1 Kings 6 Commentary

CLICK VERSE
To go directly to that verse

1 Kings 6:1  Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came 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.

• Now it came about : Judges 11:26 2Ch 3:1,2 
• in the month Zif (KJV): 1Ki 6:37 Nu 1:1 
• began (KJV): Heb. built, Ac 7:47 
• build (KJV): 1Ch 29:19 Zec 6:12,13,15 Joh 2:19-21 1Co 6:19 2Co 6:16 Eph 2:20-22 Col 2:7 Heb 9:11 11:10 1Pe 2:5 

Related Passages: 

2 Chronicles 3:1-2+ Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 He began to build on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his reign.

2 Samuel 7:12-13+ “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

1 Chronicles 21:18-30 (GOD SELECTS SITE FOR TEMPLE THROUGH DAVID) Then the Angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the LORD. 20 Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat. 21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to the LORD; for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be restrained from the people.” 23 Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I will give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I will give it all.” 24 But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing.” 25 So David gave Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. 26 Then David built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to the LORD and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27 The LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath.  28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifice there. 29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were in the high place at Gibeon at that time. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 22:1  Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” 

2 Chronicles 3:1  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, (ED: where Abraham took Isaac for sacrifice - Genesis 22:2+) where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Solomon’s Tainted Glory in 1 Kings

Positives	Negatives
David’s chosen heir (ch. 1)	Gained power in bloody coup (ch. 2)
Nathan’s early support (ch. 1)	Prophetic voice disappears
Prayer for wisdom to rule righteously (chs. 3–4)	Rules with forced labor; accumulates wealth unjustly (9:15–22; 10:26–29)
Completion and dedication of temple (chs. 5–8)	Foreign wives lead him to idolatry (11:1–8)
The Lord supports Solomon (9:1–9)	The Lord rejects Solomon (11:9–12)

Mt Moriah North of City of David = Site of Solomon's Temple
Source: ESV Global Study Bible

BUILDING ON GOD'S HOUSE
COMMENCES

Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (April-May) which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD

Rose Guide to the Temple (see first chapter of this beautiful resource) -  The Site for the First Temple - The general identification of the place for the sanctuary in the Promised Land was given in the time of Abraham and Isaac with the erection of an altar and God's provision of a substitutionary sacrifice (Genesis 22:2, 13-14). This place was Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. God identified this chosen site more particularly in the time of King David as the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1 Chronicles 21:18-20). David purchased this site and built and altar, consecrating the site as the place for the future sanctuary. The identification of this site was made certain by connecting all of these previous revelations in the statement of 2 Chronicles 3:1: "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."

THOUGHT- What "edifice" (your job, your ministry, your marriage, etc) are you "building" in reliance on your strength and not on the Lord's? Now ponder the 2 conclusions recorded by Solomon...in vain!

(Psalm 127:1 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.)
Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.

---

QUESTION - What is the structure of the Jewish calendar? | GotQuestions.org

ANSWER - The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar month, which is a bit longer than 29 ½ days. Because of this, the months in the Jewish calendar are 29 or 30 days long. Twelve lunar months usually amounts to 354 days, 11 days short of a solar year. In order for the festivals to stay in the correct season in relation to the solar year, an extra month is added every few years.

The Jewish calendar is dated from what is supposed to have been the Creation of the earth: 3,760 years and three months before the Christian era. So, to find the current year in the Jewish calendar, one must add 3,759 to the date in the Gregorian calendar. What we call 2015 is, in the Jewish calendar, the year 5775. This system, however, will not work to the exact month, since the Jewish year (running on the civil calendar) begins in autumn rather than in midwinter. A Hebrew month begins in the middle of a month on our calendar today. Crops were planted in what we would call November and December and harvested in March and April.

The Jewish Calendar
 

Month 1 Nisan (Abib) 2 lyyar (Ziv) 3 Sivan 4 Tammuz 5 Av 6 Elul 7 Tishri (Ethanim) 8 Marcheshvan (Bui) 9 Kislev 10 Tebeth 11 Shebat 12 Adar

Gregorian Calendar March-April April-May May-June June-July July-August August-September September-October October-November November-December December-January January-February February-March

Biblical Reference Exodus 13:4 1 Kings 6:1, 37 Esther 8:9 Nehemiah 6:15 1 Kings 8:2 1 Kings 6:38 Nehemiah 1:1 Esther 2:16 Zechariah 1:7 Esther 2:7

The Jewish calendar, being lunar-based, invariably began with the new moon. To make up for the shorter year (compared to solar-based calendars), an extra month was periodically inserted between the months Adar and Nisan. That month, sometimes called Veader (“second Adar”), was added seven times within a 19-year cycle (at which time the month Adar received an extra half day).

The names of the months in the Jewish calendar originated in the period following the return from Babylonia to Israel. Before the Babylonian exile, at least four months had other names: Abib (Exodus 13:4), Ziv (1 Kings 6:1, 37), Ethanim ( 1 Kings 8:2), and Bul (1 Kings 6:38). After the Captivity, these months were renamed Nisan, lyyar, Tishri, and Heshvan (originally Marcheshvan), respectively. The pre-exilic names carried agricultural connotations. For example, Abib (“ear of grain”) signified the month in which grain became ripe; Ziv (“radiance”) was the month for desert flowers to bloom. An agricultural orientation is apparent in what is evidently the oldest Hebrew calendar, found at Gezer (southeast of Tel Aviv) in 1908 and dating from the 10th century BC. The calendar divides the year according to agricultural activities such as sowing, reaping, pruning, and storage.

Primarily, however, the months of the Jewish calendar had religious significance for the Jews and enabled them to commemorate the important events of their history. Each month’s beginning was considered holy. To ancient Israel, the moon became a symbol of the nation itself; the sun eventually became symbolic of the Messiah (Malachi 4:2). Since the moon produces no light of its own, the symbolism is especially appropriate: Israel was supposed to reflect the Messiah’s light to the world.

The Jewish calendar remained unchanged during the period between the Old Testament and New Testaments (approximately 400 years), despite an attempt by Hellenistic rulers to introduce a modified lunar-month system, presumably of Macedonian origin. According to that calendar, five days were added to the final month of the year, with each of the 12 months containing 30 days. Even then, it only approximated the solar year.

Usually, the ancient Hebrews did not record dates by citing the month and day of an event. Rather, dates were computed by reference to some significant event such as the accession year of the reigning king (2 Kings 15:17) or a patriarch’s birth (Genesis 7:11). In New Testament times, the Jews continued the Old Testament method of dating events by synchronizing them with events either in their religious calendar or within the secular sphere of the Roman world. Writers of the New Testament followed the same practice (Luke 1:5; John 12:1; Acts 18:12). It was only as the calendar reforms of Julius Caesar became embedded in the culture that people changed from that long-standing method to a more standardized system.

1 Kings 6:2  As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits.

• the house (KJV): Eze 40:1-41:26 
• threescore (KJV): Ezr 6:3,4 Eze 41:1-15 Rev 21:16,17 

Related Passages: 

1 Chronicles 28:11-19   Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; 12 and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things; 13 also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the utensils of service in the house of the LORD; 14 for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; 15 and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand; 16 and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; 17 and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; 18 and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.  19 “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.” 

1 Chronicles 28:19  “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.” 

Solomon's Tempe
Source: ESV Global Study Bible

As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits - While the overall plan of the Temple was identical to the Tabernacle, the Temple's length and breadth were twice those of the tabernacle. The building site was  Mt. Moriah, north of the ancient City of David as shown on map above.

According to Bp. Cumberland's estimation of the cubit, its length was 36 yds. 1 ft. 5/28 inch; its breadth 12 yds. 5/76 inch; and its height, 18 yds. 8/64 inch.  This constituted what is properly called the temple; but, besides this, there were the courts and colonnades, where the people might assemble to perform their devotions, without being exposed to the open air.

1 Kings 6:3  The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits in length, corresponding to the width of the house, and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits.

• 1Ch 28:11 2Ch 3:3,4 Eze 41:15 Mt 4:5 Joh 10:23 Ac 3:10,11 

The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits in length, corresponding to the width of the house, and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits.

1 Kings 6:4  Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames.

• windows of narrow lights (KJV): or, windows broad within, and narrow without; or, skewed and closed, 1Ki 6:4 Song 2:9 Eze 40:16 41:26 

Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames.

1 Kings 6:5  Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary; thus he made side chambers all around.

• against (KJV): or, upon, or joining to
• built (KJV): 1Ch 9:26 23:28 28:11 2Ch 31:11 Ne 10:37 12:44 13:5-9 Song 1:4 Jer 35:4 Eze 40:44 41:5-11 42:3-12 
• chambers (KJV): Heb. floors, These appear to have been what we should now call corridors or galleries; in which were apartments for the use of the priests.  They consisted of three stories, and increased one cubit in breadth in every story, the wall of the temple being two cubits thicker at the bottom than at the top; and where the wall diminished, a rest was thus formed for the beams of the chambers to lodge upon.
• oracle (KJV): 1Ki 6:16,19-21,31 Ex 25:22 Lev 16:2 Nu 7:89 2Ch 4:20 5:7,9 Ps 28:2 

Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary; thus he made side chambers all around.

1 Kings 6:6  The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house.

• offsets in the wall of the house all around, 1Ki 6:6 

The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house.

1 Kings 6:7  The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.

• built of stone (KJV): 1Ki 5:17,18 De 27:5,6 Pr 24:27 Ro 9:23 2Co 5:5 Col 1:12 1Pe 2:5 
• neither hammer (KJV): Isa 42:2 Ac 9:31 Jas 1:20 3:17,18 

The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.

Henry Morris - Here is a remarkable testimony to the engineering, architectural and construction skills of these ancient professionals. In order to erect the magnificent temple of Solomon, every portion was carefully designed and fabricated away from the construction site itself so the building could be completely and perfectly erected in reverent silence. In both its unique beauty and its silent assemblage, the temple is a type of the spiritual temple now being erected by the Holy Spirit. "Now therefore, ye are...built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:19-21).

1 Kings 6:8  The doorway for the lowest side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third.

• go up by winding stairs: Eze 41:6,7 

The doorway for the lowest side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third.

1 Kings 6:9  So he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar.

• he built (KJV): 1Ki 6:14,38 

So he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar.

1 Kings 6:10  He also built the stories against the whole house, each five cubits high; and they were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar.

Related Passages: 

Psalms 92:12  The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

He also built the stories against the whole house, each five cubits (7.5 feet) high; and they were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar.

1 Kings 6:11  Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon saying,

Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon saying,

1 Kings 6:12  "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father.

• if you will walk in My statutes: 1Ki 2:3-4 1Ki 3:14 1Ki 8:25 1Ki 9:3-6 1Sa 12:14,15 1Ch 28:9 2Ch 7:17,18 Ps 132:12 Zec 3:7 Col 1:23 
• then I will carry out My word: 2Sa 7:13 1Ch 22:10 

Related Passages: 

1 Kings 2:3-4  “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 

1 Kings 3:14   “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” 

1 Kings 8:25 “Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.’

1 Kings 9:3-6 The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 4 “As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’  6 “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

JEHOVAH'S CONDITIONAL
PROMISE TO CARRY OUT HIS WORD

Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father.

1 Kings 6:13  "I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel."

• I will dwell (KJV): 1Ki 8:27 Ex 25:8 Lev 26:11 Ps 68:18 132:12,13 Isa 57:15 Eze 37:26-28 2Co 6:16 Rev 21:3 
• will not forsake (KJV): De 31:6-8 1Sa 12:22 1Ch 28:9,20 Heb 13:5 

Related Passages: 

Exodus 25:8+  “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell (shakan) among them.

JEHOVAH'S SHEKINAH
GLORY IS CONDITIONAL

"I will dwell (shakan) among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel - The NAS omits one significant word (particle conjunction) in the original Masoretic Text, the word which is translated "And" (as in the ESV = 1Ki 6:13ESV). Why is "and" significant? The answer is because it is in the context of the previous conditional promise, a promise which includes Jehovah dwelling among the sons of Israel. In fact, when Israel disobeyed Yahweh, and was taken into exile in Babylon in 586 BC, the Shekinah glory cloud (Shekinah not in Hebrew but related to shakan) abandoned Solomon's Temple! Jehovah ceased to dwell among the sons of Israel and would not return until Jesus (His glory of course veiled) entered the Temple (e.g., Jn 2:14+). Because He was rejected by the sons of Israel, He will not return until Revelation 19:15-21+ as King of kings and Lord of lords! Maranatha Lord Jesus! Amen! 

