CHAPTER VII _Solomon builds his own house, and completes it in_ thirteen _years_, 1. _He builds another called the house of the forest of Lebanon;_ _and a house for Pharaoh's daughter_, 2-12. _He brings Hiram, a coppersmith, out of Tyre, who makes much_ _curious work for the temple_, 13-20. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:2. _THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON_] It was not built in Lebanon, but is thought to have been on Mount Sion. And why it was called _the house of the forest of Lebanon_ does not appear; probably it was because it was built _almost entirely_ of materials brought from that place. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:7. _A PORCH FOR THE THRONE_] One porch appears to have been devoted to the purposes of administering judgment, which Solomon did in person.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:8. _A HOUSE FOR PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER_] This appears to have been a _third house_; probably the whole _three_ made but _one_ _building_, and were in the same place, but distinguished from each other; the first as Solomon's palace, the second as a house of judgment, a court-house; the th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:13. _SOLOMON SENT AND FETCHED HIRAM OUT OF TYRE._] This was not the Tyrian king, mentioned before, but a very intelligent coppersmith, of Jewish extraction by his mother's side, who was probably married to a Tyrian. In 2 Chronicles 2:14, this woman is said to be _of the daughters of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:15. _HE CAST TWO PILLARS - EIGHTEEN CUBITS HIGH_] That is, about thirty feet in English measure. _A LINE OF TWELVE CUBITS_] In circumference. It would be difficult even now to procure a founder who could cast such massive pillars, whether solid or hollow.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:21. _THE RIGHT PILLAR - JACHIN_] is, _He shall establish_. _The left pillar - Boaz_, that is, _in strength_. These were no doubt emblematical; for notwithstanding their _names_, they seem to have supported no part of the building.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:27. _HE MADE TEN BASES_] That is, _pedestals_, for the _ten_ _lavers_ to rest on.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:38. _THEN MADE HE TEN LAVERS_] These were set on the ten _bases_ or _pedestals_, and were to hold water for the use of the priests in their sacred office, particularly to wash the victims that were to be offered as a burnt-offering, as we learn from 2 Chronicles 4:6; but the _brazen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:40. _SO HIRAM MADE AN END_] It is truly surprising, that in so short a time _one_ artist could design and execute works of such magnitude, taste, and variety, however numerous his assistants might be. The mere building of the house was a matter of little difficulty in comparison of t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:46. _CAST THEM, IN THE CLAY GROUND_] In this place he found that particular kind of _clay_ that was proper for his purpose. Some suppose that the place where Hiram had his foundry was on the _other_ side, some on _this_ side, of Jordan. Calmet supposes that it was near _Bethshan_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 7:51. _SOLOMON BROUGHT IN THE THINGS_] It has been a question whether Solomon, in the structure of the temple, used any of the gold and silver which David had provided? And here it seems answered in the negative; for after the house was finished, with all its utensils and ornaments, wi... [ Continue Reading ]