1 Kings 6:5 kjv
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:
1 Kings 6:5 nkjv
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.
1 Kings 6:5 niv
Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.
1 Kings 6:5 esv
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.
1 Kings 6:5 nlt
He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building.
1 Kings 6 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:8 | And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. | God's desire for a dwelling place. |
| Exod 26:15 | And for the tabernacle you shall make the boards of acacia wood... | Tabernacle's structural elements (frames/boards). |
| Exod 26:36 | You shall make a screen for the door of the tent. | Entrances/screens defining spaces in Tabernacle. |
| Exod 27:9 | You shall also make the court of the tabernacle... | Outer courts surrounding sacred spaces. |
| Num 3:36 | The appointed charge of the sons of Merari was the boards of the tabernacle... | Levi's role in caring for the sacred structure. |
| Deut 12:5-7 | But to the place which the LORD your God will choose... | God choosing a centralized place for worship. |
| 1 Ki 6:4 | And for the house he made windows with splayed frames. | Preceding verse describing other architectural details. |
| 1 Ki 6:6 | The lowest story was five cubits wide... | Subsequent verse detailing chamber dimensions. |
| 1 Ki 6:10 | He built the stories against the whole house... | Reinforcement of side chamber attachment. |
| 1 Ki 7:51 | So all the work that King Solomon did for the house of the LORD was finished... | The completion of the Temple and its accessories. |
| 1 Chr 9:26 | For the four chief gatekeepers... were entrusted with the chambers... | Management of Temple chambers and treasuries. |
| 1 Chr 28:11-12 | Then David gave Solomon his son the plan for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat... | God-given detailed plans for the entire Temple. |
| Neh 10:38-39 | ...and the Levites shall bring the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers, into the storehouse. | Temple chambers used for storage of tithes. |
| Neh 13:4-5 | Now before this, Eliashib the priest... had prepared a room for Tobiah... | Misuse of Temple chambers by placing foreigners. |
| Ezek 40:7 | And each chamber was one rod long and one rod wide... | Ezekiel's visionary Temple's side chambers. |
| Ezek 41:5-7 | Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits thick, and the width of each side chamber, four cubits all around... | Further architectural details of side chambers in Ezekiel's vision. |
| Ezek 42:1-12 | Then he brought me out into the outer court... into the chambers which were opposite the separating wall... | Detailed description of priestly chambers in Ezekiel. |
| Mal 3:10 | Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house... | Call to bring offerings into God's house for provision. |
| John 2:19-21 | Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”... he was speaking of the temple of His body. | Christ as the new, ultimate Temple. |
| John 14:2 | In My Father’s house are many mansions [rooms]... | Metaphorical concept of many "rooms" in God's eternal dwelling. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are the temple of God...? | Believers as the dwelling place of God's Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 6:19 | Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit...? | Individual believer's body as the Holy Spirit's temple. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone... in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. | The Church as a spiritual building, a dwelling for God. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands... | Christ ministering in the true, heavenly Tabernacle. |
| Rev 21:22 | But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. | No physical temple needed in the New Jerusalem. |
1 Kings 6 verses
1 Kings 6 5 Meaning
The verse describes a foundational aspect of Solomon's Temple construction: the building of peripheral chambers directly integrated into the main structure, encompassing both the Holy Place (the Temple proper) and the Most Holy Place (the inner sanctuary or oracle). These "side chambers" or "stories" were an essential part of the Temple's functional design, extending around the sacred core to serve various practical needs related to worship and priestly service.
1 Kings 6 5 Context
First Kings chapter 6 describes the meticulous construction of Solomon's Temple, marking a pivotal moment in Israelite history. After David's desire to build God a "house" (2 Sam 7) and God's promise that David's son would accomplish it, Solomon embarks on this colossal undertaking, using Phoenician craftsmanship and materials. This verse (1 Ki 6:5) follows the initial description of the main dimensions and structure (1 Ki 6:1-4) and immediately precedes details about the dimensions and arrangement of these surrounding chambers (1 Ki 6:6-10). The Temple was divided into the heikal (Holy Place) and the devir (Holy of Holies), mirroring the Tabernacle's design. The detailed description here underscores the comprehensive nature of the divine blueprint passed from God through David to Solomon, indicating that every part of the structure, even the ancillary rooms, was specifically purposed. Historically, such ancillary rooms were common in ancient Near Eastern temples, providing storage for treasures, priestly vestments, provisions for sacrifices, and housing for priests or Levites. This verse confirms that Solomon’s Temple incorporated such practical yet divinely sanctioned structures, contrasting its ordered functionality with pagan shrines which might have less precise or less functionally integrated additional structures.
