The First Book of the Kings, commonly called the Third Book of the Kings
1 Kings 6
Chapter VI · Vol. II, pp. 727–729
1 The building of Solomon's temple begun. 5 The chambers thereof. 11 God's promise unto it. 14 The ceiling and adorning of it. 23 The cherubims. 31 The doors. 36 The court. 37 The time of building it.
1 And ita came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, inb the month Zif, which is the second month,1 that he began to build the house of the LORD.
2 And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was cthreescore cubits[≈ 27 m · 90 ft], and the breadth thereof twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft], and the height thereof thirty cubits[≈ 14 m · 45 ft].
c Ezr.6.3. Eze.41.8. Re.21.16,17. Its length was 109½, its breadth 36½, its height 54¾ feet.
3 And the dporch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft] was the breadth thereof before the house.2
d Lu.1.10. Jn.10.23. Ac.3.10,11.
2 The searcher of Scripture is referred to the plan of the temple and courts by Lamy, which there is every reason to consider a near approach to the original. But let him never forget that this earthly temple is the emblem of the personal and mystical body of Christ, Jn.2.19. Ep.1.22.—C.
5 And against the wall3 of the house he built fchambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the goracle: and he made chambers round about:
3 These erections against the walls must appear so contrary to all European ideas of church architecture, that it may be well to remind the reader that the light of the temple was principally supplied by the golden candlestick within, the emblem of Christ in the heart of believers, 'the hope of glory.'—C.
f 1 Ch.28.11. Ne.10.37. Eze.40.44;41.6;42.3. Ca.1.4.
g Or, holy of holies, ver.16,19-23; ch.8.6,8. Nu.7.89. Le.16.2. Ex.30.6;25.22.
6 The nethermost chamber was five cubits[≈ 2.3 m · 7 ft 6 in] broad, and the middle was six cubits[≈ 2.7 m · 9 ft] broad, and the third was seven cubits[≈ 3.2 m · 10 ft] broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests4 round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.5
4 Heb. narrowings or rebatements. These chambers might denote particular societies of saints.
5 The walls, according to the soundest architectural principle, diminished in thickness as they ascended; and, by contracting a cubit at each successive story, afforded a resting-place for the end of the beams, which were not allowed to enter the wall.—C.
7 And the house, when it was in building, was hbuilt of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer,i nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house while it was in building.6
h ch.5.18. Pr.24.27. 1 Pe.2.5. 2 Co.5.5. Col.1.12.
i Is.4.3. Ep.4.16,31,32. 1 Ti.6.3-5.
6 The hammer is for breaking, the axe for hewing, but neither were used in building the temple, though both in preparing the materials. Even so, the law and the prophets serve to break in pieces and to slay, but the work of the Spirit in regeneration is merely to build up believers in noiseless peace.—C.
8 The door for the middle chamber was in the right side7 of the house: and they kwent up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.
7 Heb. shoulder.
k Eze.41.6,7. Noting progress in holiness and honours.
9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards8 of cedar.9
8 Or, the vault beams and the ceilings with cedars.
9 Or, in modern terms, joisted and ceiled the house, ver. 10, with cedar—the flooring-boards being of fir, ver. 15.—C.
10 And then he built lchambers against all the house, five cubits[≈ 2.3 m · 7 ft 6 in] high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
l Eze.41.6.
11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, mif thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
m ch.2.4;3.14;8.25;9.4,5. Ps.132.12;19.11. Is.3.10. 2 Sa.7.13. 1 Ch.22.10. 2 Ch.7.17,18. Ro.2.7,10. 1 Co.15.58.
13 And I nwill dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
A.M. 2993. B.C. 1011.
n Ex.25.8. Ps.132.13,14. Le.26.11. 2 Co.6.16. Re.21.3.
15 And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls2 of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood,3 and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.
2 Or, from the floor of the house unto the walls, &c., and so ver. 16.
3 Or, as we would term it, he wainscotted the walls with cedar.—C.
16 And he obuilt twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the pmost holy place.
17 And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits[≈ 18 m · 60 ft] long.
18 And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops4 and open flowers:5 all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
4 Or, gourds.
5 Heb. opening of flowers.
19 And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to qset there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
q 2 Ch.5.7. Ex.40.20,21. ch.8.6-10. He.9.3,4.
20 And the oracle6 in the fore-part was twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] in length, and twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] in breadth, and twenty cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] in the height thereof: and he overlaid7 it with pure gold; and so covered the raltar which was of cedar.
6 The place from which God gave his responses by Urim and Thummim.—C.
7 Heb. shut up.
r Of incense, ch.7.48; ver.22. Ex.30.1.
21 So sSolomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition8 by the tchains of gold before the oracle, and he overlaid it with gold.
