1 Kings 6

Learning to read Hebrew? Start with the alphabet.

Original

Modern

Temple Construction Begins

¹וַיְהִ֣י בִשְׁמוֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָ֣ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵא֣וֹת שָׁנָ֡ה לְצֵ֣את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֩ בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הָרְבִיעִ֜ית בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ זִ֗ו ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לִמְלֹ֥ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּ֥בֶן הַבַּ֖יִת לַיהוָֽה׃

¹In the four hundred and eightieth^a year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv,^b the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.

²וְהַבַּ֗יִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֜ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה שִׁשִּֽׁים־אַמָּ֥ה אָרְכּ֖וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים רָחְבּ֑וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃

²The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.^a

³וְהָאוּלָ֗ם עַל־פְּנֵי֙ הֵיכַ֣ל הַבַּ֔יִת עֶשְׂרִ֣ים אַמָּה֙ אָרְכּ֔וֹ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רֹ֣חַב הַבָּ֑יִת עֶ֧שֶׂר בָּאַמָּ֛ה רָחְבּ֖וֹ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַבָּֽיִת׃

³The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits^a long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits^b in front of the temple.

⁴וַיַּ֣עַשׂ לַבָּ֔יִת חַלּוֹנֵ֖י שְׁקֻפִ֥ים אֲטֻמִֽים׃

⁴He also had narrow windows framed high in the temple.

The Chambers

⁵וַיִּבֶן֩ עַל־קִ֨יר הַבַּ֤יִת יָצוֹעַ סָבִ֔יב אֶת־קִיר֤וֹת הַבַּ֙יִת֙ סָבִ֔יב לַֽהֵיכָ֖ל וְלַדְּבִ֑יר וַיַּ֥עַשׂ צְלָע֖וֹת סָבִֽיב׃

⁵Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms.

⁶הַיָּצוֹעַ הַתַּחְתֹּנָ֜ה חָמֵ֧שׁ בָּאַמָּ֣ה רָחְבָּ֗הּ וְהַתִּֽיכֹנָה֙ שֵׁ֤שׁ בָּֽאַמָּה֙ רָחְבָּ֔הּ וְהַ֨שְּׁלִישִׁ֔ית שֶׁ֥בַע בָּאַמָּ֖ה רָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֡י מִגְרָעוֹת֩ נָתַ֨ן לַבַּ֤יִת סָבִיב֙ ח֔וּצָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י אֲחֹ֥ז בְּקִֽירוֹת־הַבָּֽיִת׃

⁶The bottom floor was five cubits wide,^a the middle floor six cubits,^b and the third floor seven cubits.^c He also placed offset ledges around the outside of the temple, so that nothing would be inserted into its walls.

⁷וְהַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּהִבָּ֣נֹת֔וֹ אֶֽבֶן־שְׁלֵמָ֥ה מַסָּ֖ע נִבְנָ֑ה וּמַקָּב֤וֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן֙ כָּל־כְּלִ֣י בַרְזֶ֔ל לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַ֥ע בַּבַּ֖יִת בְּהִבָּנֹתֽוֹ׃

⁷The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

⁸פֶּ֗תַח הַצֵּלָע֙ הַתִּ֣יכֹנָ֔ה אֶל־כֶּ֥תֶף הַבַּ֖יִת הַיְמָנִ֑ית וּבְלוּלִּ֗ים יַֽעֲלוּ֙ עַל־הַתִּ֣יכֹנָ֔ה וּמִן־הַתִּֽיכֹנָ֖ה אֶל־הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁים׃

⁸The entrance to the bottom^a floor was on the south side of the temple. A stairway led up to the middle level, and from there to the third floor.

⁹וַיִּ֥בֶן אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וַיְכַלֵּ֑הוּ וַיִּסְפֹּ֤ן אֶת־הַבַּ֙יִת֙ גֵּבִ֔ים וּשְׂדֵרֹ֖ת בָּאֲרָזִֽים׃

⁹So Solomon built the temple and finished it, roofing it with beams and planks of cedar.

¹⁰וַיִּ֤בֶן אֶת־הַיָּצוֹעַ עַל־כָּל־הַבַּ֔יִת חָמֵ֥שׁ אַמּ֖וֹת קֽוֹמָת֑וֹ וַיֶּאֱחֹ֥ז אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִֽים׃פ

¹⁰He built chambers all along the temple, each five cubits high and attached to the temple with beams of cedar.

