1Kings 6 - Prayer Tents

Solomon Builds the Temple

6It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv

, 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.H702H3967H8141H8084H8141H1121H3478H3318H776H4714H7243H8141H8010H4427H3478H2320H2099H8145H2320H1129H1004H30682The Temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high

.H1004H4428H8010H1129H3068H753H8346H520H7341H6242H6967H7970H5203The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet

wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple.H197H6440H1964H1004H6242H520H753H7341H1004H6235H520H7341H10044Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple.H1004H6213H2474H331H82615He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building.H7023H1004H1129H3326H3326H5439H7023H1004H5439H1964H1687H6213H6763H54396The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1/2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10 1/2 feet wide

. 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.H8481H3326H3326H2568H520H7341H8484H8337H520H7341H7992H7651H520H7341H2351H1004H5414H4052H5439H270H7023H10047The 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.H1004H1129H1129H68H8003H4551H4717H1631H3627H1270H8085H1004H11298The entrance to the bottom floor

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.H6607H8484H6763H3233H3802H1004H5927H3883H8484H8484H79929After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks.H1129H1004H3615H5603H1004H1356H7713H73010As 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 7 1/2 feet

high.H1129H3326H3326H1004H2568H520H6967H270H1004H6086H73011Then the LORD gave this message to Solomon.H1697H3068H8010H55912"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.H1004H1129H3212H2708H6213H4941H8104H4687H3212H6965H1697H1696H1732H113I will live among the Israelites and will never abandon my people Israel."H7931H8432H1121H3478H5800H5971H3478

The Temple’s Interior

14So Solomon finished building the Temple.H8010H1129H1004H361515The 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.H1129H7023H1004H1004H6763H730H7172H1004H7023H5604H6823H1004H6086H6823H7172H1004H6763H126516He 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.H1129H6242H520H3411H1004H4480H7172H7023H6763H730H1129H1004H1687H6944H694417The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet

long.H1004H1964H3942H705H52018Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers.H730H1004H6441H4734H6497H6362H6731H730H68H720019He prepared the inner sanctuary at the far end of the Temple, where the Ark of the LORD's Covenant would be placed.H1687H3559H8432H1004H6441H5414H727H1285H306820This 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

.H1687H6440H6242H520H753H6242H520H7341H6242H520H6967H6823H5462H2091H6823H4196H73021Then Solomon overlaid the rest of the Temple's interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance

to the Most Holy Place.H8010H6823H1004H6441H5462H2091H5674H7572H7572H2091H6440H1687H6823H209122So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place.H1004H6823H2091H8552H1004H4196H1687H6823H209123He made two cherubim of wild olive

wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary.H1687H6213H8147H3742H8081H6086H6235H520H696724The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7 1/2 feet

long.H2568H520H259H3671H3742H2568H520H8145H3671H3742H7098H3671H7098H3671H6235H52025The two cherubim were identical in shape and size;H8145H3742H6235H520H8147H3742H259H4060H259H709526each was 15 feet tall.H6967H259H3742H6235H520H8145H374227He 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.H5414H3742H8432H6442H1004H6566H3671H3742H3671H259H5060H7023H3671H8145H3742H5060H8145H7023H3671H5060H3671H3671H8432H100428He overlaid the two cherubim with gold.H6823H3742H209129He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.H7049H7023H1004H4524H6603H4734H3742H8561H6362H6731H6441H243530He overlaid the floor in both rooms with gold.H7172H1004H6823H2091H6441H243531For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made double doors of wild olive wood with five-sided doorposts

.H6607H1687H6213H1817H8081H6086H352H4201H254932These 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.H8147H1817H8081H6086H7049H4734H3742H8561H6362H6731H6823H2091H7286H2091H3742H856133Then he made four-sided doorposts of wild olive wood for the entrance to the Temple.H6213H6607H1964H4201H8081H6086H724334There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself.H8147H1817H1265H6086H8147H6763H259H1817H1550H8147H7050H8145H1817H155035These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers—all overlaid evenly with gold.H7049H3742H8561H6362H6731H6823H2091H3474H270736The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone.H1129H6442H2691H7969H2905H1496H2905H730H377337The foundation of the LORD's Temple was laid in midspring, in the month of Ziv

, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign.H7243H8141H3245H1004H3068H3245H3391H209938The entire building was completed in every detail by midautumn, in the month of Bul

, during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple.H259H6240H8141H3391H945H8066H2320H1004H3615H1697H4941H7651H8141H1129