Starting the Building of the Temple for the Lord God |
1 Kings 6:1-38 1 Kings [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] in the 408th 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 [temple] of the Lord. |
The length was 60 cubits & the [width] was 20 cubits & [its] height [was] 30 cubits. The [entrance hall in the front of the Lord’s house] was 20 cubits long & [10 cubits wide] according to the [width] of the [temple]. |
He made narrow windows [for] light. He built [side rooms around it] against the walls of both the temple & the [inner sanctuary]. The [1st 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 [temple] 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 [temple] while it was [being built]. |
The door for the middle [floor] was [on] the right side of the [temple] & they went up with winding stairs into the middle [floor] & out [from there] into the 3rd [floor]. |
[Solomon] built the [temple] & finished it & [roofed] the [temple] with cedar beams & boards. Then, he built [the side rooms] all against the [side of the temple,] 5 cubits high. |
[They used] cedar [beams to attach the rooms to the temple]. The word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying, [About] this [temple] you are building, if you will walk in My [laws, deliver] My [justice,] keep My commandments & [follow] them, then I, will [establish] My promise with you, [that] I spoke to David, your father. |
I will [live] among the children [people] of Israel & will not [abandon] My people, Israel. So, Solomon built the [temple] & 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 [temple] 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. |
Within it [was] even [an inner sanctuary,] the Most Holy Place. The [main part of] the house [in front of] the temple, was 40 cubits long. The cedar inside of the house was carved with [gourds] & open flowers all [of] cedar, [so] no stone was seen. |
The [inner sanctuary] in the [front] was 20 cubits long & 20 cubits [wide] & 20 cubits [high]. He [had them] overlaid [& covered] with pure gold & covered the cedar altar [with gold]. |
So, Solomon [covered] the inside of the [temple] with pure gold. He [hung] chains of gold [in front of the inner sanctuary] that was overlaid with gold, [in order to make a] partition. |
[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 cherubs] was 5 cubits long. |
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 [room 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]. |
They overlaid the [cherubs] 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 to the [inner sanctuary, that] 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 with gold. |
Also, he had doors made for 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 over 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 [of the year,] the [Lord’s temple] & all [its parts] were finished, according to the [specifications for] it. So, [it took Solomon] 7 years [to build] it. |