1 Kings 6

AND it came to pass in the four hundred and fourscore year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt This Chronological difficulty, is too vast and comprehensive to be fully discussed here, or to be determined by Unlearned Readers: and for the Learned, I refer them to what is largely digested in my Latine Synopsis upon this place. It may suffice at present to suggest these particulars, 1. That Israels coming out of Egypt is variously understood in Scripture, and with some latitude, so as not only to note the time when first they came out of Egypt, but the time of their being in, or coming out of the Wilderness; as is manifest from Deut. 4. 45. where the Words in the Hebrew are not after, &c. as we translate it, but in their coming forth out of Egypt: And Psal. 114. 1, 2, 3. When Israel came forth, &c. Heb. in their coming forth, &c. And it is not impossible it may be so understood here; after they were come out, &c. to wit, compleatly; i. e. towards the end of their Expedition out of Egypt into Canaan. Nor does the difference between the Hebrew Praepositions, Lamed and Beth, which a Learned Man objects, hinder this sense; for as Beth signifies (as he says) after; so also does Lamed, Gen. 7. 4, 10. Numb. 33. 38. 2. That whereas the times of the Judges do chiefly cause this difficulty, there are many things which will relieve us therein; as, 1. That divers of the years there mentioned belong to one and the same time, as is evident from Iairs 22 years, within which fell out, as divers Learned Chronologers agree, the 18 years of the Oppression of the Ammonites, and several years of the Philistine Tyranny, who oppressed Israel in the West, whilest the Ammonites vexed them in the East: and the like might be observed in other cases. 2. That the years of Rest are not necessarily to be understood of so many distinct years, besides those of War, and Servitude; and those words which are generally rendred, the land had rest forty, or eighty years, or the like; may be thus rendred, and that very agreeable to the Hebrew, The land had rest, or began to rest, or recovered its rest, in the fortieth, or in the eightieth (the Cardinal Numbers being frequently put for the Ordinal, especially where the Number exceeds Ten) year, to be computed from some remarkable time; and so that Phrase does not note how long time, or till what time the Rest continued, but at what time it began. As for instance, in Iudg. 3. 11. the land had rest, not forty years, as it is in our Translation, but in the fortieth year; to wit, from, and after their first Rest in, or quiet Possession of, the Land of Canaan, which Ioshua gave them; which time may very probably he made up of the days of Ioshua, after he had setled them in a state of Rest; and of the elders that out-lived him; Iudg. 2. 7. and the time of their Corruption after the Death of those Elders; and the Eight years of Servitude under the King of Mesopotamia. So Iudg. 3. 30. The land had rest in the eightieth year; to wit, from, and after the rest which Othoniel obtained for them, ver. 11. And Iudg. 5. 31. It rested in the fortieth year; to wit, after that Rest got by Ehud, Iudg. 3. 30. And Iudg. 8. 28. It rested in the fortieth year; to wit, from the last Rest got by Deborah. And thus the computation of Years is more plain and certain, being thus made from Rest to Rest, than theirs that proceed the other way. And this is the more considerable, because it was the Opinion of that famously Learned and Pious Bishop of Armagh. All which considered, it will be very easie to contain all the parts and passages of Sacred Story, from the coming out of Egypt, to this time, within the compass of 480 Years of the several parcels whereof, See my Latine Synopsis. And as for other Scriptures, which some conceit to be contradictory to this, I shall by God's help Vintlicate them in their several places., in the fourth year of Solomons reign His three first Years being spent, partly, in settling the Affairs of his Kingdome; without which, neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical Concerns could have any Consistency; and partly, in making necessary Preparations for the Work. over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to b... ild For so it is expressed, 2 Chron. 3 1. And so it is explained here below, ver. 37. The foundation of the house was laid: though in the Hebrew it be only, he built. Thus active words are oft understood of the beginning of the Action, as Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. the house of the LORD.

