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1 Kings Chapter
Six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 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
1 Kings 6:1; gives
the dimensions of it and the porch before it
1 Kings 6:2;
observes the windows in it and chambers about it
1 Kings 6:4; and
while it was building
Solomon had a word from the Lord relative to it
1 Kings 6:11; and
then the account goes on concerning the walls of the house
and the flooring of
it
1 Kings 6:15; and
the oracle in it
and the cherubim in that
1 Kings 6:19; and
the doors into it
and the carved work of them
1 Kings 6:31; and
the chapter is concluded with observing the time when it was begun and finished
1 Kings 6:37.
1 Kings 6:1 And
it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth[a] year after
the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt
in the fourth year of
Solomon’s reign over Israel
in the month of Ziv
which is the second
month
that he began to build the house of the Lord.
YLT
1And 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.
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after
the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt
.... The
Tyrian writersF11Apud Theophil. ad Autolyc. l. 3. p. 131. make it
five hundred sixty years from hence; but this no doubt is tightest
which
Junius reckons thus; forty years Israel were in the wilderness
seventeen under
Joshua
two hundred ninety nine under the judges
eighty under Eli
Samuel
and
Saul
forty under David
add to which the four years of Solomon
and they make
four hundred eightyF12So Gerard. Voss. Chron. Sacr. Isagoge
dissert. 8. c. 7. p. 128. ; they are somewhat differently reckoned by othersF13Vid.
Vitring. Hypotypos. Hist. Sacr. p. 43. from the coming out of Egypt to Joshua
forty years
from thence to the first servitude under Cushan twenty five
from
thence to the death of Abimelech two hundred fifty six
under Thola twenty
three
from thence to the Ammonitish servitude four
under that eighteen
under
the judges
Jephthah
Ibzan
Elon
and Abdon
thirty one
Samuel and Saul
forty
David forty
and Solomon three
in all four hundred eighty;
in the
fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel; when he was
clear of all disturbers of his government
and had got all things ready for the
building of the temple
and had gathered together gold and silver enough of his
own to defray the expenses; for
as for what David gave him
he put that into
the treasury of the Lord's house
see 1 Kings 7:51;
in the month Zif
which is the second month; and so must
be Jiar
for Abib or Nisan was the first
and Jiar was the second
which
answered to part of our April and part of May; called Zif either from the
splendour of the sun
being now higher
and so the greater; or from the trees
and flowers of the field being in all their glory; and so the Targum here calls
it
the month of splendour of flowers: and it was on the second day of it
that he began to build the house of the Lord: and a very
fit and proper season of the year it was to begin it in
see 2 Chronicles 3:2.
1 Kings 6:2 2 Now the house which King
Solomon built for the Lord
its length was sixty cubits
its width twenty
and its height thirty
cubits.
YLT
2As to the house that king
Solomon hath built for Jehovah
sixty cubits [is] its length
and twenty its
breadth
and thirty cubits its height.
And the house which King Solomon built for the Lord
.... For his
worship
honour
and glory:
the length thereof was threescore cubits; sixty cubits
from east to west
including the holy place and the most holy place; the holy
place was forty cubits
and the most holy place twenty; the same measure
as to
length
Eupolemus
an Heathen writerF14Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel.
l. 9. c. 34.
gives of the temple
but is mistaken in the other measures:
and the breadth thereof twenty cubits; from north to
south:
and the height thereof thirty cubits; this must be
understood of the holy place
for the oracle or most holy place was but twenty
cubits high
1 Kings 6:20;
though the holy place
with the chambers that were over it
which were ninety
cubits
three stories high
was in all an hundred twenty cubits
2 Chronicles 3:4;
some restrain it to the porch only
which stood at the end
like one of our
high steeples
as they think.
1 Kings 6:3 3 The vestibule in front of
the sanctuary[b] of the
house was twenty cubits long across the width of the house
and
the width of the vestibule[c] extended
ten cubits from the front of the house.
