1 Kings 6:18

18 Gourds and flowers were carved into the cedar paneling inside the temple. Everything was [covered with] cedar. No stone could be seen.

1 Kings 6:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 6:18

And the cedar of the house within
With which the inside of the place was lined:

[was] carved with knops;
of an oval form; so the Targum says, they had the appearance of eggs; and Ben Gersom likewise, that they were in the form of eggs:

and open flowers;
not in the figure of buds, but flowers blown, and open, as lilies and others; so the Targum:

all [was] cedar;
the wainscotting of the house, the sides of it at least, if not the floor, and the carved work of it; and this was done, that the gold might be laid upon it, which could not be done on stone as on wood: and all was so covered, that

there was no stone seen;
of which the outward walls were built: all this denotes the inward beauty of the church, and the curious workmanship of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people, whereby they become all glorious within, adorned with the graces of the blessed Spirit, their stony hearts being kept out of sight, yea, taken away.

1 Kings 6:18 In-Context

16 He sectioned off a 30-foot-long room at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from the floor to the rafters. He built it to serve as an inner room, the most holy place.

17 The 60-foot-long room at the front of the temple served as the main hall.

18 Gourds and flowers were carved into the cedar paneling inside the temple. Everything was [covered with] cedar. No stone could be seen.

19 He prepared the inner room of the temple in order to put the ark of the LORD's promise there.

20 The inner room was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. Solomon covered it and the cedar altar with pure gold.