The Jewish War (I, 401 [xxi, 1]), Josephus notes that Herod initiated the temple’s reconstruction in the 15th year of his reign, yet in Jewish Antiquities (XV, 380 [xi, 1]), he mentions the 18th year. Scholars generally accept the latter date, though the exact start of Herod’s reign and Josephus’s calculations remain somewhat unclear. The construction of the sanctuary itself spanned 18 months, but additional parts, such as the courtyards, took eight years to complete. When some Jews spoke to Jesus Christ in 30 C.E., they referred to a 46-year construction period (John 2:20), indicating ongoing work on the temple complex until that time. The entire project concluded approximately six years before the temple’s destruction in 70 C.E.

Due to their disdain and mistrust of Herod, the Jews only allowed the reconstruction once all preparations were in place. They did not regard this structure as a third temple but as a continuation of the previous ones, acknowledging only the first and second temples (those of Solomon and Zerubbabel).

Regarding the measurements recorded by Josephus, Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible (1889, Vol. IV, p. 3203) comments: “His horizontal dimensions are so precisely accurate that one might suspect he had a detailed plan of the temple before him while writing, possibly a military map from Titus’s quartermaster-general’s office. This precision starkly contrasts his reported heights, which are often exaggerated, typically doubled. Since the buildings were completely destroyed during the siege, it was impossible to prove inaccuracies in his elevations.”

Colonnades and Gates

Josephus documents that Herod expanded the temple’s perimeter, fortifying the sides of Mount Moriah with immense stone walls and flattening the summit. He notes in The Jewish War (I, 401 [xxi, 1]) and Jewish Antiquities (XV, 391-402 [xi, 3]) that this expansion effectively doubled the temple area. According to the Mishnah (Middot 2:1), the Temple Mount itself measured 500 cubits (223 meters; 729 feet) square. Surrounding this expanded area were colonnades. The temple was oriented eastward, mirroring its predecessors. The eastern side featured Solomon’s Colonnade, which included two aisles supported by marble columns. It was here, during winter, that some Jews confronted Jesus to question if he was the Christ, as recorded in John 10:22-24.

On the north and west sides of the temple, additional colonnades were present but were overshadowed by the grandeur of the Royal Colonnade on the south. This southern feature boasted four rows of Corinthian pillars, totaling 162, arranged in three aisles. The girth of these pillars was so vast that it required three men, arms extended, to encircle one. These pillars also towered over those found in the other colonnades.

The temple complex was accessible via eight gates: four were located on the west side, two on the south, and one each on the east and north sides. The presence of these gates made the first court, the Court of the Gentiles, a common passageway. Many travelers preferred to traverse this court rather than circumvent the temple area externally.

Court of the Gentiles

The Court of the Gentiles, a vast area enclosed by colonnades, was so named because it was accessible to Gentiles. It was here that Jesus, on two distinct occasions—one at the beginning and the other at the end of His earthly ministry—drove out those who had turned His Father’s house into a marketplace. These incidents are documented in John 2:13-17, Matthew 21:12-13, and Mark 11:15-18.

As one moved closer to the temple’s central structure, the sanctuary, they would pass through several courts, each progressively more sacred. After the Court of the Gentiles, there was a three-cubit-high (1.3 meters; 4.4 feet) wall with openings that allowed passage. Atop this wall were large stones inscribed in Greek and Latin, issuing a stern warning. The Greek translation of the inscription warned: “Let no foreigner enter inside of the barrier and the fence around the sanctuary. Whosoever is caught will be responsible for his death which will ensue.” This is cited in The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, edited by H. Gehman, 1970, p. 932.

This very wall became a point of contention when Apostle Paul was accused by the Jews of bringing a Gentile into the restricted area, an incident leading to his mobbing within the temple, as recorded in Acts 21:20-32. Paul later refers to this barrier symbolically, stating in Ephesians 2:14 that Christ “broke down the dividing wall of the barrier” that separated Jew from Gentile.

