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.
1 Kings 6:1. In the fourth year of Solomon's reign— If it be asked, why Solomon did not begin the building of the temple sooner, and even in the first year of his reign, since his father had left him a plan, and all things necessary for the undertaking, Abarbanel's answer is, that Solomon would not make use of what his father had prepared, but was resolved to build this temple all at his own cost and charge. He therefore put into the treasure of the Lord's house, all that David had dedicated to the work; and to collect as much gold and silver as was necessary to defray so vast an expence, four years can be accounted no unreasonable time. Nay, even supposing that he made use of the treasure which his father had amassed, yet if the materials provided by his father lay at a considerable distance, and were left rude and unfashioned, it would cost all this time to form them into the exact symmetry wherein the Scripture represents them, before they were brought together; especially considering that the very stones which made the foundation were probably vast blocks of marble or porphyry, (chap. 1 Kings 5:17.) and all polished in an exquisite manner. See Patrick and Poole.
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.
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.
And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
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:
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.
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.
1 Kings 6:7. So that there was neither hammer nor axe, &c.— The true reason why no noise was heard in the building of the temple was, that the stones and all other materials were hewn and squared and fitted at a distance; so that when brought to the place where the temple was to stand, there was nothing to do but to join them together; and this might be done not only for the ease and convenience of the carriage, but also for the magnificence of the work, and in commendation of the workmen's skill and ingenuity. See Exo 20:25 and Martin's Explication des Textes Difficiles, p. 186. We do not enter into any direct and full explanation of the building of the temple, as it would necessarily lead us into too great length, and not be clear, after all, without the assistance of plates. We therefore refer to those authors who have treated professedly on the subject; and particularly to Calmet, Scheuchzer, and Univ. Hist. vol. 1Ki 4:8 vo.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, Long had the Lord taken up his abode within the curtains of the tabernacle; but now a glorious building rises to his honour, planned by himself, and dedicated to his service.
1. The time when it was begun. In the fourth year of Solomon, when the materials were prepared, and four hundred and eighty years after their coming from Egypt, allowing forty to Moses, seventeen to Joshua, two hundred and ninety-nine to the Judges, forty to Eli, forty to Samuel and Saul, forty to David, and four to Solomon.
2. The silence observed in the building. No iron tool was heard; the materials were exactly fitted before they were brought to the spot, and nothing remained but to cement them together. Note; (1.) Those whom God honours as lively stones in his temple, he squares and fashions for their place. (2.) They who build the spiritual temple should be men of peace; clamour and fierce dispute disjoint the stones instead of cementing them.
3. The dimensions were just double those of the tabernacle in length and breadth, and treble in height; the windows narrow without and wide within; and chambers built round it, for the priests who were in waiting, three stories high. Note; (1.) When we look at others' faults, we cannot be too indulgent, nor when on our own too severe. (2.) The more enlarged our hearts are in divine graces, the nearer we shall rise to heaven.
2nd, 1. God sends a gracious message to encourage Solomon in the work, and to signify his pleasure in it; assuring him, that, if he continued faithful, he would secure to himself and his kingdom the perpetuity of his blessings. Note; (1.) Heart-obedience to God's law is more valuable than the most expensive donations to his church. (2.) They who go forth with a desire to God's glory, may confidently expect some tokens of his approbation.
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.
So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
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:
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 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.
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.
And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
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.
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.
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.
And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
1 Kings 6:23. He made two cherubims of olive-tree— See Exodus 25:18.
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 size.
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 and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
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.
1 Kings 6:31. The lintel, &c.— The post which was the door cheeks, was at the fifth cubit. Lightf. vol. i. 1084.
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 tree, a fourth part of the wall.
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 palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
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 in building it.
1 Kings 6:38. So was he seven years in building it— That is, speaking in a round number; for he was, in fact, seven years and six months; nor is this mode of speaking unusual in Scripture. The temple itself, indeed, was but a small edifice; but the many courts and offices about it made the whole a vast pile; and the exquisiteness of the art, and fewness of the artists who could be employed, made a longer time requisite. It must be owned, however, that, considering all things, Solomon made extraordinary dispatch; for, if the building of Diana's temple at Ephesus employed all Asia minor for the space of two hundred years; and no less than 360,000 men were taken up for twenty years together in erecting one pyramid, as Pliny affirms, lib. 36: cap. 12 no reasonable man can wonder that this temple was seven years and a half in building. See Calmet, and Univ. Hist. vol. 1Ki 4:8 vo. n. H.
Note; This temple was typical, 1. Of the body of Jesus, in which the fulness of the Godhead dwelt, and by whom alone our services come before God with acceptance. 2. Of the Christian, who, by the power of divine grace prepared and sanctified, becomes an habitation for God, and more gloriously adorned with faith and holiness than this temple with wrought gold. 3. Of the gospel-church, in which every consecrated soul daily ministers as a priest before God, where cherubic spirits wait on the heirs of salvation, and God manifests his presence and power in a manner which those who are without it cannot conceive. 4. Of heaven, the eternal temple, where the service will be uninterrupted, the glory infinitely surpassing, the worshippers innumerable, and no vail any longer concealing from us the brightest beams of our divine Shechinah.