God’s Promise to Solomon

¹¹וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

¹¹Then the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying:

¹²הַבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה בֹנֶ֗ה אִם־תֵּלֵ֤ךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתַ֖י לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־דְּבָרִי֙ אִתָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיךָ׃

¹²“As for this temple you are building, if you walk in My statutes, carry out My ordinances, and keep all My commandments by walking in them, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.

¹³וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א אֶעֱזֹ֖ב אֶת־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס

¹³And I will dwell among the Israelites and will not abandon My people Israel.”

The Temple’s Interior

¹⁴וַיִּ֧בֶן שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וַיְכַלֵּֽהוּ׃

¹⁴So Solomon built the temple and finished it.

¹⁵וַיִּבֶן֩ אֶת־קִיר֨וֹת הַבַּ֤יִת מִבַּ֙יְתָה֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִקַּרְקַ֤ע הַבַּ֙יִת֙ עַד־קִיר֣וֹת הַסִּפֻּ֔ן צִפָּ֥ה עֵ֖ץ מִבָּ֑יִת וַיְצַ֛ף אֶת־קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת בְּצַלְע֥וֹת בְּרוֹשִֽׁים׃

¹⁵He lined the interior walls with cedar paneling from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and he covered the floor with cypress^a boards.

¹⁶וַיִּבֶן֩ אֶת־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים אַמָּ֜ה מִיַּרְכּוֹתֵי הַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִן־הַקַּרְקַ֖ע עַד־הַקִּיר֑וֹת וַיִּ֤בֶן לוֹ֙ מִבַּ֣יִת לִדְבִ֔יר לְקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

¹⁶He partitioned off the twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.^a

¹⁷וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים בָּאַמָּ֖ה הָיָ֣ה הַבָּ֑יִת ה֖וּא הַהֵיכָ֥ל לִפְנָֽי׃

¹⁷And the main hall in front of this room was forty cubits long.^a

¹⁸וְאֶ֤רֶז אֶל־הַבַּ֙יִת֙ פְּנִ֔ימָה מִקְלַ֣עַת פְּקָעִ֔ים וּפְטוּרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים הַכֹּ֣ל אֶ֔רֶז אֵ֥ין אֶ֖בֶן נִרְאָֽה׃

¹⁸The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen.

¹⁹וּדְבִ֧יר בְּתוֹךְ־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה הֵכִ֑ין לְתִתֵּ֣ן שָׁ֔ם אֶת־אֲר֖וֹן בְּרִ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

¹⁹Solomon also prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there.

²⁰וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֨ה אֹ֜רֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים אַמָּ֣ה רֹ֗חַב וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ קֽוֹמָת֔וֹ וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃

²⁰The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.^a

²¹וַיְצַ֨ף שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה אֶת־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְעַבֵּ֞ר בְּרַתִּיקוֹת זָהָב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֔יר וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָֽב׃

²¹So Solomon overlaid the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains^a across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold.

²²וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבַּ֛יִת צִפָּ֥ה זָהָ֖ב עַד־תֹּ֣ם כָּל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְכָל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־לַדְּבִ֖יר צִפָּ֥ה זָהָֽב׃

²²So he overlaid with gold the whole interior of the temple, until everything was completely finished. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

The Cherubim

²³וַיַּ֣עַשׂ בַּדְּבִ֔יר שְׁנֵ֥י כְרוּבִ֖ים עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמּ֖וֹת קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃

²³In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood.

²⁴וְחָמֵ֣שׁ אַמּ֗וֹת כְּנַ֤ף הַכְּרוּב֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ת וְחָמֵ֣שׁ אַמּ֔וֹת כְּנַ֥ף הַכְּר֖וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֑ית עֶ֣שֶׂר אַמּ֔וֹת מִקְצ֥וֹת כְּנָפָ֖יו וְעַד־קְצ֥וֹת כְּנָפָֽיו׃

²⁴One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits.