And the house Properly so called, as distinct from all the Walls and Buildings which were adjoyning to it; to wit, the Holy, and Most Holy Place. which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof From East, and to West. And this, and the other Measures may seem to belong to the inside from Wall to Wall. was threescore cubits Cubits of the Sanctuary; of which, See on Gen. 6. 15., and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof To wit, of the House: for the Porch was 120 Cubits high, 2 Chron. 3. 4. So that all the measures compared each with other, were harmonious. For 60 to 20. (the length to the breadth) is triple: or as 3 to 1: And 60 to 30 (the length to the height) is double, or as 2 to 1: And 30 to 20 (the heighth to the breadth) is Sesquialter, or one and a half, as 3 to 2. Which are the Proportions answering to the Three great Concords in Musick, commonly called, a Twelfth, an Eighth, and a Fifth. Which therefore must needs be a graceful Proportion to the Eye, as that in Musick is graceful to the Ear. thirty cubits.

And the porch before the temple of the house In the Front of, or Entrance into the house, 2 Chron. 3. 4. Being a Peristilium or Portico, a Walk or Gallery, at one end of the Building (from side to side.) And the measures of this were Harmonious also. For 20 to 10 (the length of the Portico to the breadth of it) is double, or as 2 to 1. And, if the height within, be the same with that of the House, that is 30; it will be to the length of it, as 3 to 2; and to its breadth, as 3 to 1. Or, if we take in the whole height mentioned 2 Chron. 3. 4. which is a 120; there is in this no disproportion (being to its length as 6 to 1; and to its breadth as 12 to 1; especially when this height conveniently divided into several Galleries, one over another, each of which had their due Proportions., twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

And for the house, he made windows of narrow lights Narrow outward, to prevent the inconveniencies of the Weather; widening by degrees inward, that so the House might better receive, and more disperse the Light. Or, for prospect, i. e. to give light; yet shut, i. e. so far closed as to keep out Weather, and let in Light..

¶ And against the wall Or, upon it; or, joyning to it: for the Beams of the Chambers were not fastned into the Wall, but leaned upon the Buttresses of the Wall. of the house he built chambers For the laying the Priests Garments, and other Utensils belonging to the Temple, or to the Worship of God, therein; See 2 King. 11. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 12. Ezek. 42. 13, 14. round about, against the walls of the house round about Not simply, for there were none on the East-side; and it may seem, that there were some spaces left for the Windows, which being narrow outwardly, little spaces would suffice; but in a manner, i. e. on all the sides except the East, where the Porch was; and except some very small passages for the Light. And yet these Lights might be in the Five uppermost Cubits of the Wall, which were above all these Chambers, for these were only 15 Cubits high, and the Wall was 20 Cubits high., both of the temple, and of the oracle: and he made chambers Heb. Ribs; i. e. Either, other Chambers above, and besides the former: or rather, long Galleries which encompassed all the Chambers, as the Ribs do Mans Body; and which were necessary for passage to all the several Chambers. round about.

The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad To wit, on the inside, and besides the Galleries mentioned above., and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests Or, narrowings: as in our Buildings the Walls of an House are thicker, or broader at the bottom, and narrower towards the top: only these Narrowings were in the outside of the Wall, which at each of the Three Stories was a Cubit narrower than that beneath it. And this is mentioned, as the reason of the differing breadth of the Chambers; because the Wall being narrower, allowed more space for the upper Chambers. round about, that the beams should not be fastned in the walls of the house That there might be no holes made in the Wall for the fastening of them; and that the Chambers might be removed, if occasion were, without any inconvenience to the House..

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone, made ready Hewed, and Squared, and fitted exactly according to the direction of the Architect. before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer, nor ax, nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building So it was ordered, partly for the ease and conveniency of Carriage: partly, for the Magnificence of the Work, and Commendation of the Workmens skill and diligence: and partly, for Mystical Signification. And as this Temple was a manifest Type both of Christs Church upon Earth, and of the Heavenly Ierusalem: so this Circumstance signified as to the former, That it is the duty of the Builders and Members of the Church, as far as in them lies, to take care that all things be transacted there with perfect peace and quietness; and that no noise of Contention, or Division, or Violence, be heard in that Sacred Building: and for the latter, that no Spiritual Stone, no Person, shall bear a part in that Heavenly Temple, unless he be first hewed, and squared, and made meet for it in this Life..

