Solomon’s Palace Complex
1 Solomon, however, took thirteen years to complete the construction of his entire palace.
2
He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high, with four rows of cedar pillars supporting the cedar beams.
3
The house was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the pillars—forty-five beams, fifteen per row.
4
There were three rows of high windows facing one another in three tiers.
5
All the doorways had rectangular frames, with the openings facing one another in three tiers.
6
Solomon made his colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a portico in front of it and a canopy with pillars in front of the portico.
7
In addition, he built a hall for the throne, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge. It was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
8
And the palace where Solomon would live, set further back, was of similar construction. He also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.
9
All these buildings were constructed with costly stones, cut to size and trimmed with saws inside and out from the foundation to the eaves, and from the outside to the great courtyard.
10
The foundations were laid with large, costly stones, some ten cubits long and some eight cubits long.
11
Above these were costly stones, cut to size, and cedar beams.
12
The great courtyard was surrounded by three rows of dressed stone and a row of trimmed cedar beams, as were the inner courtyard and portico of the house of the LORD.