1 Kings 6 5 Word analysis
- And against the wall of the house: This phrase emphasizes the architectural method: the chambers were not freestanding but structurally integrated with the main temple walls. It implies direct attachment and perhaps even shared foundational elements. Hebrew for "wall" (קִיר - qir): refers to an external wall, indicating these chambers were built onto the exterior. Hebrew for "house" (בַּיִת - bayith): Here specifically refers to the main temple building, the dwelling place of God. Its use highlights that these side structures were extensions of this primary sacred edifice.
- he built (בָּנָה - banah) chambers (צְלָעוֹת - tsela'ot) all around: "built" (בָּנָה - banah): Signifies deliberate construction, highlighting the careful, planned effort in creating these ancillary structures, just as with the main edifice. "chambers" (צְלָעוֹת - tsela'ot): This is a key term. While often translated "chambers" or "side rooms," tsela'ot literally means "ribs" or "sides." This conveys that these rooms were built like "ribs" extending from the main body of the Temple, suggesting an organic, integrated relationship rather than separate annexes. They were integral wings or sections built along the sides.
- even around the walls of the house: This reiterates the placement, stressing the encirclement of the main building, providing a uniform architectural envelope. The repetition emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of these added structures.
- both of the temple (הֵיכָל - heikal) and of the inner sanctuary (דְּבִיר - devir): "temple" (הֵיכָל - heikal): Refers to the Holy Place, the larger, outer chamber of the sanctuary, where the menorah, table of showbread, and altar of incense were located. "inner sanctuary" (דְּבִיר - devir): Refers to the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber, where the Ark of the Covenant resided, accessible only to the High Priest once a year. The inclusion of both main sections indicates that the side chambers surrounded the entire sacred core of the Temple, from the Holy Place through to the Most Holy Place. This shows a holistic and encompassing design.
- and he made side chambers all around: This concluding phrase reaffirms the general architectural principle of encompassing rooms. It might slightly reiterate the concept, but perhaps with a nuance (such as "storied" or multiple levels), setting up the subsequent verses that detail their height and arrangement (1 Ki 6:6-10). The repetition emphasizes the deliberate and pervasive design choice. Some interpretations suggest this repetition highlights distinct types or levels of "side chambers," or simply underscores the comprehensiveness of their construction, covering the entire perimeter.
1 Kings 6 5 Bonus section
The "rib-like" (tsela'ot) nature of these chambers suggests that they were structurally interdependent with the main temple walls, perhaps even using a stepped-back or corbelled construction method to allow their beams to rest directly on ledges built into the main temple wall, as detailed in 1 Kings 6:6. This allowed the inner main temple walls to remain untouched and undrilled, preserving their sanctity and integrity. This sophisticated architectural detail further underlines the divine wisdom behind the Temple's design, which extended beyond the visible splendor to structural ingenuity, ensuring both stability and symbolic reverence.
1 Kings 6 5 Commentary
First Kings 6:5 reveals the highly ordered and functional design of Solomon's Temple, which was more than just a sacred box. The construction of integrated side chambers, explicitly noted as encircling both the main hall (Holy Place) and the innermost Holy of Holies, demonstrates the holistic and practical considerations alongside the divine spiritual purpose. These tsela'ot (rib-like structures) were integral to the Temple's operation, serving practical needs for priestly storage, administrative functions, and the safeguarding of sacred vessels and tithes, essential for the extensive daily worship. This systematic arrangement contrasts sharply with haphazard religious practices and highlights the divine demand for order, preparation, and distinction within His dwelling place, setting the stage for organized worship under His rule. The meticulous detail in the building, including these support chambers, reflects the character of God as a God of order and intention in every aspect of His creation and interaction with humanity.