8 This partition was, most probably, the veil of the temple, covering the doors, ver. 31, and ornamented by golden chains for drawing it up at the annual entrance of the high-priest.—C.
t 2 Ch.3.14,16. Ex.26.33.
22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
23 And within the oracle he made utwo cherubims9 of xolive-tree,1 each ten cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft] high.
u 2 Ch.3.10-13. Ex.25.18-22. He.1.14. Ge.3.24.
9 The precise form of the cherubim the Scriptures do not describe. Some particulars, however, both of appearance and service are revealed. For example, some appear to have had but one face, as in Ex. 25. 20. Some four faces, as in Eze. 1. 6. Some had two wings, as in 1 Ki. 6. 24; some six, as in the vision of Ezekiel, 1. 6. As to their service, some were appointed to resist the vain and rebellious dispositions of man, Ge. 3. 24; others to bear up the throne of God, or become the vehicles of his almighty power, Eze. 1. 19-25. Ps. 18. 10; in all which they present either the agents or emblems of that divine administration, in which the angels that excel in strength are 'ministering spirits to them who shall be heirs of salvation,' He.1.14.—C.
x Heb. trees of oil, Ex.25.18. Ne.8.16. These cherubims represented angels and ministers, as wondering at and serving in the work of our redemption.
1 The olive furnished oil, the emblem of light and anointing to office; as the cedar was the emblem of the indestructibility of the covenant; the fir, of the endurance of God's people while trodden upon in his service.—C.
24 And five cubits[≈ 2.3 m · 7 ft 6 in] was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits[≈ 2.3 m · 7 ft 6 in] the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft].
25 And the other cherub was ten cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft]: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft], and so was it of the other cherub.
27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and ythey stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
y Or, the cherubims stretched forth their wings, Ex.25.20,22. 2 Ch.3.11. Ps.17.8;31.20;91.1.
28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved zfigures of cherubims, and palm-trees, and aopen flowers, within and without.
30 And the bfloor of the house he overlaid with gold within and without.1
b Re.21.18,21.
1 This repetition of 'within and without,' shows that it means the inner and outer house, not within and without the temple.—C.
31 And for the centering2 of the oracle he made doors of olive-tree: the lintel and side-posts were da fifth part of the wall.
c Jn.10.7,9; 14.6. Is.4.2; 11.1. He.10.19,20. Ep.2.18; 3.12.
2 It would seem that besides the vail of the temple, there was another partition between the outer sanctuary and the oracle. When the vail was drawn aside, there were doors that took up a fifth of that partition, or about four cubits. 'In the centre of the partition,' says Bardwell, 'there was a pair of folding doors of olive-wood, seven feet six inches wide, very richly carved.—I.
d Or, five-square, ver.16,22,23. Eze.41.23,24.
32 The two doors3 also were of olive-tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims, and palm-trees, and open flowers,4 and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm-trees.
3 Or, leaves of the doors.
4 Heb. opening of flowers.
33 So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive-tree, a fourth part5 of the wall.
5 Or, four-square.
34 And the two doors were of efir-tree: the twof leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
e ch.5.8.
f Eze.41.23.
35 And he carved thereon cherubims, and palm-trees, and open flowers; and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.6
6 It thus appears that the whole interior of the temple—floor, walls, and ceilings; the whole of the doors, and also, as it seems, the most prominent portions of the outside—were covered with plates of pure gold, carved and sculptured by the first artists of the age.—P.
36 And he built the inner gcourt7 with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar-beams.
g Of the priests, 2 Ch.4.9. Re.11.2.
7 The court of the priests, 2 Ch. 4. 9, as distinct from the outer court of the people. The emblem of that priesthood of intercession by his sacrifice, which Christ now holds in the heavens, He.6.19,20; 7.24,25.—C.
37 In hthe fourth year8 was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
h ver.1.
8 B.C. 1011.
Notes
[Ver. 1. Began to build the house of the Lord. Chronologists differ widely respecting this most important epoch, ranging from 330 to 680, but no good reason seems assigned by any for questioning the correctness of the Hebrew text. C.]
Ver. 2. [The height thereof thirty cubits[≈ 14 m · 45 ft]. That is, the height of the body of the house; for from 2 Ch. 3. 4 it appears that the height of the porch was 120 cubits[≈ 55 m · 180 ft], or 180 feet. The Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint makes it but 30 cubits[≈ 14 m · 45 ft], equal to the rest of the building; but there seems no reason whatever to question the existence of the noble tower implied in the Hebrew text. C.]