YLT
3As 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;
And the porch before the temple of the house
.... Which
stood at the east end of it:
twenty cubits was the length thereof
according to the
breadth of the house; which was from north to south
and of the same dimension
so
that they exactly answered each other:
and ten cubits was the
breadth thereof before the house; which being added to it
make the whole of the building
most holy place
holy place
and porch
seventy
cubits; the height of the porch is not here given
but in 2 Chronicles 3:4;
where it is said to be an hundred twenty cubits high
equal to the height of
the house
with the chambers over it; but there the breadth of the porch is not
given
as it is here; by these dimensions we may observe the difference between
the tabernacle and the temple; the temple was twice as long
and as broad
and
thrice as high as that
see Exodus 26:8. This
fabric was an emblem of the church of God
sometimes called an holy temple
and
the temple of the living God
2 Corinthians 6:16.
1 Kings 6:4 4 And he made for the house
windows with beveled frames.
YLT
4and he maketh for the house
windows of narrow lights.
And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. Or "open
shut"F15אטמים שקפים
"apertas clausas"
Vatablus; "perspectui accommodas
clausas"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
which could be both
having
shutters to them
to open or shut at pleasure; windows which they could open
and look through at them
or shut when they pleased; the Targum is
"open
within
and shut without;'
or
as others understand it
they were wide within
and narrow without; by being
narrow without
the house was preserved from bad weather
as well as could not
so easily be looked into by those without; and by being broader within
the
light that was let in spread itself within the house; which some interpret only
of the holy place
the most holy place having
as they suppose
no windows in
it
which yet is not certain: now these windows may denote the word and
ordinances of the church of God
whereby light is communicated to men; which in
the present state is but narrow or small
in comparison of the new Jerusalem
church state
and the ultimate glory; and especially so it was under the legal
dispensation
which was very obscure; see Song of Solomon 2:9
Isaiah 55:8.
1 Kings 6:5 5 Against the wall of the
temple he built chambers all around
against the walls of the temple
all around the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary.[d] Thus he
made side chambers all around it.
YLT
5And 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.
And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about
.... Or near
it
as Jarchi interprets it
for the beams of them were not fastened in in it
1 Kings 6:6; or
rather "upon" itF16על קיר "super parietem"
V. L. Montanus. ; and when
they are said to be round about the house
it must be understood of the two
sides
north and south
and of the west end only
for at the east end
where
the porch was
there were none:
against the walls of
the house round about
both of the temple and of the oracle; that is
both
of the holy and the most holy place:
and he made chambers round about; the said buildings;
which is repeated that it might be observed; how many chambers there were
is
not said; Josephus saysF17Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2. there were
thirty of them
and over them others of the same measure and number
and over
them others also; so that there were three stories of them
and in all ninety;
and which is countenanced by what follows in 1 Kings 6:6
and
agrees with Ezekiel 41:6; the
Jewish doctors sayF18Misn. Middot
c. 4. sect. 3.
there were
thirty eight of them
fifteen on the north
fifteen on the south
and eight on
the west; they that were to the north and south were five upon five
and five
over them; and they that were to the west were three upon three
and two over
them; upper rooms or chambers were rare in Heathen templesF19Pausan.
Laconic. sive. l. 3. p. 190. : these chambers were for the priests
where they
lodged and laid up their garments
and ate their holy things; and were emblems
of congregated churches
where the true members thereof
who are priests to
God
have communion with him
and partake of divine things.
1 Kings 6:6 6 The lowest chamber was
five cubits wide
the middle was six cubits wide
and the third was
seven cubits wide; for he made narrow ledges around the outside of the temple
so that the support beams would not be fastened into the walls of the
temple.
YLT
6The 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.
