1 Kings 6 The building of the temple, and the time thereof; the form and largeness, windows, chambers, and materials, 1 Kings 6:1–10. God’s promise unto it, 1 Kings 6:11–13. The ceiling and adorning it, 1 Kings 6:14–15. The oracle, 1 Kings 6:16–22.

This chronological difficulty is too vast and comprehensive to be fully discussed here, or to be determined by unlearned readers; and for the learned, I refer them to what is largely digested in my Latin Synopsis upon this place. It may suffice at present to suggest these particulars: 1.

The house; properly so called, as distinct from all the walls and buildings which were adjoining to it, to wit, the holy and most holy place. The length thereof; from east and to west. And this and the other measures may seem to belong to the inside from wall to wall.

Before the temple of the house; in the front of or entrance into the house, 2 Chron. 3:4; being a peristilium or portico, a walk or gallery, at one end of the building (from side to side). And the measures of this were harmonious also.

Narrow outward, to prevent the inconveniences of the weather; widening by degrees inward, that so the house might better receive and more disperse the light. Or, for prospect, i.e. to give light; yet shut, i.e. so far closed as to keep out weather, and let in light.

Against the wall; or, upon it; or, joining to it; for the beams of the chambers were not fastened into the wall, but leaned upon the buttresses of the wall.

Five cubits broad, to wit, on the inside, and besides the galleries mentioned above. Narrowed rests, or, narrowings; as in our buildings the walls of a house are thicker or broader at the bottom, and narrower towards the top; only these narrowings were in the outside of the wall, which at each of…

Made ready; hewed, and squared, and fitted exactly according to the direction of the architect. No tool heard in the house, while it was in building: so it was ordered, partly, for the case and conveniency of carriage; partly, for the magnificence of the work, and commendation of the workmen’s…

The door for the middle chamber, i.e. by which they entered to go up to the middle chamber or chambers, to wit, such as were in the middle story. In the right side, i.e. in the south side, called the right side here, and in the Hebrew text, Ps.

He built the house, and finished it, to wit, the bulk and the body of the house. Covered the house, or, the house i.e. the top of the house, for the like is said of the sides and bottom, 1 Kings 6:15, even the beams and boards, ( or, the vault-beams and the ceilings; the arched beams and boards…

Against all the house; which interpreters understand of those chambers described 1 Kings 6:5–6. But why should that be repeated again, and that so darkly and confusedly, after he had particularly and exactly treated of them (unless to give an account of the height of each chamber, or story, which…

Either by some prophet, or rather in a vision or dream, as it did before.

God speaks thus, partly to encourage him to proceed in his work, and partly to purge out that pride and vain-glory, (which God, the searcher of hearts, saw either then did or would arise in Solomon’s mind, as being the author and builder of so glorious a work,) and that presumption and security,…

Both the floor, or rather, from the floor, as it is in the Hebrew; for the floor itself was not covered with cedar, but with fir, as it here follows. And the walls of the ceiling, or rather, as it is in the Hebrew, unto the walls of the ceiling, or of the roof, i.e.

Twenty cubits on the sides of the house, i.e. the most holy place, which contained in the length of the house twenty cubits, by comparing this with 1 Kings 6:2, 1 Kings 6:17, which may be said to be on the sides of the house because this part took off twenty cubits in length from each side of the…

The house, i.e. the holy place. That is, the temple: this is added to restrain the signification of the word house, which otherwise notes the whole building. Before it, i.e. before the oracle. Or, as it is in the Hebrew, before my face, i.e. before the place of my presence.

All was cedar, i.e. all the house was covered with cedar. Quest. How was this true, when it was covered with fir, 2 Chron. 3:5? Answ. 1. It was done with cedar and fir; of which See Poole “1 Kings 6:15”. 2.

He prepared, i.e. adorned and fitted it for the receipt of the ark. In the house, Heb. in the middle of the house, or building; not the middle mathematically or exactly, but in general within the house, as that phrase, in the middle, oft signifies; as Deut. 4:11, Josh. 7:21, Dan. 3:26.

In the forepart, or rather, which was in the inner part, to wit, of the house; called here in Hebrew, the forepart, not because a man first enters there, but because when a man is entering, or newly entered, into the house, it is still before him.

The house, or, that house, to wit, the oracle. With pure gold: compare 2 Chron. 3:8. He made a partition by the chains of gold, i.e. he made a veil, which was upon or before the partition; or which was a further partition between the holy and the most holy; which veil did hang upon these golden…

The whole house; not only the oracle, but all the holy place; and, as some add, even the chambers belonging to it. The whole altar that was by the oracle, i.e. the altar of incense, which was set in the holy place close by the doors of the oracle.

Besides those two made by Moses, Ex. 25:18, which were of gold, and far less than these, and fixed in another place and posture. Of olive tree, or, of oily trees, which sometimes are distinguished from the olive trees, as Isa. 41:19.

Carved figures of cherubims, as signs of the presence and protection of the angels vouchsafed by God to that place. Palm trees; emblems of that peace and victory over their enemies which the Israelites duly serving God in that place might expect.

i.e. Four cubits in height or breadth, whereas the wall was twenty cubits. Or, a fifth part of the door now mentioned. Or rather, five-square, having five sides and five angles, which is not incongruous nor unusual in buildings,

Or rather, four-square. See Poole “1 Kings 6:31”.

The inner court, i.e. the priests’ court, 2 Chron. 4:9; so called, because it was next to the temple, which it did encompass. With three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams; which is understood either, 1.

Seven years complete, and six months, as appears by computation. But smaller sums are usually neglected, and swallowed up in the greater, both in Scripture, as Judg. 20:46, 2 Sam. 5:4, 1 Kings 2:11, and in other authors. It is not strange that this work took up so much time; for, 1.