---

Dwell (establish, live, remain, settle)(07931) shakan  to settle down = from which is derived rabbinic word shekinah or shechinah lit, “that which dwells” ~"residence" the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to “dwell” in a place, the Targum renders that He “causes His Shekinah to dwell” there. God is the subject of shakan 43 times - . He may dwell on Mount Zion (Psalm 74:2). He dwells among his people (Exodus 25:8). He will dwell in Jerusalem (Zech. 8:3). 

Baker - First, it simply means to settle down (Ex. 24:16; Num. 24:2; Ps. 102:28[29]). Second, it can mean to lie down or rest. When used this way, it can refer to objects (Num. 9:17; Job 3:5); animals (Isa. 13:21); and people (Jer. 23:6; 33:16). When people are the object of the verb, it means that they are resting in peace and security. Third, it may mean to dwell or abide. Again, this can have several referents such as people (Ps. 37:27; Pr 2:21); the dead (Job 26:5); God (1 Ki. 8:12; Isa. 8:18); or objects such as the Tabernacle (Josh. 22:19). In the intensive form, it means to establish. The word is used in this way in Deuteronomy 12:11 and Psalm 78:60 to describe how God set up a dwelling place for His name, establishing Himself in Israel. Finally, the causative form means to lay, to place, to set (Gen. 3:24; Josh. 18:1); or to cause to dwell (Job 11:14; Ps. 78:55). (Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament)

1 Kings 6:14  So Solomon built the house and finished it.

• 1Ki 6:9,38 Ac 7:47-48 

Related Passages: 

1 Kings 6:38  In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

Acts 7:47-48+ “But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: 

So Solomon built the house and finished it.

1 Kings 6:15  Then he built the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the ceiling he overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress.

•  from the floor 1Ki 6:16 

Then he built the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the ceiling he overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress.

1 Kings 6:16  He built twenty cubits on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling; he built them for it on the inside as an inner sanctuary, even as the most holy place.

• built  (KJV): 1Ki 6:5,19,20 8:6 Ex 25:21,22 26:23 Lev 16:2 2Ch 3:8 Eze 45:3 Heb 9:3 

He built twenty cubits (30 feet) on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling; he built them for it on the inside as an inner sanctuary, even as the most holy place - The most holy place or Holy of Holies, in which there was nothing but the ark of the covenant, including the tables of the law, and into which the high priest alone was to enter but once a year. The temple, like the tabernacle, was divided into the Holy Place, occupying 2/3's of the interior space, and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), occupying one-third of the total space. The most holy place was built of stone, paneled with cedar and overlain with gold. 

1 Kings 6:17  The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long.

The house, that is, the nave (main room - the Holy Place) in front of the inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies), was forty cubits (60 feet) long - 

1 Kings 6:18  There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen.

• carved in the shape of gourds 2 Ki 4:39 
• open flowers1Ki 6:18 

There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen.

1 Kings 6:19  Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

• an inner sanctuary: 1Ki 6:5,16 2Ch 4:20 Ps 28:2 
• place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.: 1Ki 8:6-10 Ex 40:20,21 2Ch 5:7 Heb 9:3,4 

Then he prepared an inner sanctuary (Holy of Holies) within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

1 Kings 6:20  The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar.

• twenty cubits (KJV): 1Ki 6:2,3 
• pure (KJV): Heb. shut up
• the altar (KJV): 1Ki 6:22 7:48 Ex 30:1-3 

The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar.

1 Kings 6:21  So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold.

• overlaid (KJV): Ex 26:29,32 36:34 2Ch 3:7-9 
• by the chains (KJV): 1Ki 6:5 Ex 26:32,33 2Ch 3:14-16 

 So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold.

1 Kings 6:22  He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar which was by the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

• the whole house (KJV): It is impossible to calculate this expense, or the quantity of gold employed in this sacred building; but both must have been immense.
• also (KJV): 1Ki 6:20 Ex 30:1,3,5,6 2Ch 3:7-14 
• the whole altar (KJV): This was the altar of incense without the vail, in the holy place, which was twice the length of the most holy place.

He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar which was by the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

1 Kings 6:23  Also in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.

• two cherubims (KJV): These were distinct from, and much larger than those which covered the mercy-seat. Ge 3:24 Ex 25:18-22 37:7-9 2Ch 3:10-13 Ps 18:10 80:1 Isa 37:16 Eze 10:2-22 Heb 1:14 1Pe 1:12 
• olive tree (KJV): or, oily trees, Heb. trees of oil

Also in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits (7.5 ft) high.