The door for the middle chamber i. e. By which they entred to go up to the middle Chamber or Chambers; to wit, such as were in the middle Story. was in the right side i. e. In the South-side, called the right-side here, and in the Hebrew Text, Psal. 89. 12. and in other Authors; because when a man looks towards the East, or Sun-rising, which is esteemed the most Glorious part of the Heavens, and to which Men most frequently look for divers reasons; the South is on his right-hand. Whereby it is implyed, That there was another Door on the left, or the North-side, leading to the Chambers on that side; though for brevity sake it be not mentioned here. of the house: and they went up with winding stairs Which were either, 1. Within the thickness of the Temple-wall, as many think, which is not probable, as tending to the great weakning of the Wall; especially in the upper parts, where the Wall was much narrower. And if such care was taken to preserve the Walls intire and unbroken, that there might not be small holes made into it for the fastning of the Beams of the Chambers, ver. 6. it seems very absurd and incredible, that there should be made such great breaches within them, as the Stairs would require. Or rather, 2. Without the Wall, and without the Chambers too, as leading up to the Gallery out of which they went into the several Chambers. into the middle chamber Or rather, into the middle Story, or row of Chambers; and so in the following words, out of the middle Story: for these Stairs could not lead up into each of the Chambers; nor was it needful, or convenient it should do so, but only into the Story, which was sufficient for the use of all the Chambers., and out of the middle into the third.

So he built the house, and finished it i; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar Or, the house, i. e. the top of the House: for the like is said of the sides, and bottom; ver. 15. even the beams and boards; (or, the vault-beams, and the cielings; the Arched Beams and Boards wherewith the top of the House was covered, which was made of other Wood, which was more playable than Cedar, and would better endure bowing and bending) with Cedars.. z To wit, the Bulk, and the Body of the House.

And then he built chambers against all the house Which Interpreters understand of those Chambers described ver. 5, 6. But why should that be repeated again, and that so darkly and confusedly, after he had particularly and exactly treated of them? (unless to give an account of the height of each Chamber, or Story, which before was not done.) And the Hebrew words may be truly and properly rendred thus, He built a roof, (to wit, a flat and plain Roof, called Yatziah, because of the exact resemblance it has with the Floor of an House) over all the house, according to the manner of all the Israelitish Buildings, which were flat at the top; of which, See Deut. 22. 8. Iosh. 2. 6. 2 Sam. 11. 2. The inner Roof was Arched, ver. 9. that it might be more beautiful and glorious to behold; but the outward Roof was flat., five cubits high Above the Walls of the Temple; which was necessary, that it might be a little higher than the Arched Roof, which it was designed to cover and secure.: and they rested Heb. it rested, to wit, the Roof: for the Hebrew Verb is of the singular Number. on the house with timber of cedar Which rested upon the top of the Wall, as the Chambers, ver. 5, 6. rested upon the sides of the Wall. But all this I submit to the Learned and Judicious..

¶ And the word of the LORD came to Solomon Either by some Prophet, or rather in a Vision or Dream, as it did before., saying,

Concerning this house which thou art in building God speaks thus, partly to encourage him to proceed in his Work; and partly, to purge out that Pride and Vainglory, (which God, the searcher of hearts, saw either then did, or would arise in Solomon's Mind, as being the Author and Builder of so glorious a Work:) and that Presumption and Security which was very likely to grow, and God foresaw would grow both in Solomon, and in the People; as if God was now in a manner engaged to continue his Presence with them, and in his own Temple; and that they had now no great reason to fear God's departure from them, though they should provoke him. Therefore he expresseth the Condition upon which his Promise and Favour is suspended; and by assuring him thereof in case of Obedience, he plainly intimates the contrary, upon his Disobedience., if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them: then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father.

