1 Kings 6

1 Kings 6

The big picture

1 Kings 6 opens in verse 1 with “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 19 with “And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of…”, and closes in verse 38 with “And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house…” Repeated or prominent terms include house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

1 Kings · King James Version · 38

1 Kings 6:1-8

1–8: It came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the…

1 Kings 6:1–8 opens with “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were…” and reaches “The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 6 develops its own movement around house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, with particular weight carried by house, cubits, middle.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include round, chambers, house. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was…” The line’s distinctive content terms include building, house, built. Its relationship to verses 6 and 8 shows what work it does in this passage.

1 Kings 6:1-8

King James Version

1And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD .

2And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD , the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.

3And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

4And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

5And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

6The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

7And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

8The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.

1 Kings 6:9-16

9–16: So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams…

1 Kings 6:9–16 opens with “So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.” and reaches “And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 6 develops its own movement around house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, with particular weight carried by house, built, cedar.

Context that brings the passage to life

“So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

1 Kings 6:9-16

King James Version

9So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

10And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

11And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,

12Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

13And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

14So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

15And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

16And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

1 Kings 6:17-24

17–24: The house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

1 Kings 6:17–24 opens with “And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.” and reaches “And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 6 develops its own movement around house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, with particular weight carried by cubits, gold, house.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD .” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

1 Kings 6:17-24

King James Version

17And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

18And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.

19And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD .

20And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

21So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

22And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

23And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.

24And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.

1 Kings 6:25-32

25–32: The other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure…

1 Kings 6:25–32 opens with “And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.” and reaches “The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 6 develops its own movement around house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, with particular weight carried by cherubims, cherub, gold.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.” The number ten makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

1 Kings 6:25-32

King James Version

25And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.

26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.

27And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

28And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

29And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

30And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.

31And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.

32The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.

1 Kings 6:33-38

33–38: So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth…

1 Kings 6:33–38 opens with “So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.” and reaches “And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Kings 6 develops its own movement around house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, with particular weight carried by door, month, carved.

Context that brings the passage to life

“So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

1 Kings 6:33-38

King James Version

33So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.

34And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

35And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

36And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:

38And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

Details worth noticing

38verses in this reading
5major movements
1verses with speech

The opening image

1 Kings 6:1 begins with “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s…”

Where the chapter turns

1 Kings 6:22 forms a natural hinge: “And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.”

The final note

1 Kings 6:38 leaves the reader with “And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the…”

A word trail through the chapter

The words house, cubits, gold, built, cherubims, within help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

What repeated description explains the judgment?

The earth is corrupt and filled with violence, especially in verses 11-13.

What does obedience look like here?

Detailed preparation, gathering provisions and constructing what God commands.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
thee
you
thou
you
thy
your
spake
spoke

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.