1 Kings 6:24  Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were ten cubits.

Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were ten cubits (7.5 ft).

1 Kings 6:25  The other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of the same measure and the same form.

The other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of the same measure and the same form.

1 Kings 6:26  The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub.

The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub.

1 Kings 6:27  He placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one was touching the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall. So their wings were touching each other in the center of the house.

• they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims (KJV): or, the cherubims stretched forth their wings, Ex 25:20 37:9 2Ch 3:11 5:8 

He placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one was touching the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall. So their wings were touching each other in the center of the house.

1 Kings 6:28  He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

1 Kings 6:29  Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries.

• carved figures (KJV): Ex 36:8 2Ch 3:14 4:2-5 Ps 103:20 148:2 Lu 2:13,14 Eph 3:10 Rev 5:11-14 
• palm trees (KJV): {Tamar,} in Ethiopic, {tamart,} the palm tree, is so called, says Parkhurst, from its straight, upright growth, for which it seems more remarkable than any other tree; and it sometimes rises to the height of more than 100 feet.  The trunk is remarkably straight and lofty; and it is crowned at the top with a large tuft of spiring leaves, about four feet long, which never fall off, but always continue in the same flourishing verdure.  The stalks are generally full of rugged knots, which are vestiges of decayed leaves:  for the trunk of the tree is not solid, but its centre is filled with pith, round which is a tough bark full of strong fibres when young, which, as the tree becomes old, hardens and becomes ligneous. To this bark the leaves are closely joined, which, as the tree becomes old, hardens and becomes ligneous.  To this bark the leaves are closely joined, which in the centre rise erect, but after they are advanced above the vagina which surrounds them, they expand very wide on every side of the stem, and as the older leaves decay, the stalk advances in height.  The leaves, when the tree has grown to a size for bearing fruit, are six or eight feet long, and very broad when expanded.  The fruit, called the date, grows below the leaves in clusters. Ps 92:12-15 Rev 7:9 
• open flowers (KJV): Heb. openings of flowers, 1Ki 6:18,32 

Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries.

1 Kings 6:30  He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries.

• Isa 54:11,12 60:17 Rev 21:18-21 

He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries.

1 Kings 6:31  For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts.

• doors (KJV): Joh 10:9 14:6 Eph 3:18 Heb 10:19,20 
• a fifth part (KJV): or, five square

For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts.

1 Kings 6:32  So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

• two doors (KJV): or, leaves of the doors
• open flowers (KJV): Heb. openings of flowers. 1Ki 6:18,29 

So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

1 Kings 6:33  So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood

• a fourth part (KJV): or, four square, 1Ki 6:33 

So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood

1 Kings 6:34  and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two leaves of the other door turned on pivots.

• fir tree (KJV): 1Ki 5:8 
• the two leaves (KJV): Eze 41:23-25 

and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two leaves of the other door turned on pivots.

1 Kings 6:35  He carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work.

He carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work.

1 Kings 6:36  He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.

• the inner (KJV): Ex 27:9-19 38:9-20 2Ch 4:9 7:7 Rev 11:2 

He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.

1 Kings 6:37  In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv.

• 1Ki 6:1 2Ch 3:2 Among chronologists there is a great diversity of opinion respecting the time of the building of the temple.  The Septuagint has 440 years; Glycas, 330; Josephus and Moeslinus, 1Ki 6:592; Melchius Canus, 590; Sulpicius Severus, 588; Clemens Alexandrinus, 570; Cedrenus, 672; Codomus, 598; Vossius and Capellus, 580; Serarius, 680; Nicholas Abraham, 527; Petavius and Valtherus, 520.  After all, that in the common Hebrew text is more likely to the true one, than any of the others

In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv.

1 Kings 6:38  In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

• finished (KJV): Ezr 6:14,15 Zec 4:9 6:13-15 
• throughout (KJV): etc. or, with all the appurtenances thereof, and with all the ordinances thereof
• seven years (KJV): 1Ki 6:1,9 7:1 Ezr 3:8-13 6:15 Joh 2:20 

In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (Oct.-Nov see calendar), which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

The construction of the temple was completed in the fall of 959 B.C.