Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Kings » Chapter 6 » Verse 2

1 Kings 6:2 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

2 And the house H1004 which king H4428 Solomon H8010 built H1129 for the LORD, H3068 the length H753 thereof was threescore H8346 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 thereof twenty H6242 cubits, and the height H6967 thereof thirty H7970 cubits. H520

Cross Reference

Ezekiel 40:1-41 STRONG

In the five H2568 and twentieth H6242 year H8141 of our captivity, H1546 in the beginning H7218 of the year, H8141 in the tenth H6218 day of the month, H2320 in the fourteenth H702 H6240 year H8141 after H310 that the city H5892 was smitten, H5221 in the selfsame H6106 day H3117 the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was upon me, and brought H935 me thither. In the visions H4759 of God H430 brought H935 he me into the land H776 of Israel, H3478 and set H5117 me upon a very H3966 high H1364 mountain, H2022 by which was as the frame H4011 of a city H5892 on the south. H5045 And he brought H935 me thither, and, behold, there was a man, H376 whose appearance H4758 was like the appearance H4758 of brass, H5178 with a line H6616 of flax H6593 in his hand, H3027 and a measuring H4060 reed; H7070 and he stood H5975 in the gate. H8179 And the man H376 said H1696 unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 behold H7200 with thine eyes, H5869 and hear H8085 with thine ears, H241 and set H7760 thine heart H3820 upon all that I shall shew H7200 thee; for to the intent H4616 that I might shew H7200 them unto thee art thou brought H935 hither: declare H5046 all that thou seest H7200 to the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 And behold a wall H2346 on the outside H2351 of the house H1004 round about, H5439 and in the man's H376 hand H3027 a measuring H4060 reed H7070 of six H8337 cubits H520 long by the cubit H520 and an hand breadth: H2948 so he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 of the building, H1146 one H259 reed; H7070 and the height, H6967 one H259 reed. H7070 Then came H935 he unto the gate H8179 which looketh H6440 toward H1870 the east, H6921 and went up H5927 the stairs H4609 thereof, and measured H4058 the threshold H5592 of the gate, H8179 which was one H259 reed H7070 broad; H7341 and the other H259 threshold H5592 of the gate, which was one H259 reed H7070 broad. H7341 And every little chamber H8372 was one H259 reed H7070 long, H753 and one H259 reed H7070 broad; H7341 and between the little chambers H8372 were five H2568 cubits; H520 and the threshold H5592 of the gate H8179 by H681 the porch H197 of the gate H8179 within H1004 was one H259 reed. H7070 He measured H4058 also the porch H197 of the gate H8179 within, H1004 one H259 reed. H7070 Then measured H4058 he the porch H197 of the gate, H8179 eight H8083 cubits; H520 and the posts H352 thereof, two H8147 cubits; H520 and the porch H197 of the gate H8179 was inward. H1004 And the little chambers H8372 of the gate H8179 eastward H1870 H6921 were three H7969 on this side, H6311 and three H7969 on that side; H6311 they three H7969 were of one H259 measure: H4060 and the posts H352 had one H259 measure H4060 on this side and on that side. And he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 of the entry H6607 of the gate, H8179 ten H6235 cubits; H520 and the length H753 of the gate, H8179 thirteen H7969 H6240 cubits. H520 The space H1366 also before H6440 the little chambers H8372 was one H259 cubit H520 on this side, and the space H1366 was one cubit H520 on that side: and the little chambers H8372 were six H8337 cubits H520 on this side, and six H8337 cubits H520 on that side. He measured H4058 then the gate H8179 from the roof H1406 of one little chamber H8372 to the roof H1406 of another: the breadth H7341 was five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits, H520 door H6607 against door. H6607 He made H6213 also posts H352 of threescore H8346 cubits, H520 even unto the post H352 of the court H2691 round about H5439 the gate. H8179 And from the face H6440 of the gate H8179 of the entrance H2978 unto the face H6440 of the porch H197 of the inner H6442 gate H8179 were fifty H2572 cubits. H520 And there were narrow H331 windows H2474 to the little chambers, H8372 and to their posts H352 within H6441 the gate H8179 round about, H5439 and likewise to the arches: H361 and windows H2474 were round about H5439 inward: H6441 and upon each post H352 were palm trees. H8561 Then brought H935 he me into the outward H2435 court, H2691 and, lo, there were chambers, H3957 and a pavement H7531 made H6213 for the court H2691 round about: H5439 thirty H7970 chambers H3957 were upon the pavement. H7531 And the pavement H7531 by the side H3802 of the gates H8179 over against H5980 the length