And the nethermost chamber was five cubits broad
.... The
nethermost row of them
which were upon the first floor:
and the middle was six cubits broad
and the third was
seven cubits broad; so that the middlemost was a cubit larger than the lowest
and
the highest a cubit larger than that: the reason of which was
for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests
round about; or rebatements; the thickness of the wall
as it was raised
became narrower at the height of every five cubits; thus the wall being
supposed to be six cubits broad
as in Ezekiel 41:5; when
it came to be five cubits high
it was narrowed a cubit
which left a
projection
rebatement
or bench for the beams of the first chambers to be laid
upon
which made the second row of chambers broader by a cubit; and the same
being observed in the next story
made the highest a cubit broader than the
middlemost: and this was done
that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the
house; or be inserted into them
which could not be done without making
holes in it; and these holes could not be made without an iron instrument
and
which was not to be used
as the next words show; whereas by the above method
the beams of the chambers could be laid upon the buttresses
benches
or rebatements
left
without the use of any: the gradual enlargement of these chambers
as
they rose higher
may denote the enlargement of the church of God
both as to
numbers
gifts
and grace
the nearer it comes to the heavenly state
as in the
spiritual and personal reign of Christ.
1 Kings 6:7 7 And the temple
when it
was being built
was built with stone finished at the quarry
so that no hammer
or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being
built.
YLT
7And 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.
And the house
when it was in building
.... And all
the while it was building:
was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither; being hewn or
squared by the builders and stonesquarers of Solomon and Hiram
1 Kings 5:18;
wherefore the builders had nothing more to do than to lay them in their proper
places in the building; it was built with these stones quite up to the ceiling
as Josephus saysF20Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2. ; and these so
admirably polished
and so artificially joined together
that not the least
sign of an axe
or of any working tool
could be discerned in them:
so that there was neither hammer
nor axe
nor any tool of
iron
heard in the house while it was in building; the first of
these observations shows
that none are to be laid in the spiritual building of
the church
but such as are first hewed and squared by the Spirit
grace
and
word of God: or who have an experience of the grace of God
are sound in the
faith
and of becoming lives and good conduct; and the other denotes
that such
as are therein
whether ministers or members
should do all they do for the
edification of the church in a quiet and peaceable manner
without clamour
contention
fights
and tumults.
1 Kings 6:8 8 The doorway for the middle
story[e] was
on the right side of the temple. They went up by stairs to the middle story
and from the middle to the third.
YLT
8The 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.
The door of the middle chamber was in the right side of the
house
.... The south side of it:
and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber; which were
outside the chambers
and which winded about for the sake of taking up less
room
and which led up to the door of the middle chamber
on the south of which
they went into it; according to the Vulgate Latin and Tigurine versions
they
went up in the forth of a cockle
or the shell of a snail; in like manner as
was the ascent of the temple of Pan at Alexandria
as StraboF21Geograph.
l. 17. p. 547. relates:
and out of the middle into the third; the third
chamber
and by winding stairs up to that; and the like might be on the north
side
though not expressed
and on the west: the Jews sayF23Misn.
Middot
c. 4. sect. 5. See Lightfoot's Prospect of the Temple
&c. c. 12.
p. 1071.
that in the second temple
these winding stairs went from the
northeast to the northwest
whereby they went up to the roof of the chambers
and so to the south and west; with this compare Ezekiel 41:7; and
which may represent the windings and turnings of God's people in this present
state
their many afflictions and tribulations
through which they pass from
one state to another.
1 Kings 6:9 9 So he built the temple and
finished it
and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar.
YLT
9And he buildeth the house
and completeth it
and covereth the house [with] beams and rows of cedars.
So he built the house
and finished it
.... The body
of it
the walls of the holy and most holy place
with the chambers on the
sides of them
and the porch at the end that led into them:
and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar; with hollow
boards
as the Targum
which formed an arch ceiling to it
and made it look very
grand and beautiful; and then over them were laid beams and planks of cedar
not properly as a flat roof to it
but rather as a flooring for other
buildings; for upon this
as in 1 Kings 6:10
there
were chambers built.
1 Kings 6:10 10 And he built side chambers
against the entire temple
each five cubits high; they were attached to the
temple with cedar beams.
YLT
10And he buildeth the couch
against all the house
five cubits [is] its height
and it taketh hold of the
house by cedar-wood.
