1KI 6

1 Kings 6:18

WEB

There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers. All was cedar. No stone was visible.

BSB

The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen.

KJV

And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.

Matthew Henry

Verses 15–38

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 (Kg1 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, Kg1 6:18.

2. The gilding. It was not like ours, washed over, but the whole house, all the inside of the temple (Kg1 6:22), even the floor (Kg1 6:30), he overlaid with gold, and the most holy place with pure gold, Kg1 6:21. Solomon would spare no expense necessary to make it every way sumptuous. Gold was under foot there, as it should be in all the living temples: the abundance of it lessened its worth.

3. The oracle, or speaking-place (for so the word signifies), the holy of holies, so called because thence God spoke to Moses, and perhaps to the high priest, when he consulted with the breast-plate of judgment. In this place the ark of the covenant was to be set, Kg1 6:19. Solomon made every thing new, and more magnificent than it had been, except the ark, which was still the same that Moses made, with its mercy-seat and cherubim; that was the token of God's presence, which is always the same with his people whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with their condition.

4. The cherubim. Besides those at the ends of the mercy-seat, which covered the ark, (1.) Solomon set up two more, very large ones, images of young men (as some think), with wings made of olive-wood, and all overlaid with gold, Kg1 6:23, etc. This most holy place was much larger than that in the tabernacle, and therefore the ark would have seemed lost in it, and the dead wall would have been unsightly, if it had not been thus adorned. (2.) He carved cherubim upon all the walls of the house, Kg1 6:29. The heathen set up images of their gods and worshipped them; but these were designed to represent the servants and attendants of the God of Israel, the holy angels, not to be themselves worshipped (see thou do it not), but to show how great he is whom we are to worship.

5. The doors. The folding doors that led into the oracle were but a fifth part of the wall (Kg1 6:31), those into the temple were a fourth part (Kg1 6:33); but both were beautified with cherubim engraven on them, Kg1 6:32, Kg1 6:35.

6. The inner court, in which the brazen altar was at which the priests ministered. This was separated from the court where the people were by a low wall, three rows of hewn stone tipped with a cornice of cedar (Kg1 6:36), that over it the people might see what was done and hear what the priests said to them; for, even under that dispensation, they were not kept wholly either in the dark or at a distance.

7. The time spent in this building. It was but seven years and a half from the founding to the finishing of it, Kg1 6:38. Considering the vastness and elegance of the building, and the many appurtenances to it which were necessary to fit it for use, it was soon done. Solomon was in earnest in it, had money enough, had nothing to divert him from it, and many hands made quick work. He finished it (as the margin reads it) with all the appurtenances thereof, and with all the ordinances thereof, not only built the place, but set forward the work for which it was built.

II. Let us now see what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true temple; he himself spoke of the temple of his body, Joh 2:21. God himself prepared him his body, Heb 10:5. In him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead, as the Shechinah in the temple. In him meet all God's spiritual Israel. Through him we have access with confidence to God. All the angels of God, those blessed cherubim, have a charge to worship him. 2. Every believer is a living temple, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, Co1 3:16. Even the body is such by virtue of its union with the soul, Co1 6:19. We are not only wonderfully made by the divine providence, but more wonderfully made anew by the divine grace. This living temple is built upon Christ as its foundation and will be perfected in due time. 3. The gospel church is the mystical temple; it grows to a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 2:21), enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, as Solomon's temple with gold and precious stones. Only Jews built the tabernacle, but Gentiles joined with them in building the temple. Even strangers and foreigners are built up a habitation of God, Eph 2:19, Eph 2:22. The temple was divided into the holy place and the most holy, the courts of it into the outer and inner; so there are the visible and the invisible church. The door into the temple was wider than that into the oracle. Many enter into profession that come short of salvation. This temple is built firm, upon a rock, not to be taken down as the tabernacle of the Old Testament was. The temple was long in preparing, but was built at last. The top-stone of the gospel church will, at length, be brought forth with shoutings, and it is a pity that there should be the clashing of axes and hammers in the building of it. Angels are ministering spirits, attending the church on all sides and all the members of it. 4. Heaven is the everlasting temple. There the church will be fixed, and no longer movable. The streets of the new Jerusalem, in allusion to the flooring of the temple, are said to be of pure gold, Rev 21:21. The cherubim there always attend the throne of glory. The temple was uniform, and in heaven there is the perfection of beauty and harmony. In Solomon's temple there was no noise of axes and hammers. Every thing is quiet and serene in heaven; all that shall be stones in that building must in the present sate of probation and preparation be fitted and made ready for it, must be hewn and squared by divine grace, and so made meet for a place there.

