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, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

four hundred and eightieth year. Note max the number is Greek inal (not Cardinal) = the 480th year of some longer and larger period, viz. the 490 years from the Exodus to the Dedication of the Temple; the difference of ten years being made up of seven years in building (1 Kings 6:38 ) and three years in furnishing. Dedicated not in seventh year, for Completion took place in the eighth month of one year (1 Kings 6:38 ), and the Dedication in the seventh month of another (1 Kings 8:2 ). The chronological period was 40 years in wilderness + 450 years under judges + 40 years of Saul + 40 years of David + 3 years of Solomon (1 Kings 6:1 ) = 573 (from 1490-917). The mystical period of 480 years is obtained by deducting the period of 93 years, when Israel's national position was in abeyance. Thus: 8 (Judges 3:8 ) + 18 (Judges 3:14 ) + 20 (Judges 4:3 ) + 7 (Judges 6:1 ) + 40 (Judges 13:1 ) = 93. (N. B. The eighteen years of Judges 10:7 , Judges 10:9 , was local and beyond Jordan. It did not affect the national position). Hence 573-93 = 480 (from 873-93).
children = sons.
the house of the LORD = the Temple. Similar in plan to the Tabernacle, but double the size. the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

2.

And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.

cubits. See App-51 .

3.

And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

according to. Or, in the front of,

4.

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

5.

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:

oracle. See note on 2 Samuel 16:23 .

6.

The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, 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 round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

7.

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

made ready = made perfect.
before: i.e. in the quarries afar off, or beneath the city.
heard. So in the spiritual house. Ephesians 2:20-22 .

8.

The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.

9.

So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

10.

And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

11.

And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,

12.

Concerning this house which thou art in building, 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:

which I spake unto David. Compare 2 Samuel 7:13 . 1 Chronicles 22:10 .

13.

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

among = in the midst of.

14.

So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

15.

And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

covered. Note that all the stonework was covered with cedar wood; and the cedar wood covered with gold. Even so the saved sinner is covered with Christ's human and Divine righteousness imputed to him. Compare Luke 15:22 .Philippians 1:3 , Philippians 1:9 .

16.

And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

17.

And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

18.

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

no stone seen. Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6 . Words not necessary for grammar, or sense; but used to emphasize the completeness of our covering by Christ's merits. Compare Ephesians 1:6 . Colossians 1:28 ; Colossians 2:10 ; Colossians 4:12 .

19.

And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

20.

And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

overlaid. See note on covered, 1 Kings 6:15 and 1 Kings 6:18 .

21.

So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

22.

And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

whole house. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Whole). App-6 . Put for every part of it.

23.

And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.

two cherubims. See App-41
olive tree = oil tree, as in Isaiah 41:19 , rendered pine (Nehemiah 8:15 ); but, Oleaster according to Tristram.

24.

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.

25.

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

26.

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

27.

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.

28.

And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

29.

And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

30.

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

31.

And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.

32.

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.

two doors = two-leaved (or double) doors.

33.

So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.

door = entrance.

34.

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.

35.

And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

36.

And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

37.

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

Zif. The second month.

38.

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 in building it.

eighth month. See note on 1 Kings 6:1 , and compare Dedication later, in "seventh month" (1 Kings 8:2 ); so that more than one, and probably three, years in completing the appointments.
parts = appointments.
seven years. See note on 1 Kings 6:1 . Seven years for the building itself, and probably three years for the "appointments". Contrast these seven with the thirteen of 1 Kings 7:1 , and see App-10 .