And then he built chambers against all the house five
cubits high
.... Which some understand of the same chambers in 1 Kings 6:5; here
made mention of again for the sake of giving the height of them
not before
given; but they were built against
or upon the wall of the house
these
against
or rather upon the whole house itself; and are the chambers referred
to; see Gill on 1 Kings 6:2; which
consisting of three stories of ninety cubits
raised the whole house to an
equal height with the porch
2 Chronicles 3:4;
as is there intendedF24Vid. Joseph. Antiqu. ut supra. (l. 8. c. 3.
sect. 2.) ; these are the upper chambers in 2 Chronicles 3:9;
and they rested on the house with timber of cedar; or on the timber of
cedar
the beams of cedar
with which the house was covered
as in 1 Kings 6:9; on
these the chambers rested
being built upon them; and in one of these chambers
the disciples might be after Christ's ascension
Acts 1:13.
1 Kings 6:11 11 Then the word of the Lord came to
Solomon
saying:
YLT
11And the word of Jehovah is
unto Solomon
saying
And the word of the Lord came to Solomon
.... The word
of prophecy
as the Targum
foretelling what would be the case of this
building
according to the obedience or disobedience of him and the people of
Israel; which was brought to him either by an impulse of the Spirit of God upon
him; or by the hand of a prophet
as Kimchi thinks; and some of the Jewish
writersF25Seder Olam Rabba
c. 20. p. 53.
as he particularly
name
Ahijah the Shilonite as the prophet that was sent with this message to him:
saying
as follows.
1 Kings 6:12 12 “Concerning this temple
which you are building
if you walk in My statutes
execute My judgments
keep
all My commandments
and walk in them
then I will perform My word with you
which I spoke to your father David.
YLT
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
Concerning this house
which thou art in building
.... Or with respect to that
these things
are to be said as from the Lord:
if thou wilt walk in my statutes
and execute my judgments
and
keep all my commandments to walk in them; even all the laws of
God
moral
ceremonial
and judicial; and this respects not only Solomon
personally
but his successors
and even all the people of Israel:
then will I perform my covenant with thee
which I spake unto
David thy father; by Nathan the prophet; not only that he should build an house
for God
which should be a settled dwelling place
but that his own house and
kingdom should be established for a long time to come
and his posterity should
enjoy the presence of God in this house
provided regard was had to the
precepts and ordinances of the Lord
2 Samuel 7:12.
1 Kings 6:13 13 And I will dwell among the
children of Israel
and will not forsake My people Israel.”
YLT
13and have tabernacled in the
midst of the sons of Israel
and do not forsake My people Israel.'
And I will dwell among the children of Israel
.... In this
house now building
and which was in the middle of the land
and where he would
meet with them
and accept their sacrifices
not only of slain beasts
but of
prayer and praise:
and will not forsake my people Israel; and leave
them to the mercy of their enemies
and to be carried captive by them
but
protect and defend them.
1 Kings 6:14 14 So Solomon built the
temple and finished it.
YLT
14And Solomon buildeth the
house and completeth it;
So Solomon built the house
and finished it. He went on
with it until he had completed it
animated and encouraged by the promise of
the divine Presence in it
provided a proper regard was had to the will and
ways of God. Abarbinel thinks the above message was sent him in the midst of
his work
to strengthen and caution him from a dependence on the continuance of
the fabric
because of the strength of it; since its perpetuity depended on
his
his successors'
and the people's conduct and behaviour; wherefore
conscious to himself of his own integrity
and hoping well of posterity
he was
not discouraged
but proceeded in his undertaking until he had brought it to
perfection.
1 Kings 6:15 15 And he built the inside
walls of the temple with cedar boards; from the floor of the temple to the
ceiling he paneled the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the temple
with planks of cypress.
YLT
15and 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.
And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar
.... For as
yet he had only built the stone walls of it without
but now he wainscotted it
with cedar boards: and not only them
but
both the floor of the house
and the walls of the ceiling; or from
"the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling"; that is
from
the floor
including that
to the walls on each side
reaching up to the
ceiling
he covered them on the inside with wood: of one sort
or another
cedar or fir
or both: particularly he
covered the floor of the house with planks of fir: which Hiram
sent him
1 Kings 5:8; which
is differently interpreted; by Josephus cypress; by others
as the Tigurine
version
pine tree wood; it is very probable it was of the cedar kind
and not
the floor only
but the ceiling also
2 Chronicles 3:5.
1 Kings 6:16 16 Then he built the
twenty-cubit room at the rear of the temple
from floor to ceiling
with cedar
boards; he built it inside as the inner sanctuary
as the Most Holy Place.
