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1 Kings 6 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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Solomon Builds the Temple
(2Ch 3:1–14 )
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:1 - It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv,[fn] during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, that he began to construct the Temple of the LORD. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:2 - The Temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.[fn]
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:3 - The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet[fn] wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet[fn] from the front of the Temple.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:4 - Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:5 - He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:6 - The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7½ feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10½ feet wide.[fn] The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:7 - The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:8 - The entrance to the bottom floor[fn] was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:9 - After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:10 - As already stated, he built a complex of rooms on three sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7½ feet[fn] high.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:11 - Then the LORD gave this message to Solomon:
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:12 - “Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my decrees and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:13 - I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel.”
The Temple’s Interior
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:14 - So Solomon finished building the Temple.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:15 - The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood. He paneled the walls and ceilings with cedar, and he used planks of cypress for the floors.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:16 - He partitioned off an inner sanctuary—the Most Holy Place—at the far end of the Temple. It was 30 feet deep and was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:17 - The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet[fn] long.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:18 - Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:19 - He prepared the inner sanctuary at the far end of the Temple, where the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant would be placed.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:20 - This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with solid gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar.[fn]
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:21 - Then Solomon overlaid the rest of the Temple’s interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance[fn] to the Most Holy Place.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:22 - So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:23 - He made two cherubim of wild olive[fn] wood, each 15 feet[fn] tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:24 - The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7½ feet[fn] long.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:25 - The two cherubim were identical in shape and size;
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:26 - each was 15 feet tall.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:27 - He placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:28 - He overlaid the two cherubim with gold.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:29 - He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:30 - He overlaid the floor in both rooms with gold.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:31 - For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made double doors of wild olive wood with five-sided doorposts.[fn]
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:32 - These double doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. The doors, including the decorations of cherubim and palm trees, were overlaid with gold.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:33 - Then he made four-sided doorposts of wild olive wood for the entrance to the Temple.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:34 - There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:35 - These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers—all overlaid evenly with gold.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:36 - The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:37 - The foundation of the LORD’s Temple was laid in midspring, in the month of Ziv,[fn] during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ki 6:38 - The entire building was completed in every detail by midautumn, in the month of Bul,[fn] during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple.
NLT Footnotes
Hebrew It was in the month of Ziv, which is the second month. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of April and May.
Hebrew 60 cubits [27.6 meters] long, 20 cubits [9.2 meters] wide, and 30 cubits [13.8 meters] high.
Hebrew 20 cubits [9.2 meters]; also in 6:16, 20.
Hebrew 10 cubits [4.6 meters].
Hebrew the bottom floor being 5 cubits [2.3 meters] wide, the second floor 6 cubits [2.8 meters] wide, and the top floor 7 cubits [3.2 meters] wide.
As in Greek version; Hebrew reads middle floor.
Hebrew 5 cubits [2.3 meters].
Hebrew 40 cubits [18.4 meters].
Or overlaid the altar with cedar. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Or to draw curtains across. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Or pine; Hebrew reads oil tree; also in 6:31, 33.
Hebrew 10 cubits [4.6 meters]; also in 6:24, 25.
Hebrew 5 cubits [2.3 meters].
The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Hebrew was laid in the month of Ziv. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of April and May.
Hebrew by the month of Bul, which is the eighth month. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of October and November.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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