1 Kings 6:16 kjv
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.
1 Kings 6:16 nkjv
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.
1 Kings 6:16 niv
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.
1 Kings 6:16 esv
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.
1 Kings 6:16 nlt
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.
1 Kings 6 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 26:33-34 | "You shall hang the veil from the clasps...and there the ark of the testimony..." | Specifies the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle. |
| Exod 30:6 | "You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony..." | Location of the altar of incense near the Most Holy Place. |
| Lev 16:2 | "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil..." | Emphasizes the limited access to the Most Holy Place (Yom Kippur). |
| Lev 16:15-17 | "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering...bring its blood inside the veil..." | Details the Atonement Day rituals within the Most Holy Place. |
| Num 4:4 | "This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things." | Responsibility for carrying the Most Holy items of the Tabernacle. |
| Deut 12:5 | "But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose...to put his name there." | God's chosen central dwelling place for His Name. |
| 1 Ki 8:6 | "Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary..." | The Ark's final resting place in Solomon's Temple. |
| 1 Ki 8:10-11 | "And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD..." | God's glory filling the Temple upon its completion and dedication. |
| 2 Chr 5:7 | "And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary..." | Parallel account of the Ark's placement in the Temple. |
| Isa 6:1 | "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up..." | Vision of God's heavenly throne, often associated with the inner sanctuary. |
| Ps 26:8 | "O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells." | A devotion to God's dwelling place. |
| Ps 99:5 | "Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!" | Reference to God's dwelling as His "footstool," highlighting its holiness. |
| Ps 132:7-8 | "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!...arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place..." | Desiring God's permanent dwelling presence. |
| Ezek 10:18-19 | "Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house..." | God's glory departing from the Temple due to Israel's sin. |
| Joel 2:17 | "Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar..." | Area outside the Holy Place, distinct from the inner sanctuary. |
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom..." | Symbolic tearing of the veil at Christ's crucifixion, granting new access. |
| Mk 15:38 | "And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." | Parallel account of the veil tearing. |
| Lk 23:45 | "while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two." | Parallel account of the veil tearing. |
| Heb 4:14 | "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God..." | Christ as the superior High Priest, granting access to God. |
| Heb 9:3 | "Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place..." | New Testament reference describing the earthly Most Holy Place. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest...entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood..." | Christ's one-time entry into the true heavenly sanctuary, securing eternal redemption. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..." | Believers now have direct access to God's presence through Christ. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them..." | The ultimate fulfillment: God dwelling directly with humanity in the New Creation. |
1 Kings 6 verses
1 Kings 6 16 Meaning
1 Kings 6:16 details a specific architectural partition within Solomon's Temple, marking off the innermost sanctuary. This space, built to be twenty cubits in length at the rear of the main structure and meticulously lined with cedar, was designated as the "Oracle" or the "Most Holy Place." It signifies the sacred, set-apart dwelling of God's immediate presence among His people, serving as the spiritual heart of the Temple.
1 Kings 6 16 Context
1 Kings chapter 6 provides a meticulous architectural blueprint and narrative of the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. This verse specifically details the internal divisions of the main Temple structure (known as the hekal or nave), highlighting the creation of its most sacred chamber. Following descriptions of the foundation and main walls, the narrative moves inward to describe the precious materials and precise measurements that would constitute the innermost sanctuary. This space continued the pattern established by the Mosaic Tabernacle, symbolizing God's personal dwelling among His people, where His glory would rest and His name would reside. The elaborate construction with expensive materials like cedar from Lebanon underlined the immense value and reverence attributed to God's dwelling place.
1 Kings 6 16 Word analysis
And he built: Refers to Solomon, executing the divine blueprint received from David. This highlights royal leadership in worship infrastructure.
twenty cubits: (Hebrew: אֶשְׂרִים, 'esrim; אַמָּה, 'ammah). A precise dimension (approx. 30 feet, assuming a common cubit of 18 inches). This exactness underscores meticulous adherence to the divinely prescribed pattern, reflecting order and purpose in God's dwelling.
on the rear of the house: Refers to the western end of the main temple building (the hekal). In ancient Near Eastern temples, the most sacred area was typically at the deepest, most secluded part, away from public access.
with boards of cedar: (Hebrew: עֲצֵי אֶרֶז, 'atsei 'erez). Cedar from Lebanon was a highly prized, fragrant, and durable wood, signifying wealth, majesty, and the excellence appropriate for God's dwelling. Its use also suggests a strong, secure, and beautiful enclosure.
from the floor unto the walls of the ceiling: This phrasing emphasizes that the partition created a fully enclosed, floor-to-ceiling space. It signifies complete separation and a singular purpose, allowing no casual entry or viewing.
he built them: Reinforces the act of specific construction for this chamber.
for the Oracle: (Hebrew: דְּבִיר, devir). This significant term derives from a root meaning "to speak" (דּבר, dabar). It likely indicates the place from which God would speak, specifically associated with the Ark of the Covenant, above the mercy seat between the cherubim (Exod 25:22). This implies God's revelatory and communicative presence.
even for the most holy place: (Hebrew: קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, qodesh ha-qodashim). Literally "Holy of Holies" or "Holiness of Holies." This superlative construction denotes the ultimate degree of sacredness and holiness, making it supremely set apart for God's immediate presence. No other earthly place held such a distinction.
"boards of cedar... for the Oracle, even for the most holy place": The use of premium, imported cedar reinforces the extraordinary sanctity and value placed upon the "Oracle" or "Most Holy Place." This was not just a storage room; it was the ultimate point of connection between God and His people, hence warranting the finest materials. The full enclosure, from floor to ceiling, speaks to the inaccessibility and absolute sacredness of God's presence; it could not be glimpsed or entered casually.
1 Kings 6 16 Bonus section
The specific dimension of twenty cubits for the Holy of Holies made it a perfect cube, similar to the dimensions of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:16. This "perfect cube" often symbolizes divine perfection, completeness, and a profound sense of the sacred in biblical thought. It housed the Ark of the Covenant, the tangible sign of God's covenant with Israel and the place where His "Shekinah glory" was believed to reside. While dark and inaccessible to all but the High Priest, the Holy of Holies represented the purest light of God's presence, paradoxically revealed through sacred mystery and limited, mediated access.
1 Kings 6 16 Commentary
1 Kings 6:16 is pivotal in understanding the layout and theological significance of Solomon's Temple. It describes the physical construction of the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctuary that mirrored the veiled chamber of the Mosaic Tabernacle. This twenty-cubit cubical space, clad entirely in exquisite cedar, represented the very dwelling place of the Living God. Its precise dimensions and opulent materials speak to the Israelite understanding of God's transcendence and purity, necessitating a supremely set-apart and adorned space. Restricted access, primarily for the High Priest only once a year on the Day of Atonement, underscored humanity's separation from God due to sin and the critical need for propitiation. The designation "Oracle" points to this being the locus of divine revelation and communion. This earthly sanctuary, therefore, functioned as a visible reminder of an invisible God, a consecrated space where His unique glory was to reside among His people, pointing ultimately to Christ's superior work in providing permanent access to God's presence.