1 Kings 6 summary meaning ai explained commentary

1 Kings 6 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter details the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

Preparation and Construction (Verses 1-10):

Solomon begins building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, 480 years after the Exodus.
The Temple's dimensions are given in cubits (about 1.5 feet): 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
A porch (Ulam) extends outward from the main sanctuary (Heikal).
Side chambers are built around the Temple, connected by a system of ascending floors.
The foundation stones are large and costly.

Interior Design and Decoration (Verses 11-30):

God reaffirms his covenant with Solomon and promises blessings if he remains faithful.
The entire interior, including walls, floors, and ceilings, is overlaid with cedar wood.
The inner sanctuary (Holy of Holies) is cubed, measuring 20 cubits on each side, and is overlaid with gold.
Two cherubim, each 10 cubits tall, are carved and overlaid with gold, their wings spanning the width of the Holy of Holies.
Doors of olive wood, intricately carved with cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, separate the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.

Completion and Dedication (Verses 31-38):

The Temple takes seven years to build, from start to finish.
The inner courtyard is enclosed with a similar structure to the Temple, using cedar wood and hewn stone.

Key Themes:

God's Presence: The Temple serves as the dwelling place of God among his people, specifically the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.
Covenant and Obedience: God's blessing on the Temple is conditional upon Solomon's faithfulness to the covenant.
Magnificence and Splendor: The detailed description of materials and craftsmanship emphasizes the Temple's grandeur and its importance as a place of worship.

This chapter marks a significant moment in Israel's history, establishing a permanent center for worship and solidifying the connection between God and his chosen people.

1 Kings 6 bible study ai commentary

The overarching theme of 1 Kings 6 is the establishment of a permanent, physical dwelling for God's name among His people, meticulously constructed according to a divine pattern. The chapter details the divine architecture, lavish materials, and rich symbolism of Solomon's Temple, portraying it as a new Eden and a microcosm of the cosmos. Yet, it critically inserts a prophetic word, reminding Israel that the stone and gold are meaningless without covenant faithfulness; God's presence is secured by obedience, not by the building itself.

1 Kings 6 Context

The construction of the Temple marks a pivotal moment in Israel's history, transitioning from the portable Tabernacle of their wilderness wanderings to a permanent national and religious center in the Promised Land. This occurred during the zenith of Israelite power and prosperity under King Solomon. Culturally, it was standard practice for Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) kings to build magnificent temples for their patron deities to display national power and secure divine favor. Solomon's Temple, while sharing architectural forms with other ANE temples (like the tripartite structure), subverts pagan ideology. Its silent construction and aniconic nature (no idol of Yahweh) stood in stark contrast to the noisy, idolatrous rituals of surrounding nations, asserting the unique character of Israel's God.

1 Kings 6:1

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.

In-depth-analysis

Chronological Anchor: This verse explicitly links the Temple's construction to the Exodus, the foundational redemptive act of Israel. It frames the Temple not as a new beginning, but as the culmination of God's saving plan.
480 Years: This number is likely symbolic as well as chronological. It represents twelve 40-year generations (12 tribes x 40 years of wandering/testing), signifying a complete, divinely-ordered period of Israel's history leading to this moment.
Fourth Year: Solomon's reign was established and secure, allowing this monumental project to begin. It fulfills the promise to David that his son would build God's house (2 Sam 7:13).
Ziv: The second month of the sacred calendar (roughly April-May). This was a time of brightness and splendor, fitting for the start of such a glorious project.
House of the LORD: The Hebrew word is bayit, meaning 'house'. It signifies a place of dwelling and permanent residence, a stark contrast to the 'tent' (ohel) of the Tabernacle.

Bible references

Exodus 12:40-41: 'At the end of 430 years... all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.' (Establishes the Exodus as a primary dating point for Israel's history).
2 Samuel 7:12-13: 'I will raise up your offspring after you... He shall build a house for my name.' (The direct prophetic context and promise being fulfilled).
Acts 7:47: 'But it was Solomon who built a house for him.' (The New Testament confirming the historical fulfillment of the promise).

Cross references

Gen 12:1-3 (Promise Land), Ex 25:8 (Tabernacle command), Jdg 17:6 (period of chaos), 1 Chr 22:7-10 (David's preparation).

