1 Kings 6-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 6

Great and long preparation had been making for the building of the temple, and here, at length, comes an account of the building of it; a noble piece of work it was, one of the wonders of the world, and taking in its spiritual significancy, one of the glories of the church. Here is, I. The time when it was built (1 Kgs. 6:1), and how long it was in the building, 1 Kgs. 6:37, 38. II. The silence with which it was build, 1 Kgs. 6:7. III. The dimensions of it, 1 Kgs. 6:2, 3. IV. The message God... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 6:1-10

Here, I. The temple is called the house of the Lord (1 Kgs. 6:1), because it was, 1. Directed and modelled by him. Infinite Wisdom was the architect, and gave David the plan or pattern by the Spirit, not by word of mouth only, but, for the greater certainty and exactness, in writing (1 Chron. 28:11, 12), as he had given to Moses in the mouth a draught of the tabernacle. 2. Dedicated and devoted to him and to his honour, to be employed in his service, so his as never any other house was, for he... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 6:11-14

Here is, I. The word God sent to Solomon, when he was engaged in building the temple. God let him know that he took notice of what he was doing, the house he was now building, 1 Kgs. 6:12. None employ themselves for God without having his eye upon them. ?I know thy works, thy good works.? He assured him that if he would proceed and persevere in obedience to the divine law, and keep in the way of duty and the true worship of God, the divine loving-kindness should be drawn out both to himself (I... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 6:15-38

Here, I. We have a particular account of the details of the building. 1. The wainscot of the temple. It was of cedar (1 Kgs. 6:15), which was strong and durable, and of a very sweet smell. The wainscot was curiously carved with knops (like eggs or apples) and flowers, no doubt as the fashion then was, 1 Kgs. 6:18. 2. The gilding. It was not like ours, washed over, but the whole house, all the inside of the temple (1 Kgs. 6:22), even the floor (1 Kgs. 6:30), he overlaid with gold, and the most... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 6 This chapter gives an account of the building of the temple, for which preparations were before made and begins with the time of its building, 1 Kings 6:1 ; gives the dimensions of it and the porch before it, 1 Kings 6:2 ; observes the windows in it and chambers about it, 1 Kings 6:4 ; and while it was building, Solomon had a word from the Lord relative to it, 1 Kings 6:11 ; and then the account goes on concerning the walls of the house, and the flooring... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6:1

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 ,.... The Tyrian writers F11 Apud Theophil. ad Autolyc. l. 3. p. 131. make it five hundred sixty years from hence; but this no doubt is tightest, which Junius reckons thus; forty years Israel were in the wilderness, seventeen under Joshua, two hundred ninety nine under the judges, eighty under Eli, Samuel, and Saul, forty under David, add to which the four years of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6:2

And the house which King Solomon built for the Lord ,.... For his worship, honour, and glory: the length thereof was threescore cubits ; sixty cubits from east to west, including the holy place and the most holy place; the holy place was forty cubits, and the most holy place twenty; the same measure, as to length, Eupolemus, an Heathen writer F14 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 34. , gives of the temple, but is mistaken in the other measures: and the breadth thereof... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6:3

And the porch before the temple of the house ,.... Which stood at the east end of it: twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house ; which was from north to south, and of the same dimension, so that they exactly answered each other: and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house ; which being added to it, make the whole of the building, most holy place, holy place, and porch, seventy cubits; the height of the porch is not here given, but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6:4

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. Or "open, shut" F15 אטמים שקפים "apertas clausas", Vatablus; "perspectui accommodas, clausas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , which could be both, having shutters to them, to open or shut at pleasure; windows which they could open, and look through at them, or shut when they pleased; the Targum is, "open within, and shut without;' or, as others understand it, they were wide within, and narrow without; by being narrow... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 6:5

And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about ,.... Or near it, as Jarchi interprets it, for the beams of them were not fastened in in it, 1 Kings 6:6 ; or rather "upon" it F16 על קיר "super parietem", V. L. Montanus. ; and when they are said to be round about the house, it must be understood of the two sides, north and south, and of the west end only, for at the east end, where the porch was, there were none: against the walls of the house round about, ... read more

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