THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
There is no necessity for us to elaborate on this matter, since neither the initial temple nor the succeeding one has been found to possess the specified dimensions or types of craftsmanship. It is reasonable to believe that Cyrus proposed his own ideas regarding the measurements and construction as he deemed appropriate. According to the accounts in the books of Chronicles, the first portion (that is, beyond the inner walls) indicated that the temple was sixty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and, as the history of the kings delineates, stood thirty cubits high on the upper level. From there, an additional thirty cubits ascended to the highest level, reaching the peak of the vestibule, as confirmed by Josephus.
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Ultimately, another sixty cubits extended to the apex of the roof, resulting in a total height of one hundred and twenty cubits, as detailed in the Book of Chronicles. However, it raises the question of how it is mentioned to place three rows of large stones and a row of wood when the interior of the temple was entirely finished with cedar. Could it be that the customary practice among the Persians was to construct temples in such a way that a fourth row of wood was elegantly positioned atop the three rows of stone in the walls, and that Cyrus believed this approach should apply to the temple in Jerusalem? Alternatively, might it be understood that he referred to the court for the priests, which was constructed around the temple from three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar planks, at a height comparable to that of a man? Or is it the vestibule of the Lord’s house alluded to in connection with the building of King Solomon’s palace, where it is stated that the great court was surrounded by three rows of hewn stones and a single row of cedar logs, including the inner court of the temple of the Lord and the vestibule of the temple (1 Kings 7:12)?