A notice from Jerusalem’s temple courtyard wall (Soreg) warning Gentiles not to approach closer.

Court of Women

The Court of Women was located 14 steps higher than the surrounding areas, and it was here that women were permitted to enter for worship. This court held several treasure chests, one of which Jesus was near when He praised a widow for offering all she had, as recounted in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4. Additionally, this court housed several buildings.

Court of Israel and Court of Priests

Ascending from the Court of Women, fifteen large semicircular steps led up to the Court of Israel. This area was accessible to men who were ceremonially clean. Along the outer wall of this court, there were storage chambers.

Further in, the Court of Priests mirrored the courtyard of the tabernacle. Central to this court was the altar, constructed from unhewn stones. According to the Mishnah, the altar measured 32 cubits (14.2 meters; 46.7 feet) square at its base, as noted in Middot 3:1. Josephus provides a larger dimension for the altar in The Jewish War (V, 225 [v, 6]). Priests accessed the altar via an inclined plane. The court also contained a “laver” for ceremonial washing, as mentioned in Middot 3:6, and was surrounded by various buildings.

The Temple Building

The temple proper, much like its predecessors, was primarily divided into two main areas: the Holy and the Most Holy. The floor of this structure was elevated 12 steps above the Court of Priests. Similar to Solomon’s temple, there were chambers constructed along the sides of the building, and it featured an upper chamber as well. The entrance was secured by magnificent golden doors, each measuring 55 cubits (24.5 meters; 80.2 feet) high and 16 cubits (7.1 meters; 23.3 feet) wide. The front of the temple was designed to be broader than the rear, with wings or “shoulders” extending 20 cubits (8.9 meters; 29.2 feet) on each side. The interior of the Holy was 40 cubits (17.8 meters; 58.3 feet) long and 20 cubits wide, and it housed the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense.

The entrance to the Most Holy was guarded by a beautifully ornamented, thick curtain, or veil. At the time of Jesus’ death, this curtain was miraculously torn in two from top to bottom, revealing that the Most Holy no longer contained the Ark of the Covenant. Instead, there was a stone slab where the high priest would sprinkle blood during the Day of Atonement, as detailed in Matthew 27:51 and Hebrews 6:19 and 10:20. This innermost room measured 20 cubits both in length and width.

During the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., the Jews utilized the temple area as a citadel or fortress. They set fire to the colonnades themselves, but against the wishes of the Roman commander Titus, a Roman soldier ignited the temple itself. This act fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that “By no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down,” as recorded in Matthew 24:2 and detailed in The Jewish War (VI, 252-266 [iv, 5-7]; VII, 3, 4 [i, 1]).

Challenges Herod Faced in Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem

Solomon initially built the temple in Jerusalem on a hill, using retaining walls on the east and west sides to create leveled terraces around the sacred structure. Aiming for a more grandiose temple than Solomon’s, Herod embarked on a project to remodel and expand the existing structure.

An artist’s rendition of the temple and its surrounding wall

Herod’s engineers tackled the challenge of enlarging the flat area north of the temple, expanding the terraces in that region. To the south, they extended the platform by 105 feet (32 meters). This expansion involved constructing a series of stonework vaults and a robust retaining wall, which, at certain points, reached a height of 165 feet (50 meters).

Herod was cautious not to offend Jewish sensibilities or interrupt the ongoing temple services and sacrifices. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod even took the extraordinary step of training Jewish priests to work as stonemasons and carpenters. This strategy ensured that no unauthorized worker would enter the holy areas during the construction.

Despite his ambitious plans, Herod did not see the completion of the temple project within his lifetime. By 30 C.E., the reconstruction had been ongoing for 46 years, as noted in John 2:20. The project was ultimately completed by Herod’s great-grandson, Agrippa II, in the middle of the first century C.E.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is the CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored more than 220 books and is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).