1 Kings 5:1–7:51

5:7–12 Similarly, it is surprising that Hiram’s reaction is both exuberant and profoundly God-centered, as he proclaims, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” It was not uncommon for a foreign dignitary to give credit to the local deity for the successes of the king, but in the context of this passage, and the apparent closeness of the relationship, it is natural to take this at face value rather than mere “treaty speak.” Once more Yahweh is given credit for the godly wisdom displayed by Solomon. Hiram then specifies the terms of the contract in verses 8–9, and the transaction is summarized in verses 10–11: “So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.”

It is interesting that Hiram’s terms are slightly different than Solomon’s: (1) Hiram seems to reject any idea of a joint workforce; and (2) Solomon had proposed paying the laborers directly, whereas in Hiram’s scheme the payment-in-kind goes straight to the royal coffers. Solomon appears to accept the basic terms, supplying a massive amount of wheat (the stated amount could be in the region of 1,750,000 lb./800,000 kg) and oil (perhaps up to 2,100 gal./8,000 l) annually (presumably for the duration of the building project).

At this point the writer inserts another affirmation of the divine gift of wisdom received by Solomon and notes that these two “made a treaty” (lit., “cut a covenant”). Again, this does not look like a conventional suzerain-vassal arrangement, given the fact that both parties come out of the negotiations happy! A different type of covenant may be in mind, perhaps a “parity treaty,” in which covenant partners were more or less equals in the arrangement (see the use of “brother” in 9:13). But it should also be noted that in the ancient world “covenant” was in the air as a general principle governing all manner of personal arrangements and transactions, and so we should not be surprised to see significant variations in both the practice and the use of language in this area. The key point to note is that Yahweh is driving events forward.

5:13–18 As the joint scheme takes shape, Solomon assembles a large team of forced laborers, presumably to work alongside the highly skilled locals on site in Lebanon. “King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home.” Iain W. Provan explains that the word mas (translated “forced labor” and “draft” in this verse) is applied only to Canaanites, residents of Israel but not themselves Israelites, and so Solomon avoids using his own brothers as slaves.²

The scale of the project is underlined by the fact that in addition to his expatriate timber workers,

Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. At the king’s command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones.

The summary statement in verse 18 mentions that the Sidonians (in this case men from Gebal, north of Tyre) do supervise the harvesting and cutting of the timber: “So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.”

6:2–10 Now the external dimensions and construction of the temple are detailed. “The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.” The dimensions of the temple are approximately 90 feet by 30 feet by 45 feet (30 m ✕ 10 m ✕ 15 m), which is typical of such ancient Near Eastern structures and consonant with the fact that temples were built not to accommodate large numbers of people but to convey something of the nature of the deity. In this case, the splendor of the temple aims to reflect the fact that it belongs to the God of all glory. In addition, the structure of the temple, with concentric courts leading to the Most Holy Place in the center, conveys both that the holy God dwells at the center of the life of the nation and that there is a proper (and improper) way to approach him.⁴

The level of detail provided in verses 3–10 strongly suggests that the writer has access to the equivalent of architectural plans or a builder’s manifest. He includes such details as the dimensions of the “vestibule in front of the nave of the house,” the nature of the “recessed frames” on the windows, as well as the indeterminate “structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary.” This level of information on an ancient building project is unprecedented. The word translated “inner sanctuary” (Hb. debir) may perhaps also be translated “oracle room,” which, if derived from dabar, the Hebrew verb meaning “to speak,” may imply that Yahweh is the talking God who speaks from his sanctuary.

The “side chambers” are constructed in such a way as to support the central structure without protruding into it, which is the point of explaining that “the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house” (v. 6; cf. vv. 8–10). In line with the principle of Exodus 20:25 and Deuteronomy 27:5–6, verse 7 makes clear that the building site is silent, with the temple being constructed simply by assembling carefully predressed stone.

6:11–13 This slightly commonplace narrative is interrupted in 6:11 by the “word of the Lord.” This is the first time that Yahweh has addressed Solomon like this, and the content of his instructions is crucial for the rest of Kings: “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.” This language is drawn from the rhetoric of Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 6:1). It is interesting that the only time that this phrase is picked up in the rest of the book is at 2 Kings 23:24, where Josiah’s efforts to bring reform to the people of God are described in the same way. It is striking that the outcome of obedience in this context is not that the temple will flourish but, in keeping with Deuteronomy 4, that Yahweh’s “word,” the ultimate sign of his presence, will be established.

The Deuteronomic flavor of these verses is intensified by God’s statement that “I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” The connection with the preceding verse is vital: if Solomon listens to God and obeys, then God will continue to speak to his people, which is the way he makes his presence known (cf. Deut. 4:32–40). Even at the temple the link between God and his word is carefully guarded. This prepares the way for the extended discussion of the theology of the temple undergirding Solomon’s words and prayers in chapter 8.