H753 of the gates H8179 was the lower H8481 pavement. H7531 Then he measured H4058 the breadth H7341 from the forefront H6440 of the lower H8481 gate H8179 unto the forefront H6440 of the inner H6442 court H2691 without, H2351 an hundred H3967 cubits H520 eastward H6921 and northward. H6828 And the gate H8179 of the outward H2435 court H2691 that looked H6440 toward H1870 the north, H6828 he measured H4058 the length H753 thereof, and the breadth H7341 thereof. And the little chambers H8372 thereof were three H7969 on this side and three H7969 on that side; and the posts H352 thereof and the arches H361 thereof were after the measure H4060 of the first H7223 gate: H8179 the length H753 thereof was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520 And their windows, H2474 and their arches, H361 and their palm trees, H8561 were after the measure H4060 of the gate H8179 that looketh H6440 toward H1870 the east; H6921 and they went up H5927 unto it by seven H7651 steps; H4609 and the arches H361 thereof were before H6440 them. And the gate H8179 of the inner H6442 court H2691 was over against the gate H8179 toward the north, H6828 and toward the east; H6921 and he measured H4058 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 an hundred H3967 cubits. H520 After that he brought H3212 me toward H1870 the south, H1864 and behold a gate H8179 toward H1870 the south: H1864 and he measured H4058 the posts H352 thereof and the arches H361 thereof according to these measures. H4060 And there were windows H2474 in it and in the arches H361 thereof round about, H5439 like those windows: H2474 the length H753 was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520 And there were seven H7651 steps H4609 to go up H5930 to it, and the arches H361 thereof were before H6440 them: and it had palm trees, H8561 one H259 on this side, and another H259 on that side, upon the posts H352 thereof. And there was a gate H8179 in the inner H6442 court H2691 toward H1870 the south: H1864 and he measured H4058 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 toward H1870 the south H1864 an hundred H3967 cubits. H520 And he brought H935 me to the inner H6442 court H2691 by the south H1864 gate: H8179 and he measured H4058 the south H1864 gate H8179 according to these measures; H4060 And the little chambers H8372 thereof, and the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, according to these measures: H4060 and there were windows H2474 in it and in the arches H361 thereof round about: H5439 it was fifty H2572 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 broad. H7341 And the arches H361 round about H5439 were five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 cubits H520 broad. H7341 And the arches H361 thereof were toward the utter H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609 And he brought H935 me into the inner H6442 court H2691 toward H1870 the east: H6921 and he measured H4058 the gate H8179 according to these measures. H4060 And the little chambers H8372 thereof, and the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, were according to these measures: H4060 and there were windows H2474 therein and in the arches H361 thereof round about: H5439 it was fifty H2572 cubits H520 long, H753 and five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits H520 broad. H7341 And the arches H361 thereof were toward the outward H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609 And he brought H935 me to the north H6828 gate, H8179 and measured H4058 it according to these measures; H4060 The little chambers H8372 thereof, the posts H352 thereof, and the arches H361 thereof, and the windows H2474 to it round about: H5439 the length H753 was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 five H2568 and twenty H6242 cubits. H520 And the posts H352 thereof were toward the utter H2435 court; H2691 and palm trees H8561 were upon the posts H352 thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up H4608 to it had eight H8083 steps. H4609 And the chambers H3957 and the entries H6607 thereof were by the posts H352 of the gates, H8179 where they washed H1740 the burnt offering. H5930 And in the porch H197 of the gate H8179 were two H8147 tables H7979 on this side, and two tables H7979 on that side, to slay H7819 thereon the burnt offering H5930 and the sin offering H2403 and the trespass offering. H817 And at the side H3802 without, H2351 as one goeth up H5927 to the entry H6607 of the north H6828 gate, H8179 were two H8147 tables; H7979 and on the other H312 side, H3802 which was at the porch H197 of the gate, H8179 were two H8147 tables. H7979 Four H702 tables H7979 were on this side, and four H702 tables H7979 on that side, by the side H3802 of the gate; H8179 eight H8083 tables, H7979 whereupon they slew H7819 their sacrifices.

