38 And in the eleventh H259 H6240 year, H8141 in the month H3391 Bul, H945 which is the eighth H8066 month, H2320 was the house H1004 finished H3615 throughout all the parts H1697 thereof, and according to all the fashion H4941 of it. So was he seven H7651 years H8141 in building H1129 it.
Now in the second H8145 year H8141 of their coming H935 unto the house H1004 of God H430 at Jerusalem, H3389 in the second H8145 month, H2320 began H2490 Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and the remnant H7605 of their brethren H251 the priests H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and all they that were come out H935 of the captivity H7628 unto Jerusalem; H3389 and appointed H5975 the Levites, H3881 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 to set forward H5329 the work H4399 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 Then stood H5975 Jeshua H3442 with his sons H1121 and his brethren, H251 Kadmiel H6934 and his sons, H1121 the sons H1121 of Judah, H3063 together, H259 to set forward H5329 the workmen H6213 H4399 in the house H1004 of God: H430 the sons H1121 of Henadad, H2582 with their sons H1121 and their brethren H251 the Levites. H3881 And when the builders H1129 laid the foundation H3245 of the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 they set H5975 the priests H3548 in their apparel H3847 with trumpets, H2689 and the Levites H3881 the sons H1121 of Asaph H623 with cymbals, H4700 to praise H1984 the LORD, H3068 after the ordinance H3027 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And they sang together by course H6030 in praising H1984 and giving thanks H3034 unto the LORD; H3068 because he is good, H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever H5769 toward Israel. H3478 And all the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout, H8643 when they praised H1984 the LORD, H3068 because the foundation H3245 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 was laid. H3245 But many H7227 of the priests H3548 and Levites H3881 and chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 who were ancient men, H2205 that had seen H7200 the first H7223 house, H1004 when the foundation H3245 of this house H1004 was laid H3245 before their eyes, H5869 wept H1058 with a loud H1419 voice; H6963 and many H7227 shouted H8643 aloud H7311 for joy: H8057 So that the people H5971 could not discern H5234 the noise H6963 of the shout H8643 of joy H8057 from the noise H6963 of the weeping H1065 of the people: H5971 for the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a loud H1419 shout, H8643 and the noise H6963 was heard H8085 afar off. H7350
And the elders H7868 of the Jews H3062 builded, H1124 and they prospered H6744 through the prophesying H5017 of Haggai H2292 the prophet H5029 and Zechariah H2148 the son H1247 of Iddo. H5714 And they builded, H1124 and finished H3635 it, according H4481 to the commandment H2941 of the God H426 of Israel, H3479 and according to the commandment H2942 of Cyrus, H3567 and Darius, H1868 and Artaxerxes H783 king H4430 of Persia. H6540 And this H1836 house H1005 was finished H3319 on H5705 the third H8532 day H3118 of the month H3393 Adar, H144 which was H1932 in the sixth H8353 year H8140 of the reign H4437 of Darius H1868 the king. H4430
Even he shall build H1129 the temple H1964 of the LORD; H3068 and he shall bear H5375 the glory, H1935 and shall sit H3427 and rule H4910 upon his throne; H3678 and he shall be a priest H3548 upon his throne: H3678 and the counsel H6098 of peace H7965 shall be between them both. H8147 And the crowns H5850 shall be to Helem, H2494 and to Tobijah, H2900 and to Jedaiah, H3048 and to Hen H2581 the son H1121 of Zephaniah, H6846 for a memorial H2146 in the temple H1964 of the LORD. H3068 And they that are far off H7350 shall come H935 and build H1129 in the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 and ye shall know H3045 that the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently H8085 obey H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 your God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 6
Commentary on 1 Kings 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
1Ki 6:1-4. The Building of Solomon's Temple.
2. 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.
3. the porch—or portico, extended across the whole front (see on 2Ch 3:4).
4. 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].
1Ki 6:5-10. The Chambers Thereof.
5. 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.
7. 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].
9, 10. built the house—The temple is here distinguished from the wings or chambers attached to it—and its roofing was of cedar-wood.
10. 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].
1Ki 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.
1Ki 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.
1Ki 6:37, 38. The time Taken to Build It.
37. 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.