WHERE THE LORD APPEARED UNTO DAVID - The marginal rendering, or “which was shown to David,” is preferred by some; and the expression is understood to point out to David the proper site for the temple by the appearance of the Angels and the command to build an altar 2 Samuel 24:17; 1 Chronicles 21:16... [ Continue Reading ]
The marginal “founded” gives a clue to another meaning of this passage, which may be translated: “Now this is the ground-plan of Solomon for the building, etc.” CUBITS AFTER THE FIRST MEASURE - i. e., cubits according to the ancient standard. The Jews, it is probable, adopted the Babylonian measure... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEIGHT WAS AN HUNDRED AND TWENTY CUBITS - This height, which so much exceeds that of the main building 1 Kings 6:2, is probably to be corrected by the reading of the Arabic Version and the Alexandrian Septuagint, “twenty cubits.” But see 2 Chronicles 3:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GREATER HOUSE - i. e., the holy place, or main chamber of the temple, intervening between the porch and the holy of holies (so in 2 Chronicles 3:7). HE CIELED WITH FIR TREE - Rather, “he covered,” or “lined.” The reference is not to the ceiling, which was entirely of wood, but to the walls and... [ Continue Reading ]
PRECIOUS STONES FOR BEAUTY - Not marbles but gems (compare 1 Chronicles 29:2). The phrase translated “for beauty” means “for its beautification,” “to beautify it.” Parvaim is probably the name of a place, but what is quite uncertain.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOST HOLY HOUSE - i. e., the sanctuary, or holy of holies. On the probable value of the gold, see 1 Kings 10:14 note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UPPER CHAMBERS - Compare 1 Chronicles 28:11. Their position is uncertain. Some place them above the holy of holies, which was ten cubits, or fifteen feet lower than the main building (compare 1 Kings 6:2, 1 Kings 6:20); others, accepting the height of the porch 120 cubits 2 Chronicles 3:4, regar... [ Continue Reading ]
The word translated “image work,” or, in the margin, “moveable work,” occurs only in this passage, and has not even a Hebrew derivation. Modern Hebraists find an Arabic derivation, and explain the word to mean “carved work.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WINGS OF THE CHERUBIMS - Compare 1 Kings 6:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR FACES WERE INWARD - literally, as in the margin. Instead of looking toward one another, with heads bent downward over the mercy Seat, like the cherubim of Moses Exodus 37:9, these of Solomon looked out from the sanctuary into the great chamber (“the house”). The cherubim thus stood upright on... [ Continue Reading ]
This is an important addition to the description in Kings, where the veil is not mentioned. It was made of exactly the same colors as the veil of the tabernacle Exodus 26:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THIRTY AND FIVE CUBITS - See 1 Kings 7:15 note. Some suppose that there has been a corruption of the number in the present passage.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS IN THE ORACLE - This passage is probably corrupt. Our translators supposing that a single letter had fallen out at the beginning of the word translated “in the oracle,” supplied “as.” But we have no reason to suppose there were any “chains” or “festoons” in the “oracle” or most holy place.... [ Continue Reading ]