²⁵וְעֶ֙שֶׂר֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה הַכְּר֖וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֑י מִדָּ֥ה אַחַ֛ת וְקֶ֥צֶב אֶחָ֖ד לִשְׁנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃

²⁵The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape,

²⁶קוֹמַת֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הָֽאֶחָ֔ד עֶ֖שֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן הַכְּר֥וּב הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃

²⁶and the height of each cherub was ten cubits.

²⁷וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִ֜ים בְּת֣וֹךְ׀ הַבַּ֣יִת הַפְּנִימִ֗י וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֮ אֶת־כַּנְפֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִים֒ וַתִּגַּ֤ע כְּנַף־הָֽאֶחָד֙ בַּקִּ֔יר וּכְנַף֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֔י נֹגַ֖עַת בַּקִּ֣יר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַבַּ֔יִת נֹגְעֹ֖ת כָּנָ֥ף אֶל־כָּנָֽף׃

²⁷And he placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple. Since their wings were spread out, the wing of the first cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the second cherub touched the other wall, and in the middle of the room their wingtips touched.

²⁸וַיְצַ֥ף אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים זָהָֽב׃

²⁸He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

²⁹וְאֵת֩ כָּל־קִיר֨וֹת הַבַּ֜יִת מֵסַ֣ב׀ קָלַ֗ע פִּתּוּחֵי֙ מִקְלְעוֹת֙ כְּרוּבִ֣ים וְתִֽמֹרֹ֔ת וּפְטוּרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים מִלִּפְנִ֖ים וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃

²⁹Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

³⁰וְאֶת־קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת צִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃

³⁰And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries.

The Doors

³¹וְאֵת֙ פֶּ֣תַח הַדְּבִ֔יר עָשָׂ֖ה דַּלְת֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הָאַ֥יִל מְזוּז֖וֹת חֲמִשִֽׁית׃

³¹For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon constructed doors of olive wood with five-sided doorposts.

³²וּשְׁתֵּי֮ דַּלְת֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שֶׁמֶן֒ וְקָלַ֣ע עֲ֠לֵיהֶם מִקְלְע֨וֹת כְּרוּבִ֧ים וְתִמֹר֛וֹת וּפְטוּרֵ֥י צִצִּ֖ים וְצִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב וַיָּ֛רֶד עַל־הַכְּרוּבִ֥ים וְעַל־הַתִּֽמֹר֖וֹת אֶת־הַזָּהָֽב׃

³²The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.

³³וְכֵ֥ן עָשָׂ֛ה לְפֶ֥תַח הַֽהֵיכָ֖ל מְזוּז֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן מֵאֵ֖ת רְבִעִֽית׃

³³In the same way he made four-sided doorposts of olive wood for the sanctuary entrance.

³⁴וּשְׁתֵּ֥י דַלְת֖וֹת עֲצֵ֣י בְרוֹשִׁ֑ים שְׁנֵ֨י צְלָעִ֜ים הַדֶּ֤לֶת הָֽאַחַת֙ גְּלִילִ֔ים וּשְׁנֵ֧י קְלָעִ֛ים הַדֶּ֥לֶת הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית גְּלִילִֽים׃

³⁴The two doors were made of cypress wood, and each had two folding panels.

³⁵וְקָלַ֤ע כְּרוּבִים֙ וְתִ֣מֹר֔וֹת וּפְטֻרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים וְצִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֔ב מְיֻשָּׁ֖ר עַל־הַמְּחֻקֶּֽה׃

³⁵He carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.

The Courtyard

³⁶וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַפְּנִימִ֔ית שְׁלֹשָׁ֖ה טוּרֵ֣י גָזִ֑ית וְט֖וּר כְּרֻתֹ֥ת אֲרָזִֽים׃

³⁶Solomon built the inner courtyard with three rows of dressed stone and one row of trimmed cedar beams.

³⁷בַּשָּׁנָה֙ הָֽרְבִיעִ֔ית יֻסַּ֖ד בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּיֶ֖רַח זִֽו׃

³⁷The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month of Ziv.

³⁸וּבַשָּׁנָה֩ הָאַחַ֨ת עֶשְׂרֵ֜ה בְּיֶ֣רַח בּ֗וּל ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י כָּלָ֣ה הַבַּ֔יִת לְכָל־דְּבָרָ֖יו וּלְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וַיִּבְנֵ֖הוּ שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃

³⁸In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul,^a the eighth month, the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification. So he built the temple in seven years.