1 Kings 6:34 kjv
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.
1 Kings 6:34 nkjv
And the two doors were of cypress wood; two panels comprised one folding door, and two panels comprised the other folding door.
1 Kings 6:34 niv
He also made two doors out of juniper wood, each having two leaves that turned in sockets.
1 Kings 6:34 esv
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.
1 Kings 6:34 nlt
There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself.
1 Kings 6 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:10-22 | "You shall make an ark of acacia wood... And you shall make two cherubim..." | Gold and cherubim on Ark for God's presence. |
| Exo 26:31-33 | "You shall make a veil... of blue and purple and scarlet... with cherubim" | Veil separating Holy/Most Holy; cherubim theme. |
| Exo 30:30 | "And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them..." | Olive oil for anointing and sanctification. |
| Lev 16:2 | "...for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat." | Holiness of Most Holy Place, God's dwelling. |
| Num 7:89 | "when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with him, he heard the voice from between the two cherubim..." | God's voice from the cherubim over the Ark. |
| Gen 3:24 | "He drove out the man, and placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword..." | Cherubim as guardians of sacred space. |
| 1 Kgs 6:7 | "The house, when it was being built, was built of stone prepared..." | Emphasizes the quiet, meticulous building process. |
| 1 Kgs 6:21-22 | "So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold... the whole altar by the oracle..." | Temple's extensive gold overlay. |
| 1 Kgs 6:23-28 | "In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high." | Cherubim within the inner sanctuary. |
| 1 Kgs 7:49-50 | "the lamps of pure gold... and the hinges of gold..." | Temple furnishings extensively made of gold. |
| 2 Chr 3:15-16 | "Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty-five cubits high... And he made chains... and put them on the tops of the pillars..." | Pillars Jachin and Boaz at the temple entrance. |
| 2 Chr 3:10 | "In the most holy place he made two cherubim, of sculptured work..." | Similar description of inner cherubim. |
| Eze 1:4-28 | "As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man... an ox..." | Prophetic vision of cherubim's forms/glory. |
| Eze 10:1-22 | "This was the living creature that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar..." | Cherubim as carriers of God's throne/glory. |
| Ps 92:12 | "The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." | Palm tree as symbol of flourishing righteous. |
| Ps 96:6 | "Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." | Description of God's sanctuary as beautiful. |
| Is 60:13 | "The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary..." | Prophecy of future temple's adornment. |
| Hag 2:7 | "And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." | Future glory filling the house of God. |
| Heb 9:3-5 | "Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place... with cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat." | The earthly temple reflecting heavenly patterns. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way..." | Christ's blood provides direct access to God. |
| Rev 7:9 | "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number... holding palm branches in their hands." | Palm branches in heavenly worship, victory. |
| Rev 21:18-21 | "The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass... the twelve gates were twelve pearls..." | Description of New Jerusalem, abundance of gold and precious things. |
1 Kings 6 verses
1 Kings 6 34 Meaning
1 Kings 6:34 describes the main entrance to the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) of Solomon's Temple. These two double-folding doors were made of olive wood, richly carved with images of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. These detailed carvings were then entirely overlaid with gold, precisely fitted over the sculpted designs. This verse emphasizes the beauty, costliness, and spiritual symbolism of the temple's most sacred threshold.
1 Kings 6 34 Context
1 Kings chapter 6 details Solomon's construction of the first Temple in Jerusalem, emphasizing the meticulous architectural and decorative elements of God's dwelling place. Verse 34 specifically focuses on the ornate double doors leading into the Debir, or Most Holy Place (also called the oracle or inner sanctuary), where the Ark of the Covenant was housed. This innermost chamber was considered the very dwelling place of Yahweh. The entire chapter highlights the grandeur, precision, and immense resources devoted to the Temple, intended to reflect the holiness and majesty of the God of Israel. Historically, such elaborate detailing of sacred spaces was common in the Ancient Near East, but Israel's Temple distinguished itself by its focus on the unseen God and its symbolic imagery derived from Creation and covenant themes, rather than pagan deities.
1 Kings 6 34 Word analysis
- And the two doors: These refer to the large, folding doors (double-leaved) that sealed off the Holy of Holies. The "two" signifies their function as a paired entrance rather than a single panel. They represented a threshold of ultimate sanctity.