YLT
16And 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.
And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house
.... At the
end or extremity of it
as the Targum; that is
he built the most holy place
which was twenty two cubits long
at the end of the holy place
which he
wainscotted as the other:
both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar; or from the
floor
including that
to the walls on each side
from wall to wall
and taking
in them
they were all lined with cedar wood:
he even built them for it within
even for the
oracle
even for the most holy place; which
explains what building is spoken of
and that the inside of that was covered
with cedar from bottom to top.
1 Kings 6:17 17 And in front of it the
temple sanctuary was forty cubits long.
YLT
17And forty by the cubit was
the house
it [is] the temple before [it].
And the house
that is
the temple before it
.... The holy
place
which was before the of holies:
was forty cubits long; and which
with the most
holy place
being twenty cubits
as in the preceding verse
made the length of
the whole house sixty cubits
as in 1 Kings 6:2.
1 Kings 6:18 18 The inside of the temple
was cedar
carved with ornamental buds and open flowers. All was cedar;
there was no stone to be seen.
YLT
18And the cedar for the house
within [is] carvings of knobs and openings of flowers; the whole [is] cedar
there is not a stone seen.
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 6:19 19 And he prepared the inner
sanctuary inside the temple
to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there.
YLT
19And the oracle in the midst
of the house within he hath prepared
to put there the ark of the covenant of
Jehovah.
And the oracle he prepared in the house within
.... In the
innermost part of the house he fitted up the oracle
or speaking place
from
whence the Lord spake and gave answer
to receive what was to be put into it:
particularly
to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord; even the very
same that Moses made
Exodus 37:1
for which
David had pitched a tent in Zion
1 Chronicles 15:1
and where it now was; for Solomon made no new ark.
1 Kings 6:20 20 The inner sanctuary was
twenty cubits long
twenty cubits wide
and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it
with pure gold
and overlaid the altar of cedar.
YLT
20And 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.
And the oracle in the forepart
.... Which stood in the
forepart of the temple
before a man's face as he entered into it
and went on;
or the forepart of the holy of holies
next to the holy place
was of the
dimensions as follows
when the back part of it might be higher at least
and
be equal to the holy place
even thirty feet; the forepart being lower
and
left open to let in the light of the candlesticks
and the smoke of the incense
out of the holy place: this
was twenty cubits in length
and twenty cubits in breadth
and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and was a
perfect square
and as the most holy place may be an emblem of the church
triumphant
it may denote the perfection of its heavenly state; so the new
Jerusalem is a foursquare
Revelation 21:16;
and he overlaid it with pure gold; make it rich
glorious
and magnificent
and may denote the glory of the heavenly state
Revelation 21:21;
and so FlorusF26De Gest. Roman. l. 3. c. 5.
the Roman historian
calls it the golden heaven
as it were
into which Pompey went
and saw the
great secret of the Jewish nation
the ark:
and so covered the altar which was of cedar; the altar of
incense
which is here mentioned
because it was near the most holy place
1 Kings 6:22; this
altar by Moses was made of shittim wood
but Solomon's was of cedar it seems;
unless
as the words will bear to be rendered
"he covered the altar with
cedar"F1יצף ארז
"operuit cedro"
Montanus. ; though made of shittim wood
it had a
covering of cedar over it; or if of stone
such a covering was on it
that it
might better receive the gold which was afterwards put upon it.
1 Kings 6:21 21 So Solomon overlaid the
inside of the temple with pure gold. He stretched gold chains across the front
of the inner sanctuary
and overlaid it with gold.
YLT
21And 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.
