1 Kings 7:1-12

Solomon Builds His Palace

1 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
2 He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high,[a] with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams.
3 It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row.
4 Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other.
5 All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other.[b]
6 He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide.[c] In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.
7 He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling.[d]
8 And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.
9 All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces.
10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits[e] and some eight.[f]
11 Above were high-grade stones, cut to size, and cedar beams.
12 The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the LORD with its portico.

1 Kings 7:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 7

This chapter gives an account of some buildings of Solomon for himself, 1Ki 7:1-12; and of other things for the use of the temple; of two pillars of brass, 1Ki 7:13-22; of the molten sea, 1Ki 7:23-26; and of ten bases, and ten layers on them, 1Ki 7:27-39; with other utensils and ornaments, 1Ki 7:40-51.

Cross References 7

  • 1. S 2 Samuel 7:2; 1 Kings 9:10; 2 Chronicles 8:1
  • 2. S 2 Samuel 7:2
  • 3. 1 Kings 10:17; 2 Chronicles 9:16; Isaiah 22:8; Isaiah 37:24; Jeremiah 22:6,23
  • 4. 1 Samuel 7:15; Psalms 122:5; Proverbs 20:8
  • 5. 1 Kings 6:15
  • 6. S 1 Kings 3:1; 2 Chronicles 8:11
  • 7. S 1 Kings 6:36

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. That is, about 150 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 45 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high
  • [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  • [c]. That is, about 75 feet long and 45 feet wide or about 23 meters long and 14 meters wide
  • [d]. Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew "floor"
  • [e]. That is, about 15 feet or about 4.5 meters; also in verse 23
  • [f]. That is, about 12 feet or about 3.6 meters
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