- were of olive tree: The wood was עֵץ שֶׁמֶן (
'ēṣ šemen), literally "wood of oil" or "oily wood," likely referring to the wild olive tree (oleaster). This wood was valued for its density, durability, and symbolic association with oil used for anointing, consecration, and the Holy Spirit (e.g., in Zechariah 4). Its presence here contributes to the sacredness and enduring nature of the inner sanctuary. - and he carved: The verb קָלַע (
qāla‘) signifies the skillful art of engraving or carving intricate designs. "He" refers to Solomon, through his commissioned craftsmen (such as Huram-abi mentioned in 1 Kgs 7:13-14), indicating royal patronage and the highest level of craftsmanship dedicated to God's house. - upon them carvings: This emphasizes the deliberate and extensive nature of the artistic work. It was not simple, but highly detailed and ornate, fitting for the divine dwelling.
- of cherubims: כְּרוּבִים (kərûvîm). These celestial beings frequently appear in the Bible guarding sacred spaces (Gen 3:24), as attendants to God's throne/chariot (Eze 1, 10), and integrated into Tabernacle/Temple designs (Exo 25:18-22). Their presence here signifies the sanctity of the Most Holy Place, representing the immediate presence of God, divine guardianship, and reflecting the heavenly realm on earth.
- and palm trees: תִּמֹרוֹת (timōrōt). Palm trees often symbolized victory, righteousness, prosperity, and the flourishing of God's people (Ps 92:12). Their stately, upright growth (like cedars) made them suitable for architectural decoration. They also appear in Ezekiel's temple vision and in depictions of the heavenly realm (Rev 7:9), potentially suggesting a return to Edenic beauty or a paradisiacal motif.
- and open flowers: פְּתוּחֵי צִיצִים (pəṭûḥê tsîtsîm), meaning "opened blossoms" or "spreading flowers." These represent beauty, life, flourishing, and perhaps the delicate yet vibrant artistry of creation. Their presence speaks to God's glory manifested in the natural world and the perfection inherent in His dwelling.
- and overlaid them with gold: The verb צָפָה (
ṣāp̄āh) means to cover, overlay, or plate. Gold (זָהָב, zahav) was the most precious and purest metal in the ancient world, associated with kingship, divinity, glory, and ultimate value. Overlaying with gold signified the immense value, purity, and divine presence within the sanctuary, ensuring that even the detailed carvings radiated the brilliance of God's holiness. It indicated a complete and lavish dedication. - fitted upon the carved work: This phrase emphasizes the precision and integrity of the craftsmanship. The gold was not simply applied but carefully formed and secured over every contour of the intricate carvings, making the doors appear to be made entirely of solid gold and reflecting a seamless fusion of artistry and precious material, symbolizing divine perfection.
1 Kings 6 34 Bonus section
The lavish decoration of Solomon's Temple, particularly with gold and natural motifs, mirrors patterns seen in God's presence and creation. The use of cherubim links the Temple to both the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24), suggesting a re-establishment of paradisiacal conditions in God's dwelling, and the mercy seat of the Ark (Exo 25:18-22), emphasizing the covenant and propitiatory presence of God. The overall artistic program within the Temple aimed to create an environment reflecting heavenly reality on earth, transforming the sacred space into a symbolic cosmos where humanity could encounter divine majesty. This earthly temple, however glorious, was but a shadow and a pattern of the true heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:5).
1 Kings 6 34 Commentary
1 Kings 6:34 provides a snapshot of the elaborate and symbolic design of the Most Holy Place's entrance, revealing profound theological implications. The olive wood, known for durability and symbolic of anointing, combined with the detailed carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, created a multi-layered symbolic representation. Cherubim marked it as a divine precinct, guarded and connected to the celestial realm. Palm trees and flowers evoke themes of righteousness, Edenic paradise, and the beauty of creation, perhaps foreshadowing God's perfected kingdom. The extensive gold overlay underscores the Temple's immense sanctity, divine glory, and the incalculable value of God's presence. Every element served not merely as decoration but as a pointer to the character of God and the nature of His dwelling: pure, holy, glorious, and heavenly-infused. These doors restricted access to all but the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, vividly portraying the sacred distance between a holy God and sinful humanity, a distance later bridged completely by Christ's sacrificial work (Heb 10:19-20).