1 Kings 6:36 kjv
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
1 Kings 6:36 nkjv
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.
1 Kings 6:36 niv
And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.
1 Kings 6:36 esv
He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.
1 Kings 6:36 nlt
The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone.
1 Kings 6 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 6:1 | In the four hundred and eightieth year...he began to build the house of the LORD. | Chronology of Temple building |
| 1 Ki 6:2 | The house that King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits, its breadth twenty, and its height thirty cubits. | Overall dimensions of the Temple itself |
| 1 Ki 6:7 | When the house was built, it was built of 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. | Silent construction method |
| 1 Ki 6:9 | So he built the house and finished it, and he roofed the house with rafters and beams of cedar. | Use of cedar in the main Temple building |
| 1 Ki 7:12 | The great court round about had three courses of hewn stone and a course of cedar beams, like the inner court of the house of the LORD, and the porch of the house. | Parallel description for the outer great court |
| 2 Chr 4:9 | He made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court... | Mentions the court of the priests |
| 2 Chr 3:5 | The main hall he lined with cypress wood, and covered it with fine gold and made palms and chains on it. | Other precious materials used |
| Exo 27:9 | You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits long for one side. | Tabernacle court construction for comparison |
| Exo 20:25 | If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you profane it. | Contrast with altar construction (unhewn stone) |
| Is 9:10 | The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with hewn stone; the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars. | Symbolic use of hewn stone and cedar (rebuilding) |
| Amos 5:11 | Therefore because you exact customs from the poor...you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them. | Social commentary on injustice and hewn stone |
| Ps 92:12 | The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. | Cedar symbolizing strength and thriving |
| Eze 40:47 | And he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad... | Detailed description of Temple courts (Ezekiel's vision) |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone... | Believers as living stones, Christ as cornerstone |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | Church as spiritual temple, living stones |
| 1 Cor 3:9 | For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. | Church as God's spiritual building |
| 1 Cor 3:12 | Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— | Types of building materials for spiritual work |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. | Believers' bodies as temple |
| Heb 9:1-2 | Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the first section...called the Holy Place... | Earthly sanctuary foreshadowing heavenly reality |
| Jn 2:19-21 | Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ...He was speaking about the temple of his body. | Christ as the ultimate Temple |
| 1 Tim 3:15 | ...the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. | The church as God's spiritual dwelling place |
| Hag 1:4 | Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? | Post-exilic focus on rebuilding God's house |
| Ezra 5:8 | To the king be it known that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is being laid in the walls... | Second Temple construction using similar materials |
1 Kings 6 verses
1 Kings 6 36 Meaning
This verse describes a specific detail of King Solomon's construction of the inner court surrounding the Temple of the Lord. It specifies that the walls of this sacred enclosure were built with three courses or layers of carefully shaped and cut stones, topped or interspersed with a distinct course made of expensive and durable cedar wood beams. This construction highlights the meticulous craftsmanship, costly materials, and hierarchical design reflecting the sanctity of the area closest to God's dwelling place.
1 Kings 6 36 Context
First Kings chapter 6 details King Solomon's grand construction of the Temple in Jerusalem for the Lord. This undertaking fulfilled a long-held desire of his father, David, to build a permanent dwelling place for God's presence among His people (2 Sam 7). The chapter meticulously describes the Temple's dimensions, materials, and internal design, including the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Verse 36 specifically describes the construction of the inner court, also known as the priests' court, which was the sacred enclosure immediately surrounding the Temple building. This court marked a distinct boundary, allowing access only to priests for their service, differentiating it from the larger outer courts accessible to all Israelites. The detailed mention of specific materials and their arrangement reflects the extraordinary effort, cost, and sanctity associated with the entire Temple complex. The use of precisely cut stones and imported cedar underscored the building's permanence and beauty, befitting a dwelling place for the Most High God.
1 Kings 6 36 Word analysis
- And he built: (Hebrew: וַיִּבֶן, vayyiven) - The Hebrew verb "banah" (to build) in its consecutive imperfect form highlights the continuous, purposeful action by Solomon (through his builders and extensive workforce). It denotes a deliberate and established construction project of immense scale and significance.
- the inner court: (Hebrew: אֶת־הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית, et-hechatser happenimith) - "Chatser" refers to an enclosure or courtyard. "P'nimith" means inner, inside. This distinct "inner court" (also called the priests' court in 2 Chr 4:9) signifies proximity to the Holy Place, reflecting a higher degree of sanctity and restricted access. It demarcated sacred space for priestly functions directly related to Temple service.
- with three rows: (Hebrew: שְׁלֹשָׁה טוּרִים, sh'loshah turim) - "Turim" are courses or layers. The number "three" here primarily denotes a specific structural arrangement rather than a mystical theological meaning. It refers to the physical layers of material forming the wall's structure.
- of hewn stones: (Hebrew: גָּזִית, gazith) - This term signifies precisely cut, dressed, or ashlar stones. Unlike crude, natural stones (often used for altars, Exo 20:25), "gazith" implies professional quarrying, shaping, and fitting. This highlights the high quality, expense, and skilled craftsmanship employed in building God's house, symbolizing excellence and permanence.
- and a row: (Hebrew: וְטוּר אֶחָד, v'tur echad) - This denotes a single course or layer, distinct from the three stone layers.
- of cedar beams: (Hebrew: חֲרֻתֹת אֲרָזִים, kharutot arazim) - "Arazim" is the plural for cedars (specifically, Cedars of Lebanon). "Kharutot" means planks, slabs, or beams, possibly implying that they were cut or even carved. Cedar was the most esteemed building timber in the ancient Near East, known for its strength, durability, aromatic quality, and resistance to decay. Its import from Lebanon made it exceptionally valuable. Its inclusion points to the Temple's lavish and durable construction.
Words-group by words-group analysis: