1 Kings 6

1

Temple Construction Begins

(2 Chronicles 3:1–2)

In the fourH702 hundredH3967 and eightiethH80841 yearH8141 after the IsraelitesH1121H3478 had comeH3318 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, in the fourthH7243 yearH8141 of Solomon’s reignH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478, in the monthH2320 of ZivH2099,2 the secondH8145 monthH2320, he began to buildH1129 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

2The houseH1004 thatH834 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 builtH1129 for the LORDH3068 was sixtyH8346 cubitsH520 longH753, twentyH6242 cubits wideH7341, and thirtyH7970 cubitsH520 highH6967.3 3The porticoH197 atH5921 the frontH6440 of the main hallH1964 of the templeH1004 was twentyH6242 cubitsH5204 longH753, extending acrossH5921H6440 the widthH7341 of the templeH1004 and projecting outH7341 tenH6235 cubitsH5205 inH5921 frontH6440 of the templeH1004.

4He also hadH6213 narrowH331 windowsH2474 framed highH8261 in the templeH1004.

The Chambers

5AgainstH5921 the wallsH7023 of the templeH1004 and the inner sanctuaryH1964H1687, Solomon builtH1129 a chambered structureH3326 aroundH5439 the templeH1004, in whichH5439 he constructedH6213 the side roomsH6763. 6The bottomH8481 floorH3326 was fiveH2568 cubitsH520 wideH7341,6 the middle floorH8484 sixH8337 cubitsH520,7 and the thirdH7992 floor sevenH7651 cubitsH520.8 He also placedH5414 offset ledgesH4052 aroundH5439 the outsideH2351 of the templeH1004, so that nothingH1115 would be insertedH270 intoH1004 its wallsH7023.

7The templeH1004 was constructedH1129 usingH1129 finishedH8003 stonesH68 cut at the quarryH4551, so that noH3808 hammerH4717 or chiselH1631 or anyH3605 other ironH1270 toolH3627 was heardH8085 in the templeH1004 while it was being builtH1129.

8The entranceH6607 to the bottomH84849 floorH6763 was onH413 the southH3233 sideH3802 of the templeH1004. A stairwayH3883 led upH5927 toH5921 the middle levelH8484, and fromH4480 there toH413 the third floorH7992.

9So Solomon builtH1129 the templeH1004 and finished itH3615, roofingH5603 itH1004 with beamsH1356 and planksH7713 of cedarH730. 10He builtH1129 chambersH3326 all alongH5921H3605 the templeH1004, each fiveH2568 cubitsH520 highH6967 and attachedH270 to the templeH1004 with beamsH6086 of cedarH730.

God’s Promise to Solomon

11Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 SolomonH8010, sayingH559: 12“As for thisH2088 templeH1004 youH859 are buildingH1129, ifH518 you walkH1980 in My statutesH2708, carry outH6213 My ordinancesH4941, and keepH8104 allH3605 My commandmentsH4687 by walkingH1980 in them, I will fulfillH6965 through youH854 the promiseH1697 I madeH1696 toH413 your fatherH1 DavidH1732. 13And I will dwellH7931 amongH8432 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and will notH3808 abandonH5800 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478.”

The Temple’s Interior

(2 Chronicles 3:5–9)

14So SolomonH8010 builtH1129 the templeH1004 and finishedH3615 itH853. 15He linedH1129 the interiorH1004 wallsH7023 with cedarH730 panelingH6763 from the floorH7172 of the templeH1004 toH5704 the ceilingH5604, and he coveredH6823 the floorH7172H1004 with cypressH126510 boardsH6763.

16He partitioned offH1129 the twentyH6242 cubitsH520 atH4480 the rearH3411 of the templeH1004 with cedarH730 boardsH6763 from floorH7172 toH5704 ceilingH7023 to formH1129 within the templeH1004 an inner sanctuaryH1687, the Most Holy PlaceH6944.11 17And the main hallH1004H1931H1964 in front ofH6440 this room wasH1961 fortyH705 cubitsH520 long.12

18The cedarH730H413 paneling insideH6441 the templeH1004 was carvedH4734 with gourdsH6497 and openH6362 flowersH6731. EverythingH3605 was cedarH730; notH369 a stoneH68 could be seenH7200.

