1 Kings 6

1 Solomon began to build the LORD's temple 480 years after Israel left Egypt. He began building in the month of Ziv (the second month) of the fourth year of his reign over Israel.

2 The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

3 The entrance hall in front of the main room of the temple was the same length as the shorter side of the temple. It extended 15 feet in front of the temple.

4 He also made latticed windows for the temple.

5 He built an annex containing side rooms all around the temple. This annex was next to the walls of the main building and the inner sanctuary.

6 The [interior of] the lowest story of the annex was 7½ feet wide, the second story was 9 feet wide, and the third story was 10½ feet wide. Solomon made ledges all around the temple so that this annex would not be fastened to the walls of the temple.

7 The temple was built with stone blocks that were finished at the quarry. No hammer, chisel, or any other iron tool made a sound at the temple construction site.

8 The entrance to the first story was on the south side of the temple. A staircase went up to the middle story and then to the third story.

9 When he had finished building the walls, he roofed the temple with rows of cedar beams and planks.

10 He built [each story of the] annex 7½ feet high alongside the entire temple. Its cedar beams were attached to the temple.

11 The LORD spoke to Solomon, saying,

12 "This concerns the temple you are building: If you live by my laws, follow my rules, and keep my commands, I will fulfill the promise I made about you to your father David.

13 I will live among the Israelites and never abandon my people."

14 When Solomon had finished building the temple's [frame],

15 he began to line the inside walls of the temple with cedar boards. He paneled the inside of the temple with wood from floor to ceiling. He covered the floor of the temple with cypress planks.

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.

21 He covered the inside of the temple with pure gold. He put golden chains across the front of the inner room which was covered with gold.

22 He covered the entire inside of the temple with gold. He also covered the entire altar in the inner room with gold.

23 In the inner room he made two 15-foot-tall angels out of olive wood.

24 Each wing of the angels was 7½ feet long. The distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other was 15 feet.

25 Both angels had a 15-foot [wingspan]. Both had the same measurements and the same shape.

26 Each was 15 feet high.

27 Solomon put the angels in the inner room of the temple. The wings of the angels extended so that the wing of one of the angels touched the one wall, and the wing of the other touched the other wall. Their remaining wings touched each other in the center of the room.

28 He covered the angels with gold.

29 He carved angels, palm trees, and flowers into the walls all around the inner and outer rooms of the temple.

30 He covered the floor of the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.

31 He made doors for the entrance to the inner room out of olive wood. The doorposts had five sides.

32 The two doors were [made out of] olive wood. He carved angels, palm trees, and flowers into them and covered them with gold. The gold was hammered onto the angels and the palm trees.

33 In the same way he made square doorposts out of olive wood for the temple's entrance.

34 He made two doors from cypress. Each of the doors had two folding panels.

35 On them he carved angels, palm trees, and flowers. He evenly covered them with gold.

36 He built the inner courtyard with three courses of finished stones and a course of finished cedar beams.

37 In the month of Ziv of the fourth year of Solomon's reign, the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid.

38 In the month of Bul (the eighth month) of the eleventh year [of his reign], the temple was finished according to all its plans and specifications. He spent seven years building it.

1 Kings 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

The building of Solomon's temple. (1-10) Promise given concerning the temple. (11-14) Particulars respecting the temple. (15-38)

Verses 1-10 The temple is called the house of the Lord, because it was directed and modelled by him, and was to be employed in his service. This gave it the beauty of holiness, that it was the house of the Lord, which was far beyond all other beauties. It was to be the temple of the God of peace, therefore no iron tool must be heard; quietness and silence suit and help religious exercises. God's work should be done with much care and little noise. Clamour and violence often hinder, but never further the work of God. Thus the kingdom of God in the heart of man grows up in silence, ( Mark 5:27 ) .

Verses 11-14 None employ themselves for God, without having his eye upon them. But God plainly let Solomon know that all the charge for building this temple, would neither excuse from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter from his judgments, in case of disobedience.

Verses 15-38 See what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true Temple. In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead; in him meet all God's spiritual Israel; through him we have access with confidence to God. 2. Every believer is a living temple, in ( 1 Corinthians. 3:16 ) built upon Christ as its Foundation, and will be perfect in due time. 3. The gospel church is the mystical temple. It grows to a holy temple in the Lord, enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit. This temple is built firm, upon a Rock. 4. Heaven is the everlasting temple. There the church will be fixed. All that shall be stones in that building, must, in the present state of preparation, be fitted and made ready for it. Let sinners come to Jesus as the living Foundation, that they may be built on him, a part of this spiritual house, consecrated in body and soul to the glory of God.

Chapter Summary

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.