Ezekiel 41:1-15 STRONG

Afterward he brought H935 me to the temple, H1964 and measured H4058 the posts, H352 six H8337 cubits H520 broad H7341 on the one side, H6311 and six H8337 cubits H520 broad H7341 on the other side, H6311 which was the breadth H7341 of the tabernacle. H168 And the breadth H7341 of the door H6607 was ten H6235 cubits; H520 and the sides H3802 of the door H6607 were five H2568 cubits H520 on the one side, and five H2568 cubits H520 on the other side: and he measured H4058 the length H753 thereof, forty H705 cubits: H520 and the breadth, H7341 twenty H6242 cubits. H520 Then went H935 he inward, H6441 and measured H4058 the post H352 of the door, H6607 two H8147 cubits; H520 and the door, H6607 six H8337 cubits; H520 and the breadth H7341 of the door, H6607 seven H7651 cubits. H520 So he measured H4058 the length H753 thereof, twenty H6242 cubits; H520 and the breadth, H7341 twenty H6242 cubits, H520 before H6440 the temple: H1964 and he said H559 unto me, This is the most H6944 holy H6944 place. After he measured H4058 the wall H7023 of the house, H1004 six H8337 cubits; H520 and the breadth H7341 of every side chamber, H6763 four H702 cubits, H520 round about H5439 the house H1004 on every side. H5439 And the side H6763 chambers H6763 were three, H7969 one over another, H6763 and thirty H7970 in order; H6471 and they entered H935 into the wall H7023 which was of the house H1004 for the side chambers H6763 round about, H5439 that they might have hold, H270 but they had not hold H270 in the wall H7023 of the house. H1004 And there was an enlarging, H7337 and a winding about H5437 still upward H4605 to the side chambers: H6763 for the winding about H4141 of the house H1004 went still upward H4605 round about H5439 the house: H1004 therefore the breadth H7341 of the house H1004 was still upward, H4605 and so increased H5927 from the lowest H8481 chamber to the highest H5945 by the midst. H8484 I saw H7200 also the height H1363 of the house H1004 round about: H5439 the foundations H4328 of the side chambers H6763 were a full H4393 reed H7070 of six H8337 great H679 cubits. H520 The thickness H7341 of the wall, H7023 which was for the side chamber H6763 without, H2351 was five H2568 cubits: H520 and that which was left H3240 was the place H1004 of the side chambers H6763 that were within. H1004 And between the chambers H3957 was the wideness H7341 of twenty H6242 cubits H520 round about H5439 the house H1004 on every side. H5439 And the doors H6607 of the side chambers H6763 were toward the place that was left, H3240 one H259 door H6607 toward H1870 the north, H6828 and another H259 door H6607 toward the south: H1864 and the breadth H7341 of the place H4725 that was left H3240 was five H2568 cubits H520 round about. H5439 Now the building H1146 that was before H6440 the separate place H1508 at the end H6285 toward H1870 the west H3220 was seventy H7657 cubits H520 broad; H7341 and the wall H7023 of the building H1146 was five H2568 cubits H520 thick H7341 round about, H5439 and the length H753 thereof ninety H8673 cubits. H520 So he measured H4058 the house, H1004 an hundred H3967 cubits H520 long; H753 and the separate place, H1508 and the building, H1140 with the walls H7023 thereof, an hundred H3967 cubits H520 long; H753 Also the breadth H7341 of the face H6440 of the house, H1004 and of the separate place H1508 toward the east, H6921 an hundred H3967 cubits. H520 And he measured H4058 the length H753 of the building H1146 over against H6440 the separate place H1508 which was behind H310 it, and the galleries H862 thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred H3967 cubits, H520 with the inner H6442 temple, H1964 and the porches H197 of the court; H2691

Ezra 6:3-4 STRONG

In the first H2298 year H8140 of Cyrus H3567 the king H4430 the same Cyrus H3567 the king H4430 made H7761 a decree H2942 concerning the house H1005 of God H426 at Jerusalem, H3390 Let the house H1005 be builded, H1124 the place H870 where they offered H1684 sacrifices, H1685 and let the foundations H787 thereof be strongly laid; H5446 the height H7314 thereof threescore H8361 cubits, H521 and the breadth H6613 thereof threescore H8361 cubits; H521 With three H8532 rows H5073 of great H1560 stones, H69 and a row H5073 of new H2323 timber: H636 and let the expenses H5313 be given H3052 out of H4481 the king's H4430 house: H1005

Revelation 21:16-17 STRONG

And G2532 the city G4172 lieth G2749 foursquare, G5068 and G2532 the length G3372 G846 is G2076 as large G5118 as G3745 G2532 the breadth: G4114 and G2532 he measured G3354 the city G4172 with the reed, G2563 G1909 twelve G1427 thousand G5505 furlongs. G4712 The length G3372 and G2532 the breadth G4114 and G2532 the height G5311 of it G846 are G2076 equal. G2470 And G2532 he measured G3354 the wall G5038 thereof, G846 an hundred G1540 and forty G5062 and four G5064 cubits, G4083 according to the measure G3358 of a man, G444 that is, G3603 of the angel. G32

Commentary on 1 Kings 6 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 6

This chapter gives an account of the building of the temple, for which preparations were before made and begins with the time of its building, 1 Kings 6:1; gives the dimensions of it and the porch before it, 1 Kings 6:2; observes the windows in it and chambers about it, 1 Kings 6:4; and while it was building, Solomon had a word from the Lord relative to it, 1 Kings 6:11; and then the account goes on concerning the walls of the house, and the flooring of it, 1 Kings 6:15; and the oracle in it, and the cherubim in that, 1 Kings 6:19; and the doors into it, and the carved work of them, 1 Kings 6:31; and the chapter is concluded with observing the time when it was begun and finished 1 Kings 6:37.