19Solomon also preparedH3559 the inner sanctuaryH1687 withinH8432 the templeH1004H6441 to setH5414 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068 thereH8033. 20The innerH6440 sanctuaryH1687 was twentyH6242 cubitsH520 longH753, twentyH6242 cubitsH520 wideH7341, and twentyH6242 cubitsH520 highH6967. He overlaidH6823 the inside with pureH5462 goldH2091, and he also overlaidH6823 the altarH4196 of cedarH730.13

21So SolomonH8010 overlaidH6823 the insideH6441 of the templeH1004 with pureH5462 goldH2091, and he extendedH5674 goldH2091 chainsH757214 across the frontH6440 of the inner sanctuaryH1687, which was overlaidH6823 with goldH2091. 22So he overlaidH6823 with goldH2091 the whole interiorH3605 of the templeH1004, untilH5704 everythingH3605H1004 was completely finishedH8552. He also overlaidH6823 with goldH2091 the entireH3605 altarH4196 that belonged toH834 the inner sanctuaryH1687.

The Cherubim

(2 Chronicles 3:10–13)

23In the inner sanctuaryH1687 he madeH6213 twoH8147 cherubimH3742, each tenH6235 cubitsH520 highH6967, out of oliveH8081 woodH6086. 24One wingH3671 of the firstH259 cherubH3742 was fiveH2568 cubits longH520, and the otherH8145 wingH3671 was fiveH2568 cubits longH520 as well. So the fullH7098 wingspanH3671 was tenH6235 cubitsH520. 25The secondH8145 cherubH3742 also measured tenH6235 cubitsH520; bothH8147 cherubimH3742 had the sameH259 sizeH4060H259 and shapeH7095, 26and the heightH6967 of eachH259H3742H3651H8145 cherubH3742 was tenH6235 cubitsH520.

27And he placedH5414 the cherubimH3742 insideH8432 the innermost roomH6442 of the templeH1004. Since theirH3742 wingsH3671 were spread outH6566, the wingH3671 of the firstH259 cherub touchedH5060 one wallH7023, while the wingH3671 of the secondH8145 cherubH3742 touchedH5060 the otherH8145 wallH7023, and inH413 the middleH8432 of the roomH1004 their wingtipsH3671 touchedH5060. 28He also overlaidH6823 the cherubimH3742 with goldH2091.

29

Then he carvedH7049 the wallsH7023 allH3605 aroundH4524 the templeH1004, in both the innerH6440 and outer sanctuariesH2435, with carvedH4734 engravingsH6603 of cherubimH3742, palm treesH8561, and openH6362 flowersH6731. 30AndH853 he overlaidH6823 the templeH1004 floorH7172 with goldH2091 in both the innerH6441 and outer sanctuariesH2435.

31

The Doors

For the entranceH6607 to the inner sanctuaryH1687, Solomon constructedH6213 doorsH1817 of oliveH8081 woodH6086 with five-sidedH2549 doorpostsH352H4201. 32The doubleH8147 doorsH1817 were made of oliveH8081 woodH6086, and he carvedH7049H4734 into themH5921 cherubimH3742, palm treesH8561, and openH6362 flowersH6731 and overlaidH6823H5921 the cherubimH3742H5921 and palm treesH8561 with hammered goldH2091H7286.

33In the same wayH3651 he madeH6213 four-sidedH7243 doorpostsH4201 of oliveH8081H854 woodH6086 for the sanctuaryH1964 entranceH6607. 34The twoH8147 doorsH1817 were made of cypressH1265 woodH6086, and each hadH259H1817 twoH8147 foldingH1550 panelsH6763. 35He carvedH7049 into them cherubimH3742, palm treesH8561, and openH6362 flowersH6731, and he overlaid themH6823 with goldH2091 hammered evenlyH3474 overH5921 the carvingsH2707.

The Courtyard

36Solomon builtH1129 the innerH6442 courtyardH2691 with threeH7969 rowsH2905 of dressed stoneH1496 and one rowH2905 of trimmed cedarH730 beamsH3773.

37The foundation of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 was laidH3245 in the fourthH7243 yearH8141 of Solomon’s reign, in the monthH3391 of ZivH2099. 38In the eleventhH259H6240 yearH8141, in the monthH3391 of BulH945,15 the eighthH8066 monthH2320, the templeH1004 was finishedH3615 in everyH3605 detailH1697 and according to everyH3605 specificationH4941. So he builtH1129 the temple in sevenH7651 yearsH8141.