Cross-references: 1Kgs 6:15 · 1Kgs 6:18 · 1Kgs 6:22 · 1Kgs 6:30 · 1Kgs 6:21 · 1Kgs 6:19 · 1Kgs 6:23 · 1Kgs 6:29 · 1Kgs 6:31 · 1Kgs 6:33 · 1Kgs 6:32 · 1Kgs 6:35 · 1Kgs 6:36 · 1Kgs 6:38 · John 2:21 · Heb 10:5 · 1Cor 3:16 · 1Cor 6:19 · Eph 2:21 · Eph 2:19 · Eph 2:22 · Rev 21:21

Hebrew interlinear

H730

אֶרֶזʼerez/eh-rez'/

n-m — cedar

Derivation: from 729;

a cedar tree (from the tenacity of its roots)

KJV: cedar (tree).

אֶ֫רֶז

n.m — cedar

אֶ֫רֶז n.m. cedar

1. cedar-tree

2. cedar-timber, cedar-wood for building

3. cedar-wood used in purification

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H1004

בַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/

n-m — a house

Derivation: probably from 1129 abbreviated;

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

KJV: court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).

בֵּית

prep — between

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

בַּ֫יִת

n.m — house

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

1. house

2. place

3. receptacle

4. of house as containing a family

5. household, family (592 t.)

6. house, including household affairs

7. lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

8. מִבַּיִת

a. adv. on the inside

b. prep. within

H6441

פְּנִימָהpᵉnîymâh/pen-ee'-maw/

adv — faceward, indoors

Derivation: from 6440 with directive enclitic;

faceward, i.e. indoors

KJV: (with-) in(-ner part, -ward).

פְּנִ֫ימָה

adv — faceward

פְּנִ֫ימָה adv.

1. toward the (in-) side

2. within (lit. faceward, fr. the point of view of one entering by opposite door)

H4734

מִקְלַעַתmiqlaʻath/mik-lah'-ath/

n-f — sculpture

Derivation: from 7049;

a sculpture (probably in bas-relief)

KJV: carved (figure), carving, graving.

מִקְלַ֫עַת

n.f — carving

מִקְלַ֫עַת n.f. carving

H6497

פֶּקַעpeqaʻ/peh'-kah/

n-m — semi-globe

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to burst; only used as an architectural term of an ornament similar to 6498,

a semi-globe

KJV: knop.

פֶּקָעִים

n.m — ball-

פֶּקָעִים n.m. pl. carved wood or metal ornaments, either ball-, knob-shaped or gourd-shaped

H6358

פָּטוּרpâṭûwr/paw-toor'/

a — opened, a bud

Derivation: passive participle of 6362;

opened, i.e. (as noun) a bud

KJV: open.

פָּטַר

vb — separate

פָּטַר vb. separate, remove, set free

Qal

1. intrans. remove oneself, specif. escape

2. trans. set free

Hiph. they separated with the lip, i.e. open mouth wide (insultingly).

H6731

צִיץtsîyts/tseets/

n-m — glistening, plate, flower, bright, wing, gleaming

Derivation: or צִץ; from 6692;

properly, glistening, i.e. a burnished plate; also a flower (as bright colored); a wing (as gleaming in the air)

KJV: blossom, flower, plate, wing.

צִיץ

n.m — blossom

צִיץ n.m. 1. blossom, flower. 2. shining thing

צִיץ

n.[m.] — wings

צִיץ n.[m.] meaning dubious; only in Je 48:9 usu. wings

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H369

אַיִןʼayin/ah'-yin/

np — nonentity

Derivation: as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist;

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

אַ֫יִן

subst — nothing

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

1. to nothing, as nothing

2. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

3. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

4. in circumst. clauses

5. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to

6. with prefixes

H68

אֶבֶןʼeben/eh'-ben/

n-f — stone

Derivation: from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build;

a stone

KJV: carbuncle, mason, plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).

אֶ֫בֶן

n.f — stone

אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone

1. in natural state

2. stone, as material

3. precious stone, gen. with modifying word

4. stone containing metal, = ore

5. a weight, as orig. stone

6. plummet

7. objects like stone

8. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water

9. In topogr. terms

H7200

רָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/

v — see

Derivation: a primitive root;

to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

KJV: advise self, appear, approve, behold, × certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, × indeed, × joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, × be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), × sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, × surely, × think, view, visions.

רָאָה

vb — see

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

1.

a. see, subj.

b. see, c. acc. rei

2. see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

3. see, so as to learn to know

4. abs. see, have (power of) vision

5. see = perceive

6. look at, see, by direct volition

7. of mental observation

8.

a. c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

b. see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

1. appear

2. be seen

3. be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

1.

a. cause one to see something, shew

b. cause to experience something

2. cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

1. be caused to see, be shewn

2. be exhibited to

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