Verse 1

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt,.... The Tyrian writersF11Apud Theophil. ad Autolyc. l. 3. p. 131. make it five hundred sixty years from hence; but this no doubt is tightest, which Junius reckons thus; forty years Israel were in the wilderness, seventeen under Joshua, two hundred ninety nine under the judges, eighty under Eli, Samuel, and Saul, forty under David, add to which the four years of Solomon, and they make four hundred eightyF12So Gerard. Voss. Chron. Sacr. Isagoge, dissert. 8. c. 7. p. 128. ; they are somewhat differently reckoned by othersF13Vid. Vitring. Hypotypos. Hist. Sacr. p. 43. from the coming out of Egypt to Joshua forty years, from thence to the first servitude under Cushan twenty five, from thence to the death of Abimelech two hundred fifty six, under Thola twenty three, from thence to the Ammonitish servitude four, under that eighteen, under the judges, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, thirty one, Samuel and Saul forty, David forty, and Solomon three, in all four hundred eighty;

in the, fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel; when he was clear of all disturbers of his government, and had got all things ready for the building of the temple, and had gathered together gold and silver enough of his own to defray the expenses; for, as for what David gave him, he put that into the treasury of the Lord's house, see 1 Kings 7:51;

in the month Zif, which is the second month; and so must be Jiar, for Abib or Nisan was the first, and Jiar was the second, which answered to part of our April and part of May; called Zif either from the splendour of the sun, being now higher, and so the greater; or from the trees and flowers of the field being in all their glory; and so the Targum here calls it, the month of splendour of flowers: and it was on the second day of it,

that he began to build the house of the Lord: and a very fit and proper season of the year it was to begin it in, see 2 Chronicles 3:2.


Verse 2

And the house which King Solomon built for the Lord,.... For his worship, honour, and glory:

the length thereof was threescore cubits; sixty cubits from east to west, including the holy place and the most holy place; the holy place was forty cubits, and the most holy place twenty; the same measure, as to length, Eupolemus, an Heathen writerF14Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34. , gives of the temple, but is mistaken in the other measures:

and the breadth thereof twenty cubits; from north to south:

and the height thereof thirty cubits; this must be understood of the holy place, for the oracle or most holy place was but twenty cubits high, 1 Kings 6:20; though the holy place, with the chambers that were over it, which were ninety cubits, three stories high, was in all an hundred twenty cubits, 2 Chronicles 3:4; some restrain it to the porch only, which stood at the end, like one of our high steeples, as they think.


Verse 3

And the porch before the temple of the house,.... Which stood at the east end of it:

twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; which was from north to south, and of the same dimension, so that they exactly answered each other:

and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house; which being added to it, make the whole of the building, most holy place, holy place, and porch, seventy cubits; the height of the porch is not here given, but in 2 Chronicles 3:4; where it is said to be an hundred twenty cubits high, equal to the height of the house, with the chambers over it; but there the breadth of the porch is not given, as it is here; by these dimensions we may observe the difference between the tabernacle and the temple; the temple was twice as long, and as broad, and thrice as high as that, see Exodus 26:8. This fabric was an emblem of the church of God, sometimes called an holy temple, and the temple of the living God, 2 Corinthians 6:16.


Verse 4

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. Or "open, shut"F15אטמים שקפים "apertas clausas", Vatablus; "perspectui accommodas, clausas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , which could be both, having shutters to them, to open or shut at pleasure; windows which they could open, and look through at them, or shut when they pleased; the Targum is,

"open within, and shut without;'

or, as others understand it, they were wide within, and narrow without; by being narrow without, the house was preserved from bad weather, as well as could not so easily be looked into by those without; and by being broader within, the light that was let in spread itself within the house; which some interpret only of the holy place, the most holy place having, as they suppose, no windows in it, which yet is not certain: now these windows may denote the word and ordinances of the church of God, whereby light is communicated to men; which in the present state is but narrow or small, in comparison of the new Jerusalem church state, and the ultimate glory; and especially so it was under the legal dispensation, which was very obscure; see Song of Solomon 2:9 Isaiah 55:8.


Verse 5

And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about,.... Or near it, as Jarchi interprets it, for the beams of them were not fastened in in it, 1 Kings 6:6; or rather "upon" itF16על קיר "super parietem", V. L. Montanus. ; and when they are said to be round about the house, it must be understood of the two sides, north and south, and of the west end only, for at the east end, where the porch was, there were none:

against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle; that is, both of the holy and the most holy place:

and he made chambers round about; the said buildings; which is repeated that it might be observed; how many chambers there were, is not said; Josephus saysF17Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2. there were thirty of them, and over them others of the same measure and number, and over them others also; so that there were three stories of them, and in all ninety; and which is countenanced by what follows in 1 Kings 6:6, and agrees with Ezekiel 41:6; the Jewish doctors sayF18Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 3. , there were thirty eight of them, fifteen on the north, fifteen on the south, and eight on the west; they that were to the north and south were five upon five, and five over them; and they that were to the west were three upon three, and two over them; upper rooms or chambers were rare in Heathen templesF19Pausan. Laconic. sive. l. 3. p. 190. : these chambers were for the priests, where they lodged and laid up their garments, and ate their holy things; and were emblems of congregated churches, where the true members thereof, who are priests to God, have communion with him, and partake of divine things.