So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold
.... The
inside of the holy of holies with fine gold
which gold amounted to six hundred
talents
2 Chronicles 3:8;
and these to 7
332
000 ducats of gold
or 3
045
000 pounds sterling:
and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; between the
holy and the most holy
and were instead of a vail in the tabernacle of Moses
between them; here was also a vail beside the partition made by chains of gold
across the oracle; for the partition was a wall of the thickness of a cubit
as
MaimonidesF2Hilchot Beth Habechirah
c. 4. sect. 2. says; and in 2 Chronicles 3:14
express mention is made of a vail of blue
&c. and in imitation of this had
the Heathens their deities within vailsF3Apulei Metamorph. l. xi. p.
176. :
and he overlaid it with gold; the partition wall.
1 Kings 6:22 22 The whole temple he
overlaid with gold
until he had finished all the temple; also he overlaid with
gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary.
YLT
22And 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.
And the whole house he overlaid with gold
.... Both the
holy place
and the most holy place:
until he had finished all the house; in this splendid and
glorious manner:
also the whole altar that was by the oracle; the altar of
incense
which stood just before the entrance into the oracle
or most holy
place:
he overlaid with gold; he overlaid it all over
with gold; hence it is called the golden altar
and was an emblem of the
excellent and effectual mediation and intercession of Christ
Revelation 8:3.
Agreeably to this account Eupolemus
an Heathen writerF4Apud Euseb.
Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34. p. 450. testifies
that the whole house
from
the floor to the tool
was covered with gold
as well as with cedar and cypress
wood
that the stonework might not appear; and so the capitol at Rome
perhaps
in imitation of this temple
its roofs and tiles were glided with goldF5Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3. Vid. Rycquium de Capitol. Roman. c. 16. ; a magnificent
temple
like this
was at Upsal in Switzerland
as Olaus Magnus relatesF6De
Ritu Gent. Septent. l. 3. c. 5. .
1 Kings 6:23 23 Inside the inner sanctuary
he made two cherubim of olive wood
each ten cubits high.
YLT
23And he maketh within the
oracle two cherubs
of the oil-tree
ten cubits [is] their height;
And within the oracle he made two cherubim of olive tree
.... Or of the
oil tree
as in Isaiah 41:19; see Nehemiah 8:15; for
there are other trees besides olives
out of which oil is pressed
as pine
trees
cypress trees
&c. and which some think are here meant; though the
Targum interprets it of the olive tree: these cherubim are different from those
made by Moses
and were besides them; these were larger than they; these were
made of olive wood
they of gold; these stood on the floor of the house
they
at the two ends of the mercy seat
and were made out of it
and were with it in
this holy place in Solomon's temple: these two cherubim may be emblems of the
angels in their greatness and glory
who are always in the presence of God
behold his face
and wait to do his will; or it may be rather of the two
witnesses
said to be the two olive trees standing before the God of the whole
earth
Revelation 11:3;
who have boldness to enter into the holiest of all
and have sight and
knowledge of the mysteries of the ark and mercy seat; have their commission
from heaven
and speak according to the oracles of God; these are said to be of
image work
2 Chronicles 3:10;
that is
of various forms
as the thee of a man
a lion
an ox
and eagle
Ezekiel 1:10. Dr.
Lightfoot thinksF7Prospect of the Temple
c. 15. sect. 4. they
resembled the two Testaments
which in their beginning and end reach the two
sides of the world
the creation and the last judgment
and in the middle do
sweetly join the one to the other:
each ten cubits
high; half as high as the most holy place; emblems either of the high
angels
those thrones
dominions
principalities
and powers
or of men of
uncommon size as to their gifts and grace.
1 Kings 6:24 24 One wing of the cherub was
five cubits
and the other wing of the cherub five cubits: ten cubits from the
tip of one wing to the tip of the other.
YLT
24and 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;
And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub
.... When
stretched out on one side:
and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; on the other
side him:
from the uttermost part of the one wing
to the uttermost part of
the other wing
were ten cubits; half the breadth of the
house.
1 Kings 6:25 25 And the other cherub was
ten cubits; both cherubim were of the same size and shape.
