1 Kings 6:8

8 The opening of the middle side [is] at the right shoulder of the house, and with windings they go up on the middle one, and from the middle one unto the third.

1 Kings 6:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 6:8

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 Strabo ^F21 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 say ^F23, 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F21 Geograph. l. 17. p. 547.
F23 Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 5. See Lightfoot's Prospect of the Temple c. 12. p. 1071.

1 Kings 6:8 In-Context

6 The lowest couch, five by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the middle, six by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the third, seven by the cubit [is] its breadth, for withdrawings he hath put to the house round about, without -- not to lay hold on the walls of the house.

7 And the house, in its being built, of perfect stone brought [thither] hath been built, and hammer, and the axe -- any instrument of iron -- was not heard in the house, in its being built.

8 The opening of the middle side [is] at the right shoulder of the house, and with windings they go up on the middle one, and from the middle one unto the third.

9 And he buildeth the house, and completeth it, and covereth the house [with] beams and rows of cedars.

10 And he buildeth the couch against all the house, five cubits [is] its height, and it taketh hold of the house by cedar-wood.