| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| |
|
| 1 And it cometh to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year in the month of Zif, it [is] the second month of the reigning of Solomon over Israel, that he buildeth the house for Jehovah. |
In the 480th year – The Diaglott footnote on Acts 13:20 shows that this text has bh (4) for hay (5), which is very similar in form. This would make 580 (instead of 480). R1980:3; B53
Leaving 350 years for the period of the judges whereas the time as given in the Judges in 19 periods makes a total of 450 years. Admitting the single mistake of 480 years for 580 in the Kings will set it right. HG104:6
He began to build – Solomon was not only a prince of peace but a wise, rich king, who builded the Temple of Jehovah. PD44/53
|
| 2 As to the house that king Solomon hath built for Jehovah, sixty cubits [is] its length, and twenty its breadth, and thirty cubits its height. |
|
| 3 As to the porch on the front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits [is] its length on the front of the breadth of the house; ten by the cubit [is] its breadth on the front of the house; |
|
| 4 and he maketh for the house windows of narrow lights. |
|
| 5 And he buildeth against the wall of the house a couch round about, [even] the walls of the house round about, of the temple and of the oracle, and maketh sides round about. |
|
| 6 The lowest couch, five by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the middle, six by the cubit [is] its breadth; and the third, seven by the cubit [is] its breadth, for withdrawings he hath put to the house round about, without not to lay hold on the walls of the house. |
|
| 7 And the house, in its being built, of perfect stone brought [thither] hath been built, and hammer, and the axe any instrument of iron was not heard in the house, in its being built. |
And the house – Typical of the greater spiritual Temple, the Church. F73
Was built of stone – Type of the "living stones," each one fitted and prepared for his place. F196, F73
Made ready – typified preparation of the Church in the present life and their construction as God's spiritual Temple by resurrection power. PD45/55; R1237:4, R172:2
Before it was brought – The trials and difficulties of the present are the chiseling, and the quarry is the world. CR360:1
The construction of the antitypical Temple is not to take place until all the stones have been prepared. R4261:6
All the fitting and preparation is done in the present life. F196
Neither hammer nor axe – No need of trimming or altering any of the perfected ones who will constitute the glorious Temple of God. R2987:2
Nor any tool of iron heard – Quietly and orderly, no confusion. CR359:6
Showing the noiseless resurrection of the dead in Christ and the change of the living. R4296:6
Babylon's false temple, in contrast, builds and rebuilds with great noise-confusion. R1237:5
|
| 8 The opening of the middle side [is] at the right shoulder of the house, and with windings they go up on the middle one, and from the middle one unto the third. |
|
| 9 And he buildeth the house, and completeth it, and covereth the house [with] beams and rows of cedars. |
|
| 10 And he buildeth the couch against all the house, five cubits [is] its height, and it taketh hold of the house by cedar-wood. |
|
| |
|
| 11 And the word of Jehovah is unto Solomon, saying, |
|
| 12 'This house that thou art building if thou dost walk in My statutes, and My judgments dost do, yea, hast done all My commands, to walk in them, then I have established My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father, |
|
| 13 and have tabernacled in the midst of the sons of Israel, and do not forsake My people Israel.' |
|
| 14 And Solomon buildeth the house and completeth it; |
|
| 15 and he buildeth the walls of the house within with beams of cedar, from the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling; he hath overlaid with wood the inside, and covereth the floor of the house with ribs of fir. |
|
| 16 And he buildeth the twenty cubits on the sides of the house with ribs of cedar, from the floor unto the walls; and he buildeth for it within, for the oracle, for the holy of holies. |
|
| 17 And forty by the cubit was the house, it [is] the temple before [it]. |
That is, the temple – The Hebrew term for the Jewish Temple is heykal, a royal residence; qualified by the term kodesh, a sanctuary, to indicate its sacredness as the dwelling place of Jehovah. R1981:1
|
| 18 And the cedar for the house within [is] carvings of knobs and openings of flowers; the whole [is] cedar, there is not a stone seen. |
Knops and open flowers – Representing the Church as both beautiful and fruitful. T116
All was cedar – Representing everlasting life. T109
There was no stone – Represents the true Church, "living stones." (1 Pet. 2:5) F196
|
| 19 And the oracle in the midst of the house within he hath prepared, to put there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah. |
The ark – Represents the eternal purpose of God in The Christ, Head and Body. T121
|
| 20 And before the oracle [is] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits [is] its height; and he overlayeth it with gold refined, and overlayeth the altar with cedar. |
The oracle – Its size indicates the size of the Most Holy of the Tabernacle and the placement of the second veil. R100:2*
|
| 21 And Solomon overlayeth the house within with gold refined, and causeth [it] to pass over in chains of gold before the oracle, and overlayeth it with gold. |
So Solomon – Type of Christ. (Matt. 12:42) R1517:2; B255
Overlaid – Wood merely used as a filler. Wood, hay and stubble have no place in the true Temple. (1 Cor. 3:12). R2054:5
Pure gold – The faith and character of the true Church is represented in the gold, silver and precious stones. R2054:5
|
| 22 And the whole of the house he hath overlaid with gold, till the completion of all the house; and the whole of the altar that the oracle hath, he hath overlaid with gold. |
|
| |
|
| 23 And he maketh within the oracle two cherubs, of the oil-tree, ten cubits [is] their height; |
Cherubims – Not literal angels, but symbols of God's attributes. R529:6*
Ten cubits high – Probably nearly 21 feet high. R530:2*
|
| 24 and five cubits [is] the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the second wing of the cherub, ten cubits from the ends of its wings even unto the ends of its wings; |
|
| 25 and ten by the cubit [is] the second cherub, one measure and one form [are] to the two cherubs, |
Of one measure – Illustrating the time equality of the Jewish and Gospel dispensations. R39:2*
The two covenants were represented by the two cherubim over the Mercy Seat. HG53:6
|
| 26 the height of the one cherub [is] ten by the cubit, and so [is] the second cherub; |
|
| 27 and he setteth the cherubs in the midst of the inner house, and they spread out the wings of the cherubs, and a wing of the one cometh against the wall, and a wing of the second cherub is coming against the second wall, and their wings [are] unto the midst of the house, coming wing against wing; |
He set the cherubims – Upon their own feet: independent, yet in perfect harmony. R530:2*
|
| 28 and he overlayeth the cherubs with gold, |
|
| 29 and all the walls of the house round about he hath carved with openings of carvings, cherubs, and palm trees, and openings of flowers, within and without. |
|
| 30 And the floor of the house he hath overlaid with gold, within and without; |
|
| 31 as to the opening of the oracle, he made doors of the oil-tree; the lintel, side-posts, a fifth. |
|
| 32 And the two doors [are] of the oil-tree, and he hath carved upon them carvings of cherubs, and palm-trees, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with gold, and he causeth the gold to go down on the cherubs and on the palm-trees. |
|
| 33 And so he hath made for the opening of the temple, side-posts of the oil-tree, from the fourth. |
|
| 34 And the two doors [are] of fir-tree, the two sides of the one door are revolving, and the two hangings of the second door are revolving. |
|
| 35 And he hath carved cherubs, and palms, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with straightened gold the graved work. |
|
| 36 And he buildeth the inner court, three rows of hewn work, and a row of beams of cedar. |
|
| |
|
| 37 In the fourth year hath the house of Jehovah been founded, in the month Zif, |
|
| 38 and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul [that is] the eighth month hath the house been finished in all its matters, and in all its ordinances, and he buildeth it seven years. |
Month Bul – Month is translated from the Hebrew word for "moon." R4127:3
Eighth month – Month here translated from the Hebrew word for "innovation." R4127:3
|