1 Kings 6:2-6

The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. The lowest story was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad, for around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

In-depth-analysis

Dimensions: The Temple's main sanctuary is 60x20x30 cubits. This is exactly double the dimensions of the Tabernacle's sanctuary (30x10x15, if a 15-cubit height is assumed), signifying a grander, more permanent version of the original dwelling place.
Tripartite Structure: The building had three main sections: the vestibule/porch (ulam), the main hall/nave (hekal), and the inner sanctuary (debir). This three-part sacred space was common in ANE temple architecture.
Side Chambers: These three-storied chambers housed priests and stored temple treasures. Their structure, which used external ledges (offsets) rather than inserting beams into the main wall, highlights the sanctity of the central structure. The holy house itself was not to be penetrated or violated.
Gradated Access: The increasing width of the stories (5, then 6, then 7 cubits) is a marvel of engineering, creating a stable, terraced structure around the sacred core. This physical structure mirrored the theological concept of gradated holiness, with access becoming more restricted as one moved closer to the center.

Bible references

Exodus 26:15-30: 'You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood... ten cubits shall be the length of a frame...' (The direct blueprint for the Tabernacle, which the Temple doubles).
Ezekiel 41:1, 5-7: '...and the nave was forty cubits long... He measured the wall of the temple, six cubits... the side chambers were one over another, thirty-three of them.' (Ezekiel's visionary temple echoes and expands upon the architecture of Solomon's Temple).

Cross references

1 Chr 28:11-12 (David's plan), 2 Chr 3:3-4 (parallel account), Heb 9:1-5 (description of tabernacle sections).

1 Kings 6:7

When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.

In-depth-analysis

Silent Construction: This is a profoundly theological statement. The stones were pre-cut and finished at the quarry, then assembled in silence on the Temple mount.
Reverence and Peace: The silence shows deep reverence for the sacred space. God's house is built in peace, not with the violence and clamor of human labor.
Divine Order: It suggests the pieces came together perfectly, as if according to a pre-ordained divine plan, reflecting the harmony of God's creation.

Polemics

This practice stands in stark polemical contrast to the noisy, chaotic, and often ecstatic rituals associated with the construction and worship at pagan temples (e.g., the worship of Baal, 1 Kgs 18:28). It presented the building of Yahweh's house as an act of divine order, not human striving. Some scholars note that iron tools were forbidden on the altar (Deut 27:5), and this principle was extended to the entire house, as the Temple was considered a grand altar.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 27:5-6: 'And there you shall build an altar... you shall not use an iron tool on them. You shall build an altar... of uncut stones.' (The foundational law forbidding iron tools on the altar).
Isaiah 44:12-13: 'The iron smith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals... The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.' (Describes the noisy human effort of making an idol, a sharp contrast to the silent Temple construction).

1 Kings 6:8-10

The entrance for the lowest story of side chambers was on the south side of the house. And one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. So he built the house and finished it, and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

In-depth-analysis

Details of Entry: The details about a single southern entrance and a winding staircase emphasize controlled and ordered access to the Temple's ancillary rooms.
Cedar: Cedarwood from Lebanon was a luxury material in the ancient world, known for its beauty, durability, and pleasant aroma. Its extensive use signifies the supreme value and royalty associated with God's house.

Bible references

Psalm 92:12: 'The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.' (Cedar as a symbol of strength, stability, and righteousness).
2 Chronicles 2:8: 'Send me also cedar... from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon.' (Confirms the source and value of the cedar).

1 Kings 6:11-13

Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

In-depth-analysis

Theological Core: This is the most important section of the chapter. God interrupts the architectural description to state a critical condition. The magnificent structure is secondary to obedience.
Conditional Presence: God's promise to "dwell" (shakan) is not automatic. It is contingent upon Solomon's and Israel's fidelity to the Torah ("statutes," "rules," "commandments"). The building does not contain or guarantee God.
Covenant over Building: It recenters the focus from the physical temple to the covenant relationship. God is reaffirming the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7) and the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus, Deuteronomy).

Polemics

This is a direct theological polemic against the ANE belief that building a temple automatically appeased a god and secured their presence and blessings. The biblical author asserts that Yahweh cannot be manipulated or contained by a building; His relationship with His people is ethical and covenantal.

Bible references

Jeremiah 7:4: 'Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’' (A later prophet rebuking the people for trusting in the physical building while ignoring the covenant).
John 4:21, 23: '...the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father... true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.' (Jesus shifting the focus from a physical place to the nature of worship).
1 Corinthians 3:16-17: 'Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?... For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.' (The New Testament spiritualizing the temple concept, applying it to the believer/church).

Cross references

Lev 26:11-12 (God's promised dwelling), Deut 31:6 (God will not forsake you), 2 Sam 7:12-16 (Davidic covenant).