YLT
25and ten by the cubit [is]
the second cherub
one measure and one form [are] to the two cherubs
And the other cherub was ten cubits
.... That is
its wings stretched out measured so many cubits
as did those of the other:
both the cherubim were of one measure
and of one size; of the same
height and stature
of the same breadth of their wings
and of the same bulk of
their bodies; they were of "image work"; 2 Chronicles 3:10;
very probably in the form of men: and this uniformity may denote the perfect
agreement of angels; or else the consent of the true faithful witnesses of
Christ in all ages
who have all agreed in the person
office
and grace of
Christ
as represented by the mercy seat and ark
which these cherubim covered
with their wings.
1 Kings 6:26 26 The height of one cherub was
ten cubits
and so was the other cherub.
YLT
26the height of the one
cherub [is] ten by the cubit
and so [is] the second cherub;
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits
and so was
it of the other cherub. Which is repeated from 1 Kings 6:23; that
it might be observed
being of an extraordinary size.
1 Kings 6:27 27 Then he set the cherubim
inside the inner room;[f] and they
stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one
wall
and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings
touched each other in the middle of the room.
YLT
27and 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;
And he set the cherubim within the inner house
.... The holy
of holies:
and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims; the carvers
that framed them
they wrought them in that form; or impersonally
the wings of
the cherubim were stretched out; this was the position of them
they
overshadowed and covered the mercy seat and ark
and even the other two
cherubim that were at the ends of the mercy seat:
so that the wing of the one touched the one wall; the southern
wall:
and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; the northern
wall; they reached from wall to wall
even the whole breadth of the house
which was twenty cubits
as their wings thus spread were
1 Kings 6:24;
and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house; which was ten
cubits
and that was the spread of the wings of each of them; so that the wing
of the right side of the one
stretched out
touched the wing of the left side
of the other fit the same position; in 2 Chronicles 3:13;
their faces are said to be "inward"
or "toward the house";
either toward the holy place
and so faced those that came into that and saw
them; or towards the inner part of the holy of holies
their backs being to the
holy place
or their faces were inward
and looked obliquely to each other.
1 Kings 6:28 28 Also he overlaid the
cherubim with gold.
YLT
28and he overlayeth the
cherubs with gold
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. Which may
denote the purity and excellency of angels; or the precious gifts and graces of
the Spirit
with which the witnesses of Christ are adorned.
1 Kings 6:29 29 Then he carved all the
walls of the temple all around
both the inner and outer sanctuaries
with carved figures of cherubim
palm trees
and open flowers.
YLT
29and 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.
And he carved all the walls of the house about with carved figures
of cherubim
and palm trees
and open flowers
.... That is
of palm
trees
those in full blow: if the cherubim are an emblem of angels
the palm
trees fitly enough represent just and upright men
who both appear in the
church of God below
and in heaven above; in both which are to be seen the open
and full-blown flowers of divine grace
especially in the latter state:
within and without; on the walls of the most holy place
both
within and without; and so upon the walls of the holy place
in each of which
were these sculptures
which were very ornamental
and were emblematical; see Ezekiel 41:17.
1 Kings 6:30 30 And the floor of the
temple he overlaid with gold
both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
YLT
30And the floor of the house
he hath overlaid with gold
within and without;
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold within and
without. Both the floor of the holy place
and of the holy of holies; so
the street of the new Jerusalem is said to be pure gold
Revelation 21:21;
this expresses the purity and magnificence of it
particularly the holy
conversation of them that dwell in the church
in heaven
signified hereby.
1 Kings 6:31 31 For the entrance of the
inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and
doorposts were one-fifth of the wall.
YLT
31as to the opening of the oracle
he made doors of the oil-tree; the lintel
side-posts
a fifth.
And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive
tree
.... The door of the holy of holies was a two leaved or folding
door
made of olive wood; typical of Christ
the door into the church above and
below
the way to heaven and eternal life
the true olive tree:
the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of
the wall; four cubits
twenty cubits being the breadth of the oracle; or
the lintel was four cubits
twenty being the height of it also
1 Kings 6:20.
1 Kings 6:32 32 The two doors were of
olive wood; and he carved on them figures of cherubim
palm trees
and open
flowers
and overlaid them with gold; and he spread gold on the cherubim
and on the palm trees.
YLT
32And 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.
