1 Kings 7:2

2 He built also the house of the forest of Libanus; the length of it was a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits, and the height thirty cubits: and four galleries between pillars of cedar: for he had cut cedar trees into pillars.

1 Kings 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 7:2

He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon
Besides the temple, his own palace, and the queen's; so called, not because it was built on Mount Lebanon, which lay at the northern border of the land, at a great distance from Jerusalem, whereas this was both a magazine of arms, and a court of judicature, ( 1 Kings 7:7 ) ; see ( 1 Kings 10:17 ) ( Isaiah 22:8 ) ; neither of which can be supposed to be far from Jerusalem; but because not only it was built of the cedars of Lebanon, but in a situation, and among groves of trees which resembled it; it seems to have been a summer house; and so the Targum calls it, a royal house of refreshment:

the length thereof [was] an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof
fifty and the height thereof thirty cubits;
so that it was in every measure larger than the temple; and, there was good reason for it, since into that only the priests entered; whereas into this went not only Solomon's family but his courtiers and nobles, and all foreign ambassadors, and whoever had any business with him, which required various rooms to receive them in:

upon four rows of cedar pillars;
or piazzas:

with cedar beams upon the pillars;
which laid the floor for the second story.

1 Kings 7:2 In-Context

1 And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and brought it to perfection.
2 He built also the house of the forest of Libanus; the length of it was a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits, and the height thirty cubits: and four galleries between pillars of cedar: for he had cut cedar trees into pillars.
3 And he covered the whole vault with boards of cedar, and it was held up with five and forty pillars. And one row had fifteen pillars,
4 Set one against another,
5 And looking one upon another, with equal space between the pillars, and over the pillars were square beams in all things equal.
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