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1 Kings 6
1It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh.
2The house which king Solomon built for Yahweh, its length was sixty cubits, and its breadth twenty [cubits], and its height thirty cubits.
3The porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was its length, according to the breadth of the house; [and] ten cubits was its breadth before the house.
4For the house he made windows of fixed lattice work.
5Against the wall of the house he built stories all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side rooms all around.
6The nethermost story was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets [in the wall] of the house all around, that [the beams] should not have hold in the walls of the house.
7The house, when it was in building, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
8The door for the middle side rooms was in the right side of the house: and they went up by winding stairs into the middle [story], and out of the middle into the third.
9So he built the house, and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar.
10He built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
11The word of Yahweh came to Solomon, saying,
12"Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.
13I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel."
14So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
15He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.
16He built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls [of the ceiling]: he built [them] for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.
17The house, that is, the temple before [the oracle], was forty cubits [long].
18There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
19He prepared an oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.
20Within the oracle was [a space of] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.
21So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
22The whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.
23In the oracle he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
24Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing to the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
25The other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one form.
26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
27He set the cherubim within the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
28He overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside.
30The floor of the house he overlaid with gold, inside and outside.
31For the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive wood: the lintel [and] door posts were a fifth part [of the wall].
32So [he made] two doors of olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim, and on the palm trees.
33So also made he for the entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part [of the wall];
34and two doors of fir wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
35He carved [thereon] cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work.
36He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar beams.
37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of Yahweh laid, in the month Ziv.
38In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all its parts, and according to all its fashion. So was he seven years in building it.
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Altar of Incense in Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 6:19, 20
Solomon also prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. / The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.
Arts of The: Carver 1 Kings 6:18
The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen.
Bul: The Temple Completed In 1 Kings 6:38
In his eleventh year and eighth month, the month of Bul, the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification. So he built the temple in seven years.
Carving: Woodwork of the Temple Was Decorated with Carvings of Flowers, Cherubim, and Palm Trees 1 Kings 6:18, 29, 32, 35
The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen. / Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. / The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.
Chains: A Partition of, in the Temple 1 Kings 6:21
So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold.
Cherubim in the Temple 1 Kings 6:23–29
In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood. / One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits. / The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape,
Cherubim: Figures of On the Walls 1 Kings 6:29–35
Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. / And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries. / For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon constructed doors of olive wood with five-sided doorposts.
Cherubim: Representations of, Made on The: Doors of the Temple 1 Kings 6:32, 35
The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold. / He carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold, hammered evenly over the carvings.
Church: House of the Lord 1 Kings 6:37
The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month of Ziv.
Door: Doors of the Temple Made of Two Leaves, Cherubim and Flowers Carved Upon, Covered with Gold 1 Kings 6:31–35
For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon constructed doors of olive wood with five-sided doorposts. / The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold. / In the same way he made four-sided doorposts of olive wood for the sanctuary entrance.
Fir Tree: Wood of, Used for Building 1 Kings 6:15, 34
He lined the interior walls with cedar paneling from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and he covered the floor with cypress boards. / The two doors were made of cypress wood, and each had two folding panels.
Flowers: Representations of, on The: Wood Work of the Temple 1 Kings 6:18, 29, 33, 35
The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen. / Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. / In the same way he made four-sided doorposts of olive wood for the sanctuary entrance.
Foundation: Laid For: Temples 1 Kings 6:37
The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month of Ziv.
God: Grace of 1 Kings 6:13
And I will dwell among the Israelites and will not abandon My people Israel.”
Gold used in the Arts: Overlaying With 1 Kings 6:20–22, 28, 30, 32, 35
The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. / So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. / So he overlaid with gold the whole interior of the temple, until everything was completely finished. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
Gold was Used for Overlaying Floor of Temple 1 Kings 6:30
And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
Gold was Used for Overlaying the Temple 1 Kings 6:21, 22
So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. / So he overlaid with gold the whole interior of the temple, until everything was completely finished. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
Hammer: General Scriptures Concerning 1 Kings 6:7
The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
Holy of Holies was Called The: Oracle 1 Kings 6:5, 16, 20
Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms. / He partitioned off the twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. / The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.
Holy of Holies: Contained: Cherubim 1 Kings 6:23–28
In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood. / One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits. / The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape,
Iron: First Recorded Use of Tools 1 Kings 6:7
The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
Iron: Made Into: Tools for Artificers 1 Kings 6:7
The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
Israel: Under the Kings Before the Separation Into Two Kingdoms: The Temple Built 1 Kings 6:1
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv, the second month of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, he began to build the house of the LORD.
Liberality: Solomon 1 Kings 6:1
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv, the second month of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, he began to build the house of the LORD.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
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1 Kings 6:1-10 Verses 1-10
The temple is called the house of the Lord, because it was directed and modelled by him, and was to be employed in his service. This gave it the beauty of holiness, that it was the house of the Lord, which was far beyond all other beauties. It was to be the temple of the God of peace, therefore no iron tool must be heard; quietness and silence suit and help religious exercises. God's work should be done with much care and little noise. Clamour and violence often hinder, but never further the work of God. Thus the kingdom of God in the heart of man grows up in silence, Mr 5:27.