1 Kings 6:14-22

So Solomon built the house and finished it... he lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar... he lined the house on the inside with wood. And he prepared an inner sanctuary in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD... and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

In-depth-analysis

No Stone Visible: Inside the Temple, no stone was to be seen. Everything was paneled with cedar. This created an "organic," living feel, distinct from a cold stone edifice.
Gold Overlay: The entire interior, including the floor and the cedar-faced altar, was overlaid with pure gold. Gold is a symbol of divinity, purity, glory, and incorruptibility. It visually communicated that one was entering a divine, not a human, space.
Inner Sanctuary (Most Holy Place): The word for this space is debir, which comes from a root meaning "to speak." It was the place of the Oracle, where God's voice was heard.
A Perfect Cube: The debir was a perfect cube (20x20x20 cubits). In ancient symbolism, the cube represented perfection and stability. This space for the Ark was the most perfect and holy place on earth.

Bible references

Exodus 25:10-11: 'They shall make an ark of acacia wood... You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it.' (The golden Ark is the centerpiece for this golden room).
Revelation 21:16, 22: 'The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width... and he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia... I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.' (The New Jerusalem is a perfect cube, fulfilling the symbolism of the Most Holy Place on a cosmic scale, and God Himself is the temple).

Cross references

2 Chr 3:8 (cubical MHP), Heb 9:3-4 (description of MHP), Ex 30:1-3 (altar of incense).

1 Kings 6:23-30

In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high... He placed the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out... they overshadowed the mercy seat... He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. The floor of the house he overlaid with gold...

In-depth-analysis

Cherubim: These massive, winged guardians (made of permanent olivewood and overlaid with gold) flanked the Ark of the Covenant. They are not decorative angels but powerful, non-human throne guardians of God's holy presence.
Edenic Imagery: The decorative motifs—cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers—are a deliberate recreation of the Garden of Eden. The Temple was designed to be a new Eden, a place where heaven and earth met, and humanity (represented by the High Priest) could once again dwell safely in God's presence.
Comprehensive Holiness: Every surface—walls and floor—was covered in these carvings and gold, immersing any entrant in a total environment of divine holiness and life.

Bible references

Genesis 3:24: 'He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim... to guard the way to the tree of life.' (The origin of the cherubim's role as guardians of sacred space).
Ezekiel 41:18: 'It was carved with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Every cherub had two faces.' (Ezekiel's vision confirms this Edenic decorative scheme).
Hebrews 9:5: 'Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.' (Confirms their location and function over the Ark).

Cross references

Ex 25:18-20 (cherubim on the ark), Rev 22:1-2 (tree of life and river in New Jerusalem).

1 Kings 6:31-36

For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood... he carved on them figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold... So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood... On the two doors of pine he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold evenly applied... He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.

In-depth-analysis

Layers of Separation: The ornate, carved doors of olivewood and pine create sacred boundaries. The increasing value of materials and intricacy of design marked the progression into more holy space.
Consistent Motif: The repetition of cherubim, palms, and flowers on the doors reinforced the Edenic theme throughout the structure. One passed through the guardians and garden imagery to enter God's presence.
Inner Court: This court separated the Temple proper from the outer courts, creating another layer of holiness and restricting access to priests only.

Bible references

Ezekiel 40:28: 'Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate...' (Ezekiel's vision also features distinct inner and outer courts, showing this was a key feature of sacred architecture).
Leviticus 16:2: 'Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil...' (The principle of restricted, layered access to God's presence).

1 Kings 6:37-38

In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details, according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

In-depth-analysis

Completion and Perfection: The project took seven years. The number seven in the Bible signifies divine perfection, completion, and rest. The construction of God's "house" or "resting place" took a perfect, sabbath-like period of time.
Total Fulfillment: The phrase "finished in all its details, according to all its specifications" emphasizes that the construction was not haphazard but followed a precise, divine plan, just like the Tabernacle.

Bible references

Genesis 2:2: 'And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work.' (The seven-year construction deliberately echoes the seven days of creation).
1 Kings 8:1: 'Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel... in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David.' (The immediate next step after finishing the house is to dedicate it and bring God's presence in).
Ezra 6:15: 'And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.' (The rebuilding of the second temple also notes its precise date of completion).