Ver. 6. [The form and dimensions of the temple, as far as they can be ascertained, were as follows:—Its total length was 80 cubits[≈ 37 m · 120 ft]; its breadth 40; and its height 30. The interior was 60 cubits[≈ 27 m · 90 ft] long by 20 wide, and was divided by the vail into two chambers. The inner chamber, or holy of holies, was an exact cube, 20 cubits[≈ 9.1 m · 30 ft] each way. The outer, or holy place, measured two cubes, being 40 cubits[≈ 18 m · 60 ft] long, 20 wide, and 20 high. In front was a porch measuring half a cube, and containing the two pillars Jachin and Boaz. The door was in the east end, and in front of it was the great altar of burnt-offering. Along each side and the west end of the shrine was a range of small chambers for the priests, carried up in three stories to near the top of the temple walls. Above the whole rose a peaked roof 10 cubits[≈ 4.6 m · 15 ft] high. The porch was remarkable. It was 120 cubits[≈ 55 m · 180 ft] high. Probably each wing was carried up so as to form a great tower, resembling some of the English cathedrals. P.]
Ver. 37, 38. Never was such a magnificent structure on earth as this temple of Solomon. God himself had given the plan of it to David, 1 Ch. 28. 19. David and his princes prepared for the erection of it about 46,000 ton weight of gold and silver; amounting in all to about £942,719,750. About 183,600 Canaanites and Hebrews were employed in building it. It took about seven years to finish it. The whole top of Mount Moriah was inclosed within a wall to be a court for it. This court was divided into two: the outer for the clean Hebrews, which had an entrance from every side, but the principal one was from the east, and that of the royal family from the south-west: the inner court, separated from the outer by a low wall, was appointed for the priests and Levites. Here, just before the east end of the temple, stood the brazen altar, 36½ feet square, and 18¼ high, with the brazen sea; ten lavers, five on each side of the entrance of the temple. Immediately westward from these was the porch of the temple, 36½ feet from north to south, and 18¼ from east to west, and about 219 feet high: on each side it had an ornamental pillar of brass about 33 feet high. This served as a magnificent steeple, and as a place of shelter and prayer for the serving priests. Passing through this porch you entered into the sanctuary, an apartment about 73 feet long, 36½ broad, and 54¾ high. This was illuminated by at least ten golden candlesticks; each of which had seven curiously adorned branches for lamps: five of these were placed on the north, and as many on the south side of the house. An equal number of golden tables, furnished each with 12 loaves of show-bread, stood on each side of the house, probably between the candlesticks. Close to the west end, in the middle, stood the golden altar of incense: passing by it, through a doorway hung with a fine vail, and having leaves for shutting it, the high-priest, on the day of atonement, entered into the Oracle, or most holy place. It was an apartment 36½ feet in length, and as much in breadth, and 54¾ in height. Here, amidst perpetual darkness, was placed the ark, with its golden cherubims overshadowing it and the whole furniture. Solomon added two new cherubims of olive-trees, which stretched their wings over it and to the whole breadth of the house, each wing extending about 18 feet. The wall of this temple consisted of alternate rows of cedar planks and hewn stone, probably polished marble. The whole inside of the house was overlaid with fine gold, and curiously ornamented with figures of cherubims and palm-trees. On the outside of the wall were erected ninety chambers in three stories, for the accommodation of the priests who served at it. After Solomon had dedicated it to the service of God by solemn prayer and sacrifices, and God had taken possession of it, by the entrance of the cloud of glory, the priests, singers, and porters attended it in the order prescribed by king David. After it had stood about 416 years, and had been frequently pillaged, it was burned by Nebuchadnezzar. About 70 years after it was rebuilt, with inferior glory, by the captives who returned from Babylon. This had stood about 500 years when it was rebuilt with far more magnificence by Herod the Great; and a new court for the Gentiles was added; but in little more than 80 years after it was finally destroyed by the Romans, A.D. 72, 1 Ch. xvii. xxii.-xxix.; 2 Ch. ii.-viii.; 2 Ki. xxv.; Je. iii.; Ezr. ii.-vi.; Jn. i.
Reflections.—How little God regards pomp in his worship who wanted a temple so long in his holy nation! But when he calls for our substance, we ought cheerfully to give in proportion to our greatness and wealth. What we do in God's church should be done diligently, orderly, and peaceably. But a hearty obedience to his law is more valuable than the most expensive donations to his church. They who go forth with a desire to his glory, may confidently expect some tokens of his approbation. And whenever God, by his grace, begins a good work, he will finish it in his time. But great is our mercy that instead of a magnificent but carnal temple, we have now an incarnate, an ascended Redeemer! a glorious gospel church, planned, prepared for, erected, fashioned, and furnished by God:—that every believer is made a living temple for the Lord; and that in heaven we have a house eternal, immovable, incorruptible, and that fadeth not away!
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.