And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor Or rather, from the floor, as it is in the Hebrew: for the floor it self was not covered with Cedar, but with fir, as it here follows. of the house, and the walls of the cieling Or rather, as it is in the Hebrew, unto the walls of the cieling, or of the roof; i. e. unto the top of the Wall, which was even with the Roof: for the Roof it self was not of Stone, but Wood. Or, unto the walls of the cieling, i. e. unto the Cieling it self; which performing the office of a Wall, may well be called by that name. For the name of a wall is not appropriated to Stone or Brick, because we read of a Brazen wall, Ier. 15. 20. and a wall of Iron, Ezek. 4. 3. And that wall into which Saul smote his javelin, 1 Sam. 19. 10. seems more probably to be understood of Wood, than of Stone; especially, considering that it was the Room where the King used to dine. So by this Periphrasis, from the floor of the house, unto the walls of the cieling, he disigns all the side-walls of the house., and he covered them To wit, the side-walls of the House, now mentioned. on the inside with wood i. e. With other kind of Wood, even with Fir; as appears from 2 Chron. 3. 5. wherewith the Floor is here said to be covered; and this... s here spoken only concerning the Floor, because there was nothing but Planks of Fir; whereas there was both Cedar and Fir in the sides of the House, the Fir being either put above, or upon the Cedar; or, intermixed with, or put between the boards or ribs of Cedar: as may be gathered from the said Parallel place, 2 Chron. 3. 5., and covered the floor of the house m with planks of fir.

And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house i. e. The Most Holy Place, which contained in the Length of the House twenty Cubits, by comp. this with ver. 2. and ver. 17. which may be said to be on the sides of the house, because this part took off 20 Cubits in length from each side of the House, and was also 20 Cubits from side to side, so it was 20 Cubits every way; or on the sides, (i. e. on all the sides, as indeed it was) of the house, or of that house; to wit, The most holy place, as it here follows. Or, from the sides of the house; i. e. from one side to the other. And so this is meant only of the Partition Wall, which was between the Holy and the Most Holy Place. both the floor and the walls Or rather, as ver. 15. from the floor to the wall, or cieling, or roof. So it is not necessary, at least by virtue of these words, to understand this, as they generally do, That the Floor it self was built with Cedar; but only all the sides of it from the bottom 20 Cubits upward. If it be said, that the whole House, and consequently the Most Holy Place, was 30 Cubits high, ver. 2. it may be replied, either, That that is true only of the greater House, or the Holy Place, which is called the house, ver. 17. and that the lesse..., or the Most holy Place, was but 20 Cubits high, as divers think; or that the ten cubits at the top, were covered with some other Wood or thing; or were left open, that it might thereby receive both Light from the Candlesticks, and Smoke from the Altar of Incense. with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the ‡ most holy place i. e. That it might be the Oracle, or, the most holy place. Or, on the inner side (whereby the might imply, that the outside of the Partition Wall which looked towards the Holy Place, was not so covered.) Of (for the Hebrew Lamed is very oft a note of the Genitive Case) the Oracle, even of the most holy place: which last words are added, to explain what he means by the word Oracle, which he had not used before..

And the house i. e. The Holy Place., that is, the temple This is added, to restrain the signification of the Word house, which otherwise notes the whole Building. before it i. e. Before the Oracle. Or, as it is in the Hebrew, before my face; i. e. before the place of my Presence. Or, it may be said to be before God, because he being pleased to describe himself as sitting upon the Cherubims, has his face towards this house, where he beholds the services of his People. So this part of the House distinct from the Most Holy, has its harmonious proportions also. The Length 40, to the Height 30, is Sesquitertian, or 4 to 3; (which is that of a Fourth in Musick:) The Length to the Breadth, 40 to 20; as 2 to 1: the Height to the Breadth, 30 to 20, as 3 to 2., was forty cubits long.

