1 Kings 6

1 And it cometh to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year -- in the month of Zif, it [is] the second month -- of the reigning of Solomon over Israel, that he buildeth the house for Jehovah.
2 As to the house that king Solomon hath built for Jehovah, sixty cubits [is] its length, and twenty its breadth, and thirty cubits its height.
3 As to the porch on the front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits [is] its length on the front of the breadth of the house; ten by the cubit [is] its breadth on the front of the house;
4 and he maketh for the house windows of narrow lights.
5 And he buildeth against the wall of the house a couch round about, [even] the walls of the house round about, of the temple and of the oracle, and maketh sides round about.
6 The lowest couch, five by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the middle, six by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the third, seven by the cubit [is] its breadth, for withdrawings he hath put to the house round about, without -- not to lay hold on the walls of the house.
7 And the house, in its being built, of perfect stone brought [thither] hath been built, and hammer, and the axe -- any instrument of iron -- was not heard in the house, in its being built.
8 The opening of the middle side [is] at the right shoulder of the house, and with windings they go up on the middle one, and from the middle one unto the third.
9 And he buildeth the house, and completeth it, and covereth the house [with] beams and rows of cedars.
10 And he buildeth the couch against all the house, five cubits [is] its height, and it taketh hold of the house by cedar-wood.
11 And the word of Jehovah is unto Solomon, saying,
12 `This house that thou art building -- if thou dost walk in My statutes, and My judgments dost do, yea, hast done all My commands, to walk in them, then I have established My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father,
13 and have tabernacled in the midst of the sons of Israel, and do not forsake My people Israel.'
14 And Solomon buildeth the house and completeth it;
15 and he buildeth the walls of the house within with beams of cedar, from the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling; he hath overlaid with wood the inside, and covereth the floor of the house with ribs of fir.
16 And he buildeth the twenty cubits on the sides of the house with ribs of cedar, from the floor unto the walls; and he buildeth for it within, for the oracle, for the holy of holies.
17 And forty by the cubit was the house, it [is] the temple before [it].
18 And the cedar for the house within [is] carvings of knobs and openings of flowers; the whole [is] cedar, there is not a stone seen.
19 And the oracle in the midst of the house within he hath prepared, to put there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah.
20 And before the oracle [is] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits [is] its height; and he overlayeth it with gold refined, and overlayeth the altar with cedar.
21 And Solomon overlayeth the house within with gold refined, and causeth [it] to pass over in chains of gold before the oracle, and overlayeth it with gold.
22 And the whole of the house he hath overlaid with gold, till the completion of all the house; and the whole of the altar that the oracle hath, he hath overlaid with gold.
23 And he maketh within the oracle two cherubs, of the oil-tree, ten cubits [is] their height;
24 and five cubits [is] the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the second wing of the cherub, ten cubits from the ends of its wings even unto the ends of its wings;
25 and ten by the cubit [is] the second cherub, one measure and one form [are] to the two cherubs,
26 the height of the one cherub [is] ten by the cubit, and so [is] the second cherub;
27 and he setteth the cherubs in the midst of the inner house, and they spread out the wings of the cherubs, and a wing of the one cometh against the wall, and a wing of the second cherub is coming against the second wall, and their wings [are] unto the midst of the house, coming wing against wing;
28 and he overlayeth the cherubs with gold,
29 and all the walls of the house round about he hath carved with openings of carvings, cherubs, and palm trees, and openings of flowers, within and without.
30 And the floor of the house he hath overlaid with gold, within and without;
31 as to the opening of the oracle, he made doors of the oil-tree; the lintel, side-posts, a fifth.
32 And the two doors [are] of the oil-tree, and he hath carved upon them carvings of cherubs, and palm-trees, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with gold, and he causeth the gold to go down on the cherubs and on the palm-trees.
33 And so he hath made for the opening of the temple, side-posts of the oil-tree, from the fourth.
34 And the two doors [are] of fir-tree, the two sides of the one door are revolving, and the two hangings of the second door are revolving.
35 And he hath carved cherubs, and palms, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with straightened gold the graved work.
36 And he buildeth the inner court, three rows of hewn work, and a row of beams of cedar.
37 In the fourth year hath the house of Jehovah been founded, in the month Zif,
38 and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul -- [that is] the eighth month -- hath the house been finished in all its matters, and in all its ordinances, and he buildeth it seven years.

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.

1 Kings 6 Commentaries

Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.