Verse 6

And the nethermost chamber was five cubits broad,.... The nethermost row of them, which were upon the first floor:

and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; so that the middlemost was a cubit larger than the lowest, and the highest a cubit larger than that: the reason of which was,

for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about; or rebatements; the thickness of the wall, as it was raised, became narrower at the height of every five cubits; thus the wall being supposed to be six cubits broad, as in Ezekiel 41:5; when it came to be five cubits high, it was narrowed a cubit, which left a projection, rebatement, or bench for the beams of the first chambers to be laid upon, which made the second row of chambers broader by a cubit; and the same being observed in the next story, made the highest a cubit broader than the middlemost: and this was done,

that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house; or be inserted into them, which could not be done without making holes in it; and these holes could not be made without an iron instrument, and which was not to be used, as the next words show; whereas by the above method the beams of the chambers could be laid upon the buttresses, benches, or rebatements left, without the use of any: the gradual enlargement of these chambers, as they rose higher, may denote the enlargement of the church of God, both as to numbers, gifts, and grace, the nearer it comes to the heavenly state, as in the spiritual and personal reign of Christ.


Verse 7

And the house, when it was in building,.... And all the while it was building:

was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither; being hewn or squared by the builders and stonesquarers of Solomon and Hiram, 1 Kings 5:18; wherefore the builders had nothing more to do than to lay them in their proper places in the building; it was built with these stones quite up to the ceiling, as Josephus saysF20Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2. ; and these so admirably polished, and so artificially joined together, that not the least sign of an axe, or of any working tool, could be discerned in them:

so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house while it was in building; the first of these observations shows, that none are to be laid in the spiritual building of the church, but such as are first hewed and squared by the Spirit, grace, and word of God: or who have an experience of the grace of God, are sound in the faith, and of becoming lives and good conduct; and the other denotes, that such as are therein, whether ministers or members, should do all they do for the edification of the church in a quiet and peaceable manner, without clamour, contention, fights, and tumults.


Verse 8

The door of the middle chamber was in the right side of the house,.... The south side of it:

and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber; which were outside the chambers, and which winded about for the sake of taking up less room, and which led up to the door of the middle chamber, on the south of which they went into it; according to the Vulgate Latin and Tigurine versions, they went up in the forth of a cockle, or the shell of a snail; in like manner as was the ascent of the temple of Pan at Alexandria, as StraboF21Geograph. l. 17. p. 547. relates:

and out of the middle into the third; the third chamber, and by winding stairs up to that; and the like might be on the north side, though not expressed, and on the west: the Jews sayF23Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 5. See Lightfoot's Prospect of the Temple, &c. c. 12. p. 1071. , that in the second temple, these winding stairs went from the northeast to the northwest, whereby they went up to the roof of the chambers, and so to the south and west; with this compare Ezekiel 41:7; and which may represent the windings and turnings of God's people in this present state, their many afflictions and tribulations, through which they pass from one state to another.


Verse 9

So he built the house, and finished it,.... The body of it, the walls of the holy and most holy place, with the chambers on the sides of them, and the porch at the end that led into them:

and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar; with hollow boards, as the Targum, which formed an arch ceiling to it, and made it look very grand and beautiful; and then over them were laid beams and planks of cedar, not properly as a flat roof to it, but rather as a flooring for other buildings; for upon this, as in 1 Kings 6:10, there were chambers built.


Verse 10

And then he built chambers against all the house five cubits high,.... Which some understand of the same chambers in 1 Kings 6:5; here made mention of again for the sake of giving the height of them, not before given; but they were built against, or upon the wall of the house, these against, or rather upon the whole house itself; and are the chambers referred to; see Gill on 1 Kings 6:2; which consisting of three stories of ninety cubits, raised the whole house to an equal height with the porch, 2 Chronicles 3:4; as is there intendedF24Vid. Joseph. Antiqu. ut supra. (l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2.) ; these are the upper chambers in 2 Chronicles 3:9; and they rested on the house with timber of cedar; or on the timber of cedar, the beams of cedar, with which the house was covered, as in 1 Kings 6:9; on these the chambers rested, being built upon them; and in one of these chambers the disciples might be after Christ's ascension, Acts 1:13.