And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops, and open flowers, all was cedar i. e. All the House was covered with Cedar. Quest. How was this true, when it was covered with Fir, 2 Chron. 3. 5? Answ. 1. It was done both with Cedar and Fir: of which see on ver. 15. 2. It may be said to be all cedar, because the greatest part was so, Universal Particles being oft so used. 3. Cedar is here named, not to exclude all other Wood, but Stone only; as the following Words show. 4. Or, all was of Cedar; that is, all the Carving was of Cedar., there was no stone seen.

And the oracle he prepared i. e. Adorned and fitted it for the Receit of the Ark. in the house Heb. In the middle of the house, or building; not the middle Mathematically or exactly, but in general within the House, as that Phrase, in the middle, oft signifies; as Deut. 4. 11. Iosh. 7. 21. Dan. 3. 26. within Or, in the innermost part of the House; for so this was, the entrance into the House being at the other end., to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

And the oracle in the forepart Or rather, which was in the inner part, to wit of the House, called here in Hebrew the fore-part; not because a man first enters there, but because when a man is entring, or newly entred into the House, it is still before him. Thus the same or the like Word proceeding from the same Root, is oft used, as Levit. 10. 18. 1 King. 6. 19, 29, 30, 36. 1 Chron. 28. 11. was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof Object. The great House was 30 Cubits high, above, ver. 2. Answ. It is probably Affirmed by divers, That the Most Holy Place was not so high as the Holy Place, by ten Cubits: which was no way inconvenient, nor against the Rules of Proportion observed in Buildings. And as the second part of the Building was far lower than the first, which was the Porch; so the third part might be considerably lower than the second. And it might be lower either, 1. Outwardly, or in respect of the Walls of it, which might be only 20 Cubits high, and at that height covered with a Flat Roof; it being but decent that that eminently Holy Place should be distinguished from the less Holy, even by its outward and visible shape. Or, 2. Inwardly, or within the Walls of that part. For although this part might be Vaulted at the top, as the Holy Place was, which Vaulted Roof some think was Ten Cubits high; yet here might be the difference, That the Vaulted Roof of the Holy Place lay open to view; whereas that of the Most Holy was covered with a Flat Roof from Wall to Wall, at the height of 20 Cubits.: and he overlaid it with pure gold, and so i. e. VVith Gold, Chap. 7. 48. 1 Chron. 28. 18. covered the altar To wit, The Altar of Incense, which was put next to the Most Holy Place, ver. 22. which was of cedar Object. This Altar was made of Shittim Wood, Exod. 30. 1. Answ. Either that was covered with Cedar, that it might be agreeable to the rest, all being Cedar, as was said, ver. 18. Or this was a new Altar which Solomon made by Divine Command and Direction, delivered to him, either immediately, or by his Father: of which, See 1 Chron. 28. 12, &c. But this place may seem to be better Translated thus, and he covered the altar with Cedar, either to make it like the rest; or because this was a new Altar made of Stone, and therefore sit to be covered with Cedar, that it might better receive and retain the Gold wherewith this Cedar was over-laid, ver. 22..

So Solomon overlaid the house Or, that house, to wit, the Oracle. within with pure gold Compare 2 Chron 3. 8.: and he made a partition by the chains of gold i. e. He made a Veil, which was upon, or before the Partition; or which was a further Partition between the Holy, and the Most Holy; which Veil did hang upon these Golden Chains. Others render it thus, he closed or shut (as the Word signifies in the Chaldee Dialect, from which divers Hebrew Words borrow their signification) it (i. e. the House now mentioned; to wit, the door of it) with chains or bars of gold. before the oracle i. e. In the outward part of the Wall, or Partition, which was Erected between the Oracle and the Holy Place; which is properly said to be before the Oracle, which was the space within, and beyond that Partition: for there the Veil was hung; and there the Chains or Bars, or whatsoever it was which fastned the doors of the Oracle, were placed., and he overlaid it To wit, the Partition; which he here distinguisheth from the house, or the main Walls of the House, which he had in the former part of this Verse told us were overlaid with Gold; and now he affirms as much of the Partition. with gold.