1 Kings 6:11-14 Verses 11-14
None employ themselves for God, without having his eye upon them. But God plainly let Solomon know that all the charge for building this temple, would neither excuse from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter from his judgments, in case of disobedience.
1 Kings 6:15-38 Verses 15-38
See what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true Temple. In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead; in him meet all God's spiritual Israel; through him we have access with confidence to God. 2. Every believer is a living temple, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, 1Co 3:16. This living temple is built upon Christ as its Foundation, and will be perfect in due time. 3. The gospel church is the mystical temple. It grows to a holy temple in the Lord, enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit. This temple is built firm, upon a Rock. 4. Heaven is the everlasting temple. There the church will be fixed. All that shall be stones in that building, must, in the present state of preparation, be fitted and made ready for it. Let sinners come to Jesus as the living Foundation, that they may be built on him, a part of this spiritual house, consecrated in body and soul to the glory of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
1 Kings 6:2 The Building of Solomon's Temple.
the house which king Solomon built for the Lord--The dimensions are given in cubits, which are to be reckoned according to the early standard (2Ch 3:3), or holy cubit (Eze 40:5; 43:13), a handbreadth longer than the common or later one. It is probable that the internal elevation only is here stated.
1 Kings 6:3 The Building of Solomon's Temple.
the porch--or portico, extended across the whole front (see on 2Ch 3:4).
1 Kings 6:4 The Building of Solomon's Temple.
windows of narrow lights--that is, windows with lattices, capable of being shut and opened at pleasure, partly to let out the vapor of the lamps, the smoke of the frankincense, and partly to give light [Keil].
1 Kings 6:5 The Chambers Thereof.
against the wall of the house he built chambers--On three sides, there were chambers in three stories, each story wider than the one beneath it, as the walls were narrowed or made thinner as they ascended, by a rebate being made, on which the beams of the side floor rested, without penetrating the wall. These chambers were approached from the right-hand side, in the interior of the under story, by a winding staircase of stone, which led to the middle and upper stories.
1 Kings 6:7 The Chambers Thereof.
there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building--A subterranean quarry has been very recently discovered near Jerusalem, where the temple stones are supposed to have been hewn. There is unequivocal evidence in this quarry that the stones were dressed there; for there are blocks very similar in size, as well as of the same kind of stone, as those found in the ancient remains. Thence, probably, they would be moved on rollers down the Tyropean valley to the very side of the temple [Porter, Tent and Kahn].
1 Kings 6:9-10 The Chambers Thereof.
built the house--The temple is here distinguished from the wings or chambers attached to it--and its roofing was of cedar-wood.
1 Kings 6:10 The Chambers Thereof.
chambers ... five cubits high--The height of the whole three stories was therefore about fifteen cubits. they rested on the house with timber of cedar--that is, because the beams of the side stones rested on the ledges of the temple wall. The wing was attached to the house; it was connected with the temple, without, however, interfering injuriously with the sanctuary [Keil].
1 Kings 6:11-14 God's Promises unto It.
11-13. the word of the Lord came to Solomon--probably by a prophet. It was very seasonable, being designed: first, to encourage him to go on with the building, by confirming anew the promise made to his father David (2Sa 7:12-16); and secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that after the erection of so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be sure of the presence and favor of God. The condition on which that blessing could alone be expected was expressly stated. The dwelling of God among the children of Israel refers to those symbols of His presence in the temple, which were the visible tokens of His spiritual relation to that people.
1 Kings 6:15-22 The Ceiling and Adorning of It.
15-21. he built the walls of the house within--The walls were wainscotted with cedar-wood; the floor, paved with cypress planks; the interior was divided (by a partition consisting of folding doors, which were opened and shut with golden chains) into two apartments--the back or inner room, that is, the most holy place, was twenty cubits long and broad; the front, or outer room, that is, the holy place, was forty cubits. The cedar-wood was beautifully embellished with figures in relievo, representing clusters of foliage, open flowers, cherubims, and palm trees. The whole interior was overlaid with gold, so that neither wood nor stone was seen; nothing met the eye but pure gold, either plain or richly chased. 31-35. for the entering of the oracle--The door of the most holy place was made of solid olive tree and adorned with figures. The door of the holy place was made of cypress wood, the sides being of olive wood. 36. the inner court--was for the priests. Its wall, which had a coping of cedar, is said to have been so low that the people could see over it.
1 Kings 6:37 The time Taken to Build It.
In the fourth year was the foundation laid--The building was begun in the second month of the fourth year and completed in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, comprising a period of seven and a half years, which is reckoned here in round numbers. It was not a very large, but a very splendid building, requiring great care, and ingenuity, and division of labor. The immense number of workmen employed, together with the previous preparation of the materials, serves to account for the short time occupied in the process of building.