Verse 11

And the word of the Lord came to Solomon,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum, foretelling what would be the case of this building, according to the obedience or disobedience of him and the people of Israel; which was brought to him either by an impulse of the Spirit of God upon him; or by the hand of a prophet, as Kimchi thinks; and some of the Jewish writersF25Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. p. 53. , as he particularly, name Ahijah the Shilonite as the prophet that was sent with this message to him:

saying, as follows.


Verse 12

Concerning this house which thou art in building,.... Or with respect to that, these things are to be said as from the Lord:

if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; even all the laws of God, moral, ceremonial, and judicial; and this respects not only Solomon personally, but his successors, and even all the people of Israel:

then will I perform my covenant with thee, which I spake unto David thy father; by Nathan the prophet; not only that he should build an house for God, which should be a settled dwelling place, but that his own house and kingdom should be established for a long time to come, and his posterity should enjoy the presence of God in this house, provided regard was had to the precepts and ordinances of the Lord, 2 Samuel 7:12.


Verse 13

And I will dwell among the children of Israel,.... In this house now building, and which was in the middle of the land, and where he would meet with them, and accept their sacrifices, not only of slain beasts, but of prayer and praise:

and will not forsake my people Israel; and leave them to the mercy of their enemies, and to be carried captive by them, but protect and defend them.


Verse 14

So Solomon built the house, and finished it. He went on with it until he had completed it, animated and encouraged by the promise of the divine Presence in it, provided a proper regard was had to the will and ways of God. Abarbinel thinks the above message was sent him in the midst of his work, to strengthen and caution him from a dependence on the continuance of the fabric, because of the strength of it; since its perpetuity depended on his, his successors', and the people's conduct and behaviour; wherefore conscious to himself of his own integrity, and hoping well of posterity, he was not discouraged, but proceeded in his undertaking until he had brought it to perfection.


Verse 15

And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar,.... For as yet he had only built the stone walls of it without, but now he wainscotted it with cedar boards: and not only them, but

both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling; or from "the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling"; that is, from the floor, including that, to the walls on each side, reaching up to the ceiling,

he covered them on the inside with wood: of one sort or another, cedar or fir, or both: particularly he

covered the floor of the house with planks of fir: which Hiram sent him, 1 Kings 5:8; which is differently interpreted; by Josephus cypress; by others, as the Tigurine version, pine tree wood; it is very probable it was of the cedar kind, and not the floor only, but the ceiling also, 2 Chronicles 3:5.


Verse 16

And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house,.... At the end or extremity of it, as the Targum; that is, he built the most holy place, which was twenty two cubits long, at the end of the holy place, which he wainscotted as the other:

both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar; or from the floor, including that, to the walls on each side, from wall to wall, and taking in them, they were all lined with cedar wood:

he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place; which explains what building is spoken of, and that the inside of that was covered with cedar from bottom to top.


Verse 17

And the house, that is, the temple before it,.... The holy place, which was before the of holies:

was forty cubits long; and which, with the most holy place, being twenty cubits, as in the preceding verse, made the length of the whole house sixty cubits, as in 1 Kings 6:2.


Verse 18

And the cedar of the house within,.... With which the inside of the place was lined:

was carved with knops; of an oval form; so the Targum says, they had the appearance of eggs; and Ben Gersom likewise, that they were in the form of eggs:

and open flowers; not in the figure of buds, but flowers blown, and open, as lilies and others; so the Targum:

all was cedar; the wainscotting of the house, the sides of it at least, if not the floor, and the carved work of it; and this was done, that the gold might be laid upon it, which could not be done on stone as on wood: and all was so covered, that

there was no stone seen; of which the outward walls were built: all this denotes the inward beauty of the church, and the curious workmanship of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people, whereby they become all glorious within, adorned with the graces of the blessed Spirit, their stony hearts being kept out of sight, yea, taken away.


Verse 19

And the oracle he prepared in the house within,.... In the innermost part of the house he fitted up the oracle, or speaking place, from whence the Lord spake and gave answer, to receive what was to be put into it: particularly

to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord; even the very same that Moses made, Exodus 37:1, for which David had pitched a tent in Zion, 1 Chronicles 15:1, and where it now was; for Solomon made no new ark.


Verse 20

And the oracle in the forepart,.... Which stood in the forepart of the temple, before a man's face as he entered into it, and went on; or the forepart of the holy of holies, next to the holy place, was of the dimensions as follows, when the back part of it might be higher at least, and be equal to the holy place, even thirty feet; the forepart being lower, and left open to let in the light of the candlesticks, and the smoke of the incense, out of the holy place: this

was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and was a perfect square, and as the most holy place may be an emblem of the church triumphant, it may denote the perfection of its heavenly state; so the new Jerusalem is a foursquare, Revelation 21:16;

and he overlaid it with pure gold; make it rich, glorious, and magnificent, and may denote the glory of the heavenly state, Revelation 21:21; and so FlorusF26De Gest. Roman. l. 3. c. 5. , the Roman historian, calls it the golden heaven, as it were, into which Pompey went, and saw the great secret of the Jewish nation, the ark:

and so covered the altar which was of cedar; the altar of incense, which is here mentioned, because it was near the most holy place, 1 Kings 6:22; this altar by Moses was made of shittim wood, but Solomon's was of cedar it seems; unless, as the words will bear to be rendered, "he covered the altar with cedar"F1יצף ארז "operuit cedro", Montanus. ; though made of shittim wood, it had a covering of cedar over it; or if of stone, such a covering was on it, that it might better receive the gold which was afterwards put upon it.