And the whole house Not only the Oracle, but all the Holy Place; and, as some add, even the Chambers belonging to it. he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle i. e. The Altar of Incense, which was set in the Holy Place close by the doors of the Oracle. he overlaid with gold As before he overlaid it with Cedar: of which, see the notes on ver. 20..

¶ And within the oracle he made two cherubims Besides those two made by Moses, Exod. 25. 18. which were of Gold, and far less than these, and fixed in another place and posture. of olive-tree Or, of oily trees, which sometimes are distinguished from the Olive-trees, as Isa. 41. 19., each ten cubits high.

And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other, were ten cubits.

And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure, and one cise.

The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.

And he set the cherubims within the inner house; and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall: and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims As signs of the Presence and Protection of the Angels vouchsafed by God to that Place., and palm-trees Emblems of that Peace and Victory over their Enemies, which the Israelites duly serving God in that place might expect., and open flowers, within and without Within the Oracle and without it, in the Holy Place..

And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.

¶ And for the entring of the oracle, he made doors of olive-tree: the lintel and side-posts were a fifth part of the wall i. e. Four Cubits in height or breadth, whereas the Wall was 20 Cubits. Or, a fifth part of the door now mentioned. Or rather, five square, having 5 sides, and 5 Angles, which is not incongruous, nor unusual in Buildings..

The two doors also were of olive-tree, and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm-trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm-trees.

So also made he for the door of the temple, posts of olive-trees a fourth part of the wall Or rather, four-square. See on ver. 31..

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.

And he carved thereon cherubims, and palmtrees, and open flowers, and covered them with gold, fitted upon the carved work.

And he built the inner court i. e. The Priests Court, 2 Chron. 4. 9. so called, because it was next to the Temple which it did encompass. with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar-beams Which is understood, either 1. Of the thickness of the Wall, the three rows of Stones being one within another, and the Cedar innermost as a li... ing to the Wall. Or, 2. Of the height of the Wall, which was only 3 Cubits high, that the People might see the Priests Sacrificing upon the Altar, which was in their Court; each row of Stones being about a Cubit, and possibly of a differing Colour from the rest, and all covered with Cedar. Or rather, 3. Of so many Galleries, one on each side of the Temple, whereof the Three first were of Stone, and the Fourth of Cedar, all supported with rows of Pillars: upon which there were many Chambers for the uses of the Temple, and of the Priests: for it is hard to think, that only the making of a low Wall about the Court would be called a Building of the Court. And that a great number of Buildings and Rooms were necessary for the various Offices and Works which were to be done, and the Treasures of all sorts which were to be laid up in the Temple, largely so called, is sufficiently evident from the nature of the things, and divers passages in Scripture: See among others, 1 Chron. 28. 11, 12..

¶ In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif.

And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, (which is the eighth month) was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it: so was he seven years Complete, and 6 Months, as appears by computation. But smaller Sums are usually neglected, and swallowed up in the greater, both in Scripture, as Iudg. 20. 46. 2 Sam. 5. 5. 1 King. 2. 11 and in other Authors. It is not strange that this Work took up so much time: for 1. The Temple properly so called, was for Quantity the least part of it, there being very many and great Building both above ground in the several Courts, (for though only the Court of the Priests be mentioned, yet it is thereby implied, that the same thing was proportionably done in the others) and under ground. 2. The great curiosity of Art which was used here, and the fewness of exquisite Artists, required the longer time for the doing of it. And if the Building of Diana's Temple did imploy all Asia for 200 Years; and the Building of one Pyramid employed 360 Thousand Men, for 20 Years together; both which, Pliny Affirms: no reasonable man can wonder that this Temple was 7 Years in Building. in building it.