1 Kings chapter 6 analysis

The Temple as New Eden: The chapter is saturated with imagery recalling the Garden of Eden. The Cherubim (Gen 3:24), palm trees, and flowers create an environment symbolic of the original dwelling of God with humanity. It was a recovery project, aiming to restore a measure of that lost communion.
Cosmic Mountain: Ancient Near Eastern thought often viewed temples as "cosmic mountains"—the mythical center of the world where heaven and earth intersect. Solomon's Temple, built on Mount Zion, embodies this. It is a microcosm of the created order: the Sea (the bronze laver, 1 Kgs 7) representing the primordial waters, the temple representing the land (earth), and the Most Holy Place representing the heavens.
Theological Progression of the "Temple":
1. Eden: God dwelling with humanity.
2. Tabernacle: A mobile Eden for a people on the move.
3. Solomon's Temple: A permanent Eden established in the land.
4. Jesus Christ: The true Temple, where God dwells bodily among us (John 1:14, 2:19-21).
5. The Church/Believer: The spiritual Temple inhabited by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16, Eph 2:19-22).
6. The New Jerusalem: The ultimate, city-sized Temple where God and the Lamb are the Temple and dwell with humanity forever (Rev 21:22).
The Name Theology: God's promise is to place His "Name" in the Temple (Deut 12:11), not His physical Being. This theology protects God's transcendence; He is not contained by the building, but He has chosen it as the unique site for His self-revelation and the place where His people can call upon His Name. This is reinforced by the conditional oracle in verses 11-13.

1 Kings 6 summary

This chapter meticulously details the seven-year construction of Solomon's Temple, focusing on its grand dimensions (double the Tabernacle), lavish materials (cedar, gold, olivewood), and rich Edenic symbolism (cherubim, palm trees, flowers). Amidst the architectural account, a divine oracle serves as the theological climax, stressing that God's presence is secured not by the magnificent structure but by Israel's ongoing covenant obedience. The Temple is presented as a new Eden and a divinely ordered dwelling place for God's Name on earth.

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1 Kings chapter 6 kjv

¹ And it 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, in the month Zif, which is the second month, 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 threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.
³ And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
⁴ And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
⁵ And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
⁶ The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
⁷ And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
⁸ The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.
⁹ So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
¹⁰ And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
¹¹ And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
¹² Concerning this house which thou art in building, if 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:
¹³ And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
¹⁴ So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
¹⁵ And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.
¹⁶ And he built twenty cubits 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 most holy place.
¹⁷ And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
¹⁸ And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
¹⁹ And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
²⁰ And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
²¹ So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
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 two cherubim of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
²⁴ And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
²⁵ And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one size.
²⁶ The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
²⁷ And he set the cherubim within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubim, 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.
²⁸ And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
²⁹ And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
³⁰ And the floors of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
³¹ And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
³² The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees.
³³ So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.
³⁴ And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
³⁵ And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
³⁶ And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
³⁷ In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
³⁸ And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

1 Kings chapter 6 nkjv

¹ And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
² Now the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits, its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits.
³ The vestibule in front of the sanctuary of the house was twenty cubits long across the width of the house, and the width of the vestibule extended ten cubits from the front of the house.
⁴ And he made for the house windows with beveled frames.
⁵ Against the wall of the temple he built chambers all around, against the walls of the temple, all around the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all around it.
⁶ The lowest chamber was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for he made narrow ledges around the outside of the temple, so that the support beams would not be fastened into the walls of the temple.
⁷ And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
⁸ The doorway for the middle story was on the right side of the temple. They went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third.
⁹ So he built the temple and finished it, and he paneled the temple with beams and boards of cedar.
¹⁰ And he built side chambers against the entire temple, each five cubits high; they were attached to the temple with cedar beams.
¹¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying:
¹² "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David.
¹³ And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel."
¹⁴ So Solomon built the temple and finished it.
¹⁵ And he built the inside walls of the temple with cedar boards; from the floor of the temple to the ceiling he paneled the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the temple with planks of cypress.
¹⁶ Then he built the twenty-cubit room at the rear of the temple, from floor to ceiling, with cedar boards; he built it inside as the inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place.
¹⁷ And in front of it the temple sanctuary was forty cubits long.
¹⁸ The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with ornamental buds and open flowers. All was cedar; there was no stone to be seen.
¹⁹ And he prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple, to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there.
²⁰ The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it with pure gold, and overlaid the altar of cedar.
²¹ So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold. He stretched gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold.
²² The whole temple he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the temple; also he overlaid with gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary.
²³ Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
²⁴ One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of the cherub five cubits: ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other.
²⁵ And the other cherub was ten cubits; both cherubim were of the same size and shape.
²⁶ The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub.
²⁷ Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room; and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room.
²⁸ Also he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
²⁹ Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
³⁰ And the floor of the temple he overlaid with gold, both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
³¹ For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and doorposts were one-fifth of the wall.
³² The two doors were of olive wood; and he carved on them figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.
³³ So for the door of the sanctuary he also made doorposts of olive wood, one-fourth of the wall.
³⁴ And the two doors were of cypress wood; two panels comprised one folding door, and two panels comprised the other folding door.
³⁵ Then he carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on them, and overlaid them with gold applied evenly on the carved work.
³⁶ And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.
³⁷ In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv.
³⁸ And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