Verse 21

So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold,.... The inside of the holy of holies with fine gold, which gold amounted to six hundred talents, 2 Chronicles 3:8; and these to 7,332,000 ducats of gold, or 3,045,000 pounds sterling:

and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; between the holy and the most holy, and were instead of a vail in the tabernacle of Moses between them; here was also a vail beside the partition made by chains of gold across the oracle; for the partition was a wall of the thickness of a cubit, as MaimonidesF2Hilchot Beth Habechirah, c. 4. sect. 2. says; and in 2 Chronicles 3:14 express mention is made of a vail of blue, &c. and in imitation of this had the Heathens their deities within vailsF3Apulei Metamorph. l. xi. p. 176. :

and he overlaid it with gold; the partition wall.


Verse 22

And the whole house he overlaid with gold,.... Both the holy place, and the most holy place:

until he had finished all the house; in this splendid and glorious manner:

also the whole altar that was by the oracle; the altar of incense, which stood just before the entrance into the oracle, or most holy place:

he overlaid with gold; he overlaid it all over with gold; hence it is called the golden altar, and was an emblem of the excellent and effectual mediation and intercession of Christ, Revelation 8:3. Agreeably to this account Eupolemus, an Heathen writerF4Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34. p. 450. testifies, that the whole house, from the floor to the tool, was covered with gold, as well as with cedar and cypress wood, that the stonework might not appear; and so the capitol at Rome, perhaps in imitation of this temple, its roofs and tiles were glided with goldF5Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3. Vid. Rycquium de Capitol. Roman. c. 16. ; a magnificent temple, like this, was at Upsal in Switzerland, as Olaus Magnus relatesF6De Ritu Gent. Septent. l. 3. c. 5. .


Verse 23

And within the oracle he made two cherubim of olive tree,.... Or of the oil tree, as in Isaiah 41:19; see Nehemiah 8:15; for there are other trees besides olives, out of which oil is pressed, as pine trees, cypress trees, &c. and which some think are here meant; though the Targum interprets it of the olive tree: these cherubim are different from those made by Moses, and were besides them; these were larger than they; these were made of olive wood, they of gold; these stood on the floor of the house, they at the two ends of the mercy seat, and were made out of it, and were with it in this holy place in Solomon's temple: these two cherubim may be emblems of the angels in their greatness and glory, who are always in the presence of God, behold his face, and wait to do his will; or it may be rather of the two witnesses, said to be the two olive trees standing before the God of the whole earth, Revelation 11:3; who have boldness to enter into the holiest of all, and have sight and knowledge of the mysteries of the ark and mercy seat; have their commission from heaven, and speak according to the oracles of God; these are said to be of image work, 2 Chronicles 3:10; that is, of various forms, as the thee of a man, a lion, an ox, and eagle, Ezekiel 1:10. Dr. Lightfoot thinksF7Prospect of the Temple, c. 15. sect. 4. they resembled the two Testaments, which in their beginning and end reach the two sides of the world, the creation and the last judgment, and in the middle do sweetly join the one to the other:

each ten cubits high; half as high as the most holy place; emblems either of the high angels, those thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, or of men of uncommon size as to their gifts and grace.


Verse 24

And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub,.... When stretched out on one side:

and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; on the other side him:

from the uttermost part of the one wing, to the uttermost part of the other wing, were ten cubits; half the breadth of the house.


Verse 25

And the other cherub was ten cubits,.... That is, its wings stretched out measured so many cubits, as did those of the other:

both the cherubim were of one measure, and of one size; of the same height and stature, of the same breadth of their wings, and of the same bulk of their bodies; they were of "image work"; 2 Chronicles 3:10; very probably in the form of men: and this uniformity may denote the perfect agreement of angels; or else the consent of the true faithful witnesses of Christ in all ages, who have all agreed in the person, office, and grace of Christ, as represented by the mercy seat and ark, which these cherubim covered with their wings.


Verse 26

The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. Which is repeated from 1 Kings 6:23; that it might be observed, being of an extraordinary size.


Verse 27

And he set the cherubim within the inner house,.... The holy of holies:

and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims; the carvers that framed them, they wrought them in that form; or impersonally, the wings of the cherubim were stretched out; this was the position of them, they overshadowed and covered the mercy seat and ark, and even the other two cherubim that were at the ends of the mercy seat:

so that the wing of the one touched the one wall; the southern wall:

and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; the northern wall; they reached from wall to wall, even the whole breadth of the house, which was twenty cubits, as their wings thus spread were, 1 Kings 6:24;

and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house; which was ten cubits, and that was the spread of the wings of each of them; so that the wing of the right side of the one, stretched out, touched the wing of the left side of the other fit the same position; in 2 Chronicles 3:13; their faces are said to be "inward", or "toward the house"; either toward the holy place, and so faced those that came into that and saw them; or towards the inner part of the holy of holies, their backs being to the holy place, or their faces were inward, and looked obliquely to each other.


Verse 28

And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. Which may denote the purity and excellency of angels; or the precious gifts and graces of the Spirit, with which the witnesses of Christ are adorned.


Verse 29

And he carved all the walls of the house about with carved figures of cherubim, and palm trees, and open flowers,.... That is, of palm trees, those in full blow: if the cherubim are an emblem of angels, the palm trees fitly enough represent just and upright men, who both appear in the church of God below, and in heaven above; in both which are to be seen the open and full-blown flowers of divine grace, especially in the latter state:

within and without; on the walls of the most holy place, both within and without; and so upon the walls of the holy place, in each of which were these sculptures, which were very ornamental, and were emblematical; see Ezekiel 41:17.


Verse 30

And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold within and without. Both the floor of the holy place, and of the holy of holies; so the street of the new Jerusalem is said to be pure gold, Revelation 21:21; this expresses the purity and magnificence of it, particularly the holy conversation of them that dwell in the church, in heaven, signified hereby.


Verse 31

And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree,.... The door of the holy of holies was a two leaved or folding door, made of olive wood; typical of Christ, the door into the church above and below, the way to heaven and eternal life, the true olive tree:

the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall; four cubits, twenty cubits being the breadth of the oracle; or the lintel was four cubits, twenty being the height of it also, 1 Kings 6:20.


Verse 32

The two doors also were of olive tree,.... The two leaves of the door, as before observed, repeated for the sake of the ornament of them, as follows:

and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims, and palm trees, and open flowers; as upon the walls, 1 Kings 6:29;

and overlaid them with gold; the two doors:

and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees; thin plates of gold.


Verse 33

So also made he for the door of the temple,.... The holy place:

posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall; which was five cubits, its breadth being twenty, 1 Kings 6:20; this door was a cubit wider than that into the most holy place, 1 Kings 6:31, more entering into the one than into the other; as more go into the church on earth than into the heavenly glory.


Verse 34

And the two doors were of fir tree,.... the posts were of olive, but the doors of fir, and they were both folding doors, as appears by what follows:

the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding; which, taking up less room, made the passage wider, see Ezekiel 41:24.


Verse 35

And he carved thereon cherubims, and palm trees, and open flowers,.... As upon the doors of the most holy place, 1 Kings 6:32; see Ezekiel 41:25;

and covered them with gold, fitted upon the carved work; plates of gold were fitted, as to the dimensions of them, to the cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.


Verse 36

And he built the inner court,.... The court of the priests, 2 Chronicles 4:9; so called to distinguish it from the outer court, where the people assembled: this was built

with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams; the rows of stones were one upon another, topped with a row of cedar beams; or rather the cedar was a lining to the stones; and the whole is supposed to be about three cubits high, and was so low, that the people in the outward court might see priests ministering for them, and could converse with them; under the second temple, as MaimonidesF8Hilchot Beth Habechirah, c. 6. sect. 3. says, the court of the priests was higher than that of the court of Israel two cubits and an half, called the great court, for which doors were made, and those overlaid with brass, 2 Chronicles 4:9.


Verse 37

In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid,.... The fourth year of Solomon's reign:

in the month Zif; See Gill on 1 Kings 6:1.


Verse 38

In the eleventh year,.... That is, of the reign of Solomon:

in the month Bul, which is the eighth month; from the month Abib or Nisan; this month answers to part of our October, and part of November; it is the same month sometimes called Marchesvan; it had the name of Bul, because of the rains which usually fell in this month, as Kimchi thinks, like a flood; and Noah's flood is called Mabbul, from the same rootF9נבל "concidit", Buxtorf. , and when all the fruits were withered, and the leaves were fallen from the trees; or, as Jarchi supposes, because the grass was consumed in the field, and they were obliged to mix provender for cattle, deriving the word from another rootF11בלה "consumpsit, vel" בלל "miscuit", ib. : in this month

was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof; the porch, the holy place, and holy of holies, with all the chambers and courts belonging to it:

and according to all the fashion of it; which David had given to Solomon, to frame it by:

so he was seven years in building it; and six months, which are not mentioned, only the round number is given, as appears by comparing it with 1 Kings 6:1.