1 Kings 6:1

II. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE 6:1-38

Chapter six is designed to present a word picture of Solomon's Temple. The material presented here is sufficient to allow one to get a general idea of what that magnificent structure must have been like. The omission of crucial architectural details, however, renders impossible absolute certainty about many points. After a brief chronological note (1 Kings 6:1), the author discusses the exterior (1 Kings 6:2-10) and interior (1 Kings 6:15-35) of the Temple. Sandwiched between these two blocks of material is a brief passage (1 Kings 6:11-14) relating a promise which God gave to Solomon during the course of construction. The chapter concludes with some brief notes concerning other details of the Temple construction (1 Kings 6:36-38).

A. AN IMPORTANT CHRONOLOGICAL NOTE 6:1

TRANSLATION

(1) And it came to pass in the four hundred eightieth year after the children of Israel went out from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv (it is the second month), that he began to build the house of the LORD.

COMMENTS

1 Kings 6:1 furnishes the key to Biblical chronology prior to the monarchy period. The ancients were quite time conscious and often would set their dates by referring to a number of years before or after a significant event. It would appear that up until the period of the kings, time was measured in relation to the Exodus from Egypt. The text unequivocally states that four hundred eighty years elapsed between the time the Israelites came out of Egypt and the time when Solomon began building the Temple. Since Solomon began to reign in 971 B.C., his fourth year would be 967 B.C. Figuring back four hundred eighty years from 967 B.C. would yield a date of 1447 B.C. for the Exodus. The Temple work commenced in the month of Ziv,[168] the second month of the Hebrew year, which corresponds roughly to the last part of April and the first part of May on the current calendar.

[168] Ziv, the archaic name for the second month, is found only here. Three other survivals of the archaic calendar are found in the Old Testament: Abib, the first month; Ethanim, the seventh month; and Bui, the eighth month. The Jews adopted the Babylonian names of the months during the period of the captivity.