1 Kings chapter 6 niv

¹ In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.
² The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high.
³ The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, and projected ten cubits from the front of the temple.
⁴ He made narrow windows high up in the temple walls.
⁵ Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.
⁶ The lowest floor was five cubits wide, the middle floor six cubits and the third floor seven. He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.
⁷ In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
⁸ The entrance to the lowest floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third.
⁹ So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar planks.
¹⁰ And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.
¹¹ The word of the LORD came to Solomon:
¹² "As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father.
¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel."
¹⁴ So Solomon built the temple and completed it.
¹⁵ He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, paneling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper.
¹⁶ He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
¹⁷ The main hall in front of this room was forty cubits long.
¹⁸ The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen.
¹⁹ He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there.
²⁰ The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.
²¹ Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold.
²² So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
²³ For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim out of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
²⁴ One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits?ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip.
²⁵ The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape.
²⁶ The height of each cherub was ten cubits.
²⁷ He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room.
²⁸ He overlaid the cherubim with gold.
²⁹ On the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers.
³⁰ He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.
³¹ For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors out of olive wood that were one fifth of the width of the sanctuary.
³² And on the two olive-wood doors he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.
³³ In the same way, for the entrance to the main hall he made doorframes out of olive wood that were one fourth of the width of the hall.
³⁴ He also made two doors out of juniper wood, each having two leaves that turned in sockets.
³⁵ He carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.
³⁶ And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.
³⁷ The foundation of the temple of the LORD was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv.
³⁸ In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.

1 Kings chapter 6 esv

¹ In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.
² The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
³ The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house.
⁴ And he made for the house windows with recessed frames.
⁵ He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around.
⁶ The lowest story was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.
⁷ When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
⁸ The entrance for the lowest story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third.
⁹ So he built the house and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar.
¹⁰ He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.
¹¹ Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon,
¹² "Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.
¹³ And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel."
¹⁴ So Solomon built the house and finished it.
¹⁵ He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress.
¹⁶ He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place.
¹⁷ The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long.
¹⁸ The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen.
¹⁹ The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
²⁰ The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar.
²¹ And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold.
²² And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.
²³ In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high.
²⁴ Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other.
²⁵ The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form.
²⁶ The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub.
²⁷ He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house.
²⁸ And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
²⁹ Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms.
³⁰ The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms.
³¹ For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided.
³² He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.
³³ So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood, in the form of a square,
³⁴ and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
³⁵ On them he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work.
³⁶ He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.
³⁷ In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv.
³⁸ And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

1 Kings chapter 6 nlt

¹ It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign, that he began to construct the Temple of the LORD. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt.
² The Temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
³ The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple.
⁴ Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple.
⁵ He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building.
⁶ The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1?2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10 1?2 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves.
⁷ The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.
⁸ The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors.
⁹ After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks.
¹⁰ As already stated, he built a complex of rooms along the sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 1?2 feet high.
¹¹ Then the LORD gave this message to Solomon:
¹² "Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David.
¹³ I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel."
¹⁴ So Solomon finished building the Temple.
¹⁵ The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood. He paneled the walls and ceilings with cedar, and he used planks of cypress for the floors.
¹⁶ He partitioned off an inner sanctuary ? the Most Holy Place ? at the far end of the Temple. It was 30 feet deep and was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
¹⁷ The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet long.
¹⁸ Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers.
¹⁹ He prepared the inner sanctuary at the far end of the Temple, where the Ark of the LORD's Covenant would be placed.
²⁰ This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with solid gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar.
²¹ Then Solomon overlaid the rest of the Temple's interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance to the Most Holy Place.
²² So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place.
²³ He made two cherubim of wild olive wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary.
²⁴ The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7 1?2 feet long.
²⁵ The two cherubim were identical in shape and size;
²⁶ each was 15 feet tall.
²⁷ He placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room.
²⁸ He overlaid the two cherubim with gold.
²⁹ He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
³⁰ He overlaid the floor in both rooms with gold.
³¹ For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made double doors of wild olive wood with five-sided doorposts.
³² These double doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. The doors, including the decorations of cherubim and palm trees, were overlaid with gold.
³³ Then he made four-sided doorposts of wild olive wood for the entrance to the Temple.
³⁴ There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself.
³⁵ These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers ? all overlaid evenly with gold.
³⁶ The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone.
³⁷ The foundation of the LORD's Temple was laid in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign.
³⁸ The entire building was completed in every detail by midautumn, in the month of Bul, during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple.