CHAPTER VI _In the four hundred and eightieth year from the exodus, in the_ _fourth year of Solomon's reign, and in the second month, he_ _laid the foundations of the temple; the length_ sixty _cubits,_ _the breadth_ twenty, _and the height_ thirty _cubits; besides the_ _porch, which was_ twent... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:2. _THE LENGTH THEREOF_ WAS _THREESCORE CUBITS_] A cubit, according to Bishop Cumberland, is 21 inches, and 888 decimals, or 1 foot, 9 inches, and 888 decimals. Yds.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:4. _WINDOWS OF NARROW LIGHTS._] The _Vulgate_ says, _fenestras_ _obliquas_, oblique windows; but what sort of windows could such be? The Hebrew is חלוני שקפים אטמים _challoney shekuphim atumim,_ _windows to look through, which shut_. Probably latticed windows: windows through which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:7. _THE HOUSE - WAS BUILT OF STONE_] It appears that every _stone_ was hewn and squared, and its place in the building _ascertained_, before it came to Jerusalem: the _timbers_ were fitted in like manner. This greatly lessened the trouble and expense of carriage. On this account, th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:9. _COVERED THE HOUSE WITH BEAMS AND BOARDS OF CEDAR._] The Eastern custom is very different from ours: we _ceil_ with _plaster_, and make our _floors_ of _wood_; they make their _floors_ of _plaster_ or _painted tiles_, and make their _ceilings_ of _wood_. But it may not be improper... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:11. _THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO SOLOMON_] Some think that this is the same revelation as that mentioned 1 Kings 9:2, c., which took place _after_ the dedication of the temple: but to me it appears different it was a word to encourage him _while_ building; to warn him against aposta... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:15. _THE WALLS OF THE CEILING_] 1 Kings 6:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:19. _THE ORACLE HE PREPARED_] See the description of the temple at the end of this chapter. 1 Kings 6:38.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:22. _THE WHOLE HOUSE HE OVERLAID WITH GOLD_] It is impossible to calculate this expense, or the quantity of gold employed in this sacred building.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:26. _THE HEIGHT OF THE ONE CHERUB_ WAS _TEN CUBITS_] Concerning the cherubs, their form, c., Exodus 25:18. The height of each cherub was about _eighteen feet and three_ _inches_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:36. _THREE ROWS OF HEWED STONE, AND A ROW OF CEDAR BEAMS._] Does not this intimate that there were three courses of stone, and then one course of timber all through this wall? Three strata of stone and one stratum of timber, and so on. If so, could such a building be very durable? T... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 6:38. _IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR - WAS THE HOUSE FINISHED_] It is rather strange that this house required _seven_ years and about six months to put all the stones and the timbers in their places, for we have already seen that they were all prepared before they came to Jerusalem; but the orn... [ Continue Reading ]