The two doors also were of olive tree
.... The two
leaves of the door
as before observed
repeated for the sake of the ornament
of them
as follows:
and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims
and palm trees
and
open flowers; as upon the walls
1 Kings 6:29;
and overlaid them with gold; the two doors:
and spread gold upon the cherubims
and upon the palm trees; thin plates
of gold.
1 Kings 6:33 33 So for the door of the
sanctuary he also made doorposts of olive wood
one-fourth of the
wall.
YLT
33And so he hath made for the
opening of the temple
side-posts of the oil-tree
from the fourth.
So also made he for the door of the temple
.... The holy
place:
posts of olive tree
a fourth part of the wall; which was
five cubits
its breadth being twenty
1 Kings 6:20; this
door was a cubit wider than that into the most holy place
1 Kings 6:31
more
entering into the one than into the other; as more go into the church on earth
than into the heavenly glory.
1 Kings 6:34 34 And the two doors were
of cypress wood; two panels comprised one folding door
and two
panels comprised the other folding door.
YLT
34And 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.
And the two doors were of fir tree
.... the posts
were of olive
but the doors of fir
and they were both folding doors
as
appears by what follows:
the two leaves of the one door were folding
and the two
leaves of the other door were folding; which
taking up less
room
made the passage wider
see Ezekiel 41:24.
1 Kings 6:35 35 Then he carved cherubim
palm trees
and open flowers on them
and overlaid them with gold
applied evenly on the carved work.
YLT
35And he hath carved cherubs
and palms
and openings of flowers
and overlaid with straightened gold the graved
work.
And he carved thereon cherubims
and palm trees
and open
flowers
.... As upon the doors of the most holy place
1 Kings 6:32; see Ezekiel 41:25;
and covered them with gold
fitted upon the carved work; plates of
gold were fitted
as to the dimensions of them
to the cherubim
palm trees
and open flowers.
1 Kings 6:36 36 And he built the inner
court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.
YLT
36And he buildeth the inner
court
three rows of hewn work
and a row of beams of cedar.
And he built the inner court
.... The court of the priests
2 Chronicles 4:9;
so called to distinguish it from the outer court
where the people assembled:
this was built
with three rows of hewed stone
and a row of cedar beams; the rows of
stones were one upon another
topped with a row of cedar beams; or rather the
cedar was a lining to the stones; and the whole is supposed to be about three
cubits high
and was so low
that the people in the outward court might see
priests ministering for them
and could converse with them; under the second
temple
as MaimonidesF8Hilchot Beth Habechirah
c. 6. sect. 3. says
the court of the priests was higher than that of the court of Israel two cubits
and an half
called the great court
for which doors were made
and those
overlaid with brass
2 Chronicles 4:9.
1 Kings 6:37 37 In the fourth year the
foundation of the house of the Lord was laid
in the month of
Ziv.
YLT
37In the fourth year hath the
house of Jehovah been founded
in the month Zif
In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord
laid
.... The fourth year of Solomon's reign:
in the month Zif; See Gill on 1 Kings 6:1.
1 Kings 6:38 38 And in the eleventh year
in the month of Bul
which is the eighth month
the house was finished in all
its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building
it.
YLT
38and 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.
In the eleventh year
.... That is
of the
reign of Solomon:
in the month Bul
which is the eighth month; from the
month Abib or Nisan; this month answers to part of our October
and part of
November; it is the same month sometimes called Marchesvan; it had the name of
Bul
because of the rains which usually fell in this month
as Kimchi thinks
like a flood; and Noah's flood is called Mabbul
from the same rootF9נבל "concidit"
Buxtorf.
and when all the
fruits were withered
and the leaves were fallen from the trees; or
as Jarchi
supposes
because the grass was consumed in the field
and they were obliged to
mix provender for cattle
deriving the word from another rootF11בלה "consumpsit
vel" בלל
"miscuit"
ib. : in this month
was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof; the porch
the holy place
and holy of holies
with all the chambers and courts belonging
to it:
and according to all the fashion of it; which David
had given to Solomon
to frame it by:
so he was seven years in building it; and six
months
which are not mentioned
only the round number is given
as appears by
comparing it with 1 Kings 6:1.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)