1 Kings 6:1-7

Temple Construction Begins

1 In the four hundred and eightieth ^[a] year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, ^[b] the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. ¹

2 The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. ^[c]

3 The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits ^[d] long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits ^[e] in front of the temple.

4 He also had narrow windows framed high in the temple.

The Chambers

5 Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms.

6 The bottom floor was five cubits wide, ^[f] the middle floor six cubits, ^[g] and the third floor seven cubits. ^[h] He also placed offset ledges around the outside of the temple, so that nothing would be inserted into its walls.

7 The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

1 Kings 6:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST 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, 1Ki 6:1; gives the dimensions of it and the porch before it, 1Ki 6:2,3; observes the windows in it and chambers about it, 1Ki 6:4-10; and while it was building, Solomon had a word from the Lord relative to it, 1Ki 6:11-14; and then the account goes on concerning the walls of the house, and the flooring of it, 1Ki 6:15-18; and the oracle in it, and the cherubim in that, 1Ki 6:19-30; and the doors into it, and the carved work of them, 1Ki 6:31-36; and the chapter is concluded with observing the time when it was begun and finished 1Ki 6:37,38.

Cross References

• 1. (2 Chronicles 3:1–2)

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew; LXX four hundred and fortieth
• [b]. Ziv was the second month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of April and May; also in verse 37.
• [c]. The house was approximately 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high (27.4 meters long, 9.1 meters wide, and 13.7 meters high).
• [d]. 20 cubits is approximately 30 feet or 9.1 meters; also in verses 16 and 20.
• [e]. 10 cubits is approximately 15 feet or 4.6 meters; also in verses 23–26.
• [f]. 5 cubits is approximately 7.5 feet or 2.3 meters; also in verses 10 and 24.
• [g]. 6 cubits is approximately 9 feet or 2.7 meters.
• [h]. 7 cubits is approximately 10.5 feet or 3.2 meters.