1 Kings 7:1-12

1 Kings 7:1-12

[1] But Solomon  was building  his own house  thirteen  years,  and he finished  all his house.  [2] He built  also the house  of the forest  of Lebanon;  the length  thereof was an hundred  cubits,  and the breadth  thereof fifty  cubits,  and the height  thereof thirty  cubits,  upon four  rows  of cedar  pillars,  with cedar  beams  upon the pillars.  [3] And it was covered  with cedar  above  upon the beams,  that lay on forty  five  pillars,  fifteen  in a row.  [4] And there were windows  in three  rows,  and light  in three  ranks.  [5] And all the doors  and posts  were square,  with the windows:  and light  was against  light  in three  ranks.  [6] And he made  a porch  of pillars;  the length  thereof was fifty  cubits,  and the breadth  thereof thirty  cubits:  and the porch  was before  them: and the other pillars  and the thick beam  [7] Then he made  a porch  for the throne  where he might judge,  even the porch  of judgment:  and it was covered  with cedar  from one side of the floor  [8] And his house  where he dwelt  had another  court  within  the porch,  which was of the like work.  Solomon  made  also an house  for Pharaoh's  daughter,  whom he had taken  to wife, like unto this porch.  [9] All these were of costly  stones,  according to the measures  of hewed stones,  sawed  with saws,  within  and without,  even from the foundation  unto the coping,  and so on the outside  toward the great  court.  [10] And the foundation  was of costly  stones,  even great  stones,  of ten  cubits,  and stones  of eight  cubits.  [11] And above  were costly  stones,  after the measures  of hewed stones,  and cedars.  [12] And the great  court  round about  was with three  rows  of hewed stones,  and a row  of cedar  beams,  both for the inner  court  of the house  of the LORD,  and for the porch  of the house. 

What does 1 Kings 7:1-12 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Solomon"s palace complex took longer to build than the temple because it was much larger. The king evidently completed the temple and then began work on his palace (cf. 1 Kings 9:10). Solomon seems to have built several separate but interconnected buildings. A large common courtyard evidently surrounded the temple and the palace ( 1 Kings 7:12). A similar view is that the palace was one structure and the other buildings were really sections of it. [1] The geographical proximity of the temple and palace visualized the fact that the king was acting for God. We do not know exactly where Solomon placed the palace buildings in relation to each other or to the temple. [2] In the ancient world people regarded a king"s palace as some indication of his greatness as well as the greatness of his god.
"Palace and temple complexes are the most important visual symbols of royal power and indicate more precisely the location of the center within a stratified society." [3]
"It [4] was not in the midst of the city, like most heathen temples of the time. Its isolation symbolized the uniqueness of the deity to whom it was dedicated." [5]
Certainly Solomon"s palace must have been extremely impressive.
"He did everything imaginable to show that, as Yahweh was a great God, he was a great king. What is displayed here is far more Solomon"s "riches and honor" than his "wisdom." His was undoubtedly the piety of worldly success." [6]
"The Pillared Hall (called the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon) was used as an audience chamber or throne hall, and ... was larger than the temple. It also served as a state treasury, displaying selected precious objects received as tribute (cf. 1 Kings 10:16-17)." [7]
Ancient Near Easterners did not view a king"s sovereignty as established until he had built a palace for himself. [8] Solomon"s palace, therefore, further enhanced his prestige. God blessed Solomon and Israel by allowing him to built it.