Starting the Building of the Temple for the Lord God |
1 Kings 6:1-38 1 Kings [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] in the 480th year after the children [people] of Israel [came] out of the land of Egypt, in the 4th year Solomon [ruled] over Israel, in the month [of] Zif, which is the 2nd month, that [king Solomon] began to build the house [a.k.a. temple] of the Lord. |
The length [of] the house [that] king Solomon built for the Lord, was 60 cubits & the [width was] 20 cubits & [its] height [was] 30 cubits. The porch [in the front of] the temple of the [Lord’s] house, was 20 cubits [long] & [10 cubits wide] according to the [width] of the house. |
He made narrow windows [for light] for the [Lord’s] house. He built [side rooms around the Lord’s] house & against the walls of both the temple & the [inner sanctuary.] The [lowest room] was 5 cubits [wide.] The middle [room] was 6 cubits [wide] & the 3rd was 7 cubits [wide.] |
For [on the outside of] the wall, he made [narrow ledges around it, so its] beams [wouldn’t] be fastened [to] the walls of the house. The [Lord’s] house was built of stone [that was prepared] before it was brought [there,] so there wasn’t [a] hammer, ax, [or ] any iron tool heard in the [Lord’s] house, while it was [being built.] |
The door for the middle [floor’s room] was [on] the right side of the [Lord’s] house & they went up with winding stairs into the middle [floor’s room] & out [from there] into the 3rd [floor.] |
[Solomon] built the [Lord’s] house & finished it & [roofed] the house with cedar beams & boards. Then, he built [the side rooms] all against the [side of the Lord’s] house, 5 cubits high. And they [attached the rooms against] the house with cedar [lumber.] |
And the Word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, [About] this [temple] you are building, if you will walk in My [mandates, deliver] My judgments & keep My commandments & [follow] in them, then I, will [accomplish] My Word with you, [that] I spoke to David, your father. |
[*2 Samuel 7:12-13 And when your days are fulfilled & you sleep with your [forefathers,] I will set up your seed after you, [that you fathered] & I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My Name & I will [establish] the throne of his kingdom forever.] |
And I will [live] among the children [people] of Israel & will not [abandon] My people, Israel. So, Solomon built the [Lord’s] house & finished it. He built the walls of the house [inside,] with cedar [boards from] the floors [to] the ceiling. |
[He] covered the floor of the [Lord’s] house with planks of fir. [From one side to the other, Solomon] built 20 cubits on the [back of the temple] & both the floor & the walls [inside were of] cedar boards. |
He even built them for it [inside,] even for the oracle [a.k.a. inner sanctuary,] even for the Most Holy Place. And the temple [in front of] the [Lord’s] house, was 40 cubits long. The cedar [inside] of the house was carved with [gourds] & open flowers all [of] cedar, [so] no stone was seen. |
He prepared the oracle [inside] the [Lord’s] house, to [put] the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord there. The [front part of] the oracle was 20 cubits [long] & 20 cubits [wide] & 20 cubits [high.] He [had them] overlaid with pure gold & covered the cedar altar [with gold.] |
So, Solomon overlaid the [inside of] the [temple] with pure gold. He made a partition [of] chains of gold & [hung them in front of the inner sanctuary] that was overlaid with gold. |
[Solomon] overlaid the whole house with gold, until he had finished all the house [of the Lord.] Also, the whole altar that was by the [inner sanctuary,] he overlaid [it] with gold. |
Within the [inner sanctuary,] he made 2 cherubim [angelic statues] of olive [wood,] each 10 cubits high. [Each of the 2 wings of both cherubim] was 5 cubits. |
It was 10 cubits from the [outer tip] of one wing to the [outer tip] of the other [wing.] Both [cherubs had the same measurement & were the same] size. [Solomon had] the [cherubs put] within the inner [sanctuary of the] house. |
[The 2 cherubim were put side by side, so] the [outermost] tip of one cherub touched the 1 wall & the [outermost] tip of the other [cherub] touched the other wall] & their wings [met &] touched [in the middle of the room.] |
He [had] the cherubims overlaid with gold. [Solomon had] all the walls [of the inner & outer rooms around the house] carved with [cherubs,] palm trees & open flowers & the [floors] overlaid with gold. |
He [had] doors made of olive [wood] for the [entrance] of the [inner sanctuary.] The [doors & its supporting beam across the top of the door] & side posts were 1/5 [the size] of the wall. The 2 doors of olive [wood had] carvings [on] them of [cherubs,] palm trees & open flowers, overlaid [them] with gold. |
Also, he had made for the [door’s] posts of the [sanctuary of the temple] of olive [wood, that was] 1/4 [the size of] the wall. [For the sanctuary entrance,] he made 2 [sets] of folding doors, [each with 2 hinged doors together that folded.] |
[Solomon had] them carved [with cherubs,] palm trees & open flowers [with hammered] gold [fastened on top of] the carved work. [Solomon had] the inner court built with 3 rows of [cut] stone & a row of cedar beams. |
The foundation of the [Lord’s house] was laid in the 4th year, in the month of Zif. In the 11th year, in the month of Bul, which is the 8th month, the [Lord’s] house & all [its] parts [were] finished, according to the [specifications for] it. So, [it took Solomon] 7 years [to build] it. |