1 Kings 6
1 Kings 6 is part of “Solomon's Reign” (1–11) in the outline of 1 Kings.
1 Kings 6 summary
Great and long preparation had been making for the building of the temple, and here, at length, comes an account of the building of it; a noble piece of work it was, one of the wonders of the world, and taking in its spiritual significancy, one of the glories of the church. Here is, I. The time when it was built (Kg1 6:1), and how long it was in the building (Kg1 6:37, Kg1 6:38). II.
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Great and long preparation had been making for the building of the temple, and here, at length, comes an account of the building of it; a noble piece of work it was, one of the wonders of the world, and taking in its spiritual significancy, one of the glories of the church. Here is, I. The time when it was built (Kg1 6:1), and how long it was in the building (Kg1 6:37, Kg1 6:38). II. The silence with which it was build (Kg1 6:7). III. The dimensions of it (Kg1 6:2, Kg1 6:3). IV. The message God sent to Solomon, when it was in the building (Kg1 6:11-13). V. The particulars: windows (Kg1 6:4), chambers (Kg1 6:5, Kg1 6:6, Kg1 6:8-10), the walls and flooring (Kg1 6:15-18), the oracle (Kg1 6:19-22), the cherubim (Kg1 6:23-30), the doors (Kg1 6:31-35), and the inner court (Kg1 6:36). Many learned men have well bestowed their pains in expounding the description here given of the temple according to the rules of architecture, and solving the difficulties which, upon search, they find in it; but in that matter, having nothing new to offer, we will not be particular or curious; it was then well understood, and every man's eyes that saw this glorious structure furnished him with the best critical exposition of this chapter.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 Kings 6 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Solomon Builds the Temple
1And in the foure hundreth and foure score yeere (after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt) and in the fourth yere of the reigne of Salomon ouer Israel, in the moneth Zif, (which is the second moneth) he built the house of the Lord. 2And the house which King Salomon built for the Lord, was three score cubites long, and twentie broade, and thirtie cubites hie. 3And the porch before the Temple of the house was twentie cubites long according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubites broade before the house. 4And in the house he made windowes, broad without, and narrowe within. 5And by the wall of the house hee made galleries round about, euen by the walles of the house round about the Temple and the oracle, and made chambers round about. 6The nethermost gallerie was fiue cubites broade, and the middlemost sixe cubites broade, and the third seuen cubites broade: for he made restes round about without the house, that the beames should not be fastened in the walles of the house. 7And when the house was built, it was built of stone perfite, before it was brought, so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any toole of yron heard in the house, while it was in building. 8The doore of the middle chamber was in the right side of the house, and men went vp with winding stayres into the middlemost, and out of the middlemost into the third. 9So he built the house and finished it, and sieled the house being vawted with sieling of cedar trees. 10And he built the galleries vpon al the wall of the house of fiue cubites height, and they were ioyned to the house with beames of cedar. 11And the worde of the Lord came to Salomon, saying, 12Cocerning this house which thou buildest, if thou wilt walke in mine ordinances, and execute my iudgements, and keepe al my commadements, to walke in them, then will I performe vnto thee my promise, which I promised to Dauid thy father. 13And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and wil not forsake my people Israel. 14So Salomon built the house and finished it, 15And built the walles of the house within, with boards of cedar tree from the pauement of the house vnto the walles of the sieling, and within he couered them with wood, and couered the floore of the house with planks of firre. 16And he built twentie cubites in the sides of the house with boards of cedar, from the floore to the walles, and he prepared a place within it for the oracle, euen the most holy place. 17But the house, that is, the Temple before it, was fourtie cubites long. 18And the cedar of the house within was carued with knops, and grauen with floures: all was cedar, so that no stone was seene. 19Also he prepared the place of the oracle in the mids of the house within, to set the Arke of the couenant of the Lord there. 20And the place of the oracle within was twentie cubites long, and twentie cubites broad, and twentie cubites hie, and hee couered it with pure golde, and couered the altar with cedar. 21So Salomon couered the house within with pure golde: and he shut the place of the oracle with chaines of gold, and couered it with golde. 22And he ouerlayde all the house with gold, vntill all the house was made perfite. also he couered the whole altar, that was before the oracle, with golde. 23And within the oracle he made two Cherubims of oliue tree, ten cubites hie. 24The wing also of the one Cherub was fiue cubites, and the wing of the other Cherub was fiue cubites: from the vttermost part of one of his wings vnto the vttermost part of the other of his wings, were ten cubites. 25Also the other Cherub was of ten cubites: both the Cherubims were of one measure and one sise. 26For the height of the one Cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other Cherub. 27And he put the Cherubims within the inner house, and the Cherubims stretched out their wings, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other Cherub touched the other wall: and their other wings touched one another in the middes of the house. 28And he ouerlaied the Cherubims with golde. 29And he carued all the walles of the house round about with grauen figures of Cherubims and of Palmetrees, and grauen flowres within and without. 30And the floore of the house hee couered with golde within and without. 31And in the entring of the oracle he made two doores of oliue tree: and the vpper post and side postes were fiue square. 32The two doores also were of oliue tree, and he graued them with grauing of Cherubims and palme trees, and grauen floures, and couered them with golde, and layed thin golde vpon the Cherubims and vpon the palme trees. 33And so made he for the doore of the Temple, postes of oliue tree foure square. 34But the two doores were of firre tree, the two sides of the one doore were round, and the two sides of the other doore were round. 35And he graued Cherubims, and palme trees, and carued floures and couered the carued worke with golde, finely wrought. 36And hee built the court within with three rowes of hewed stone, and one rowe of beames of cedar. 37In the fourth yeere was the foundation of the house of the Lord layed in the moneth of Zif: 38And in the eleuenth yeere in the moneth of Bul, (which is the eight moneth) hee finished the house with all the furniture thereof, and in euery point: so was he seuen yeere in building it.