The insertion of this episode in the midst of the minutiae of construction details underscores the importance of obedience on Solomon’s part if he (and Israel!) is to partake of the covenant promises and blessings (see also 2:4; 9:4–5), and so is a deliberate and timely reminder of the fact that, even as the temple begins to take shape, God reveals himself where he chooses through his preferred method, that is, through his word.

6:14–22 The simple summary statement at the start of verse 14 belies the immense effort devoted to completing the temple-building project. An important element of the construction is the lining of the entire structure with high-quality timber. This detail is noted in verses 15–17 and summarized in the statement in verse 18 that “all was cedar; no stone was seen.” The carving “in the form of gourds and open flowers” is highlighted. This may well be part of a broader Eden symbolism in the entire temple complex, but it is impossible to be dogmatic about this.

The most striking feature of this stage of the project is the use of copious amounts of gold:

The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar. And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary [i.e., the altar of incense] he overlaid with gold. (vv. 20–22)

Six times the writer states that Solomon overlaid key features of the temple with gold. This is doubly remarkable given the fact that only a handful of human beings would ever enter this space.

6:23–28 The writer then turns his attention to the “cherubim” within the house of Yahweh. A “cherub” is a winged creature often functioning as a throne-bearer in ancient Near Eastern iconography, usually to provide divine sanction for the king sitting on it. In Scripture, however, the cherubim do not hold up a throne as such. Instead, God is “enthroned on the cherubim” (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; Isa. 37:16; Pss. 80:1; 99:1). In other words, the cherubim represent God’s heavenly throne. This is why the ark itself has two such creatures facing inward on its lid (the “mercy seat”), where God arrives to meet his people, who are represented by Moses (cf. Ex. 25:10–22).

However, in the inner sanctuary of the temple both the ark itself (measuring c. 50 in. ✕ 30 in. [1.3 m ✕ 0.8 m]) and the cherubim on its lid are dwarfed by massive twin wooden cherubim measuring 16 feet (5 m) in height. These creatures completely dominate the space: “And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house.” Like all of the other features in the room, these massive carvings are overlaid with gold.

6:29–38 In the remainder of the chapter, the decorative themes are carried throughout the rest of the space. The use of “olivewood” (vv. 31, 32, 33), the symbolism of “cherubim and palm trees and open flowers” (vv. 29, 32, 35), and the liberal use of “gold” (vv. 30, 32, 35) continues. The significance of some details remains elusive (e.g., the symbolic importance—or otherwise—of the fact that “the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided,” or that “the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding”), but overall the message is clear. Great care and expense is lavished on the construction of this building, which is first and foremost the place where the Lord makes his presence obvious to his people. The section then concludes with a note of the finishing date and the summary statement that Solomon was “seven years in building it.”

7:2–8 This interruption of the progress reports on the temple itself details the construction of five separate buildings within Solomon’s palace complex. The “House of the Forest of Lebanon” is significantly larger than the temple itself (160 ft. ✕ 80 ft. ✕ 50 ft./50 m ✕ 25 m ✕ 15 m) and has a cedar construction recalling a forest (the additional details, including the number of pillars and window arrangements, underline the care taken in constructing this palatial residence). The “Hall of Pillars” is another substantial building (80 ft. ✕ 50 ft./25 m ✕ 15 m). The four additional buildings within Solomon’s palace complex include the “Hall of the Throne,” where the king would pronounce judgment; the “Hall of Judgment,” which shares the same cedar finish; “his own house”; and, finally, a distinct house for “Pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken in marriage,” which takes us back to the implicit criticism of 1 Kings 3:1.

7:9–12 Although one must be careful not to read too much into these details, the fact that “all these were made of costly stones” does imply that Solomon has moved some way from the model of a king who does not exalt himself above his brothers (cf. Deuteronomy 17). The repeated mention of “costly stones” used from bottom to top may strengthen this suspicion:

All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. (1 Kings 7:9–11)

At the very least, the energy and skill poured into building Solomon’s house is equal to that of building the temple. “The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and the vestibule of the house.” Solomon’s house speaks powerfully of his self-perception.

7:13–14 As the focus shifts to the furnishings of the temple complex, we are told that “King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre.” Despite sharing the name of the ruler of Tyre (cf. 5:1), this is a different man. He is the son of an Israelite widow from Naphtali (in the far north of Israel, close to Phoenicia) and “a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze.” It seems that the boy Hiram has inherited his father’s trade and talent. The language in which this Solomonic equivalent of Bezalel and Oholiab is described (cf. Ex. 31:1–11; 35:30–35, where the same language is used) matches that of the king himself: “He was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze.” Yahweh, it seems, has provided the necessary resources for every part of this project.

7:15–22 Hiram’s work in bronze extends to two large pillars (vv. 15–22), a sea of cast metal (vv. 23–26), ten bronze stands (vv. 27–37), ten basins (vv. 38–39), and a huge range of vessels and implements (vv. 40–43).

The bronze pillars are substantial (30 ft. [9 m] high with a circumference of 20 ft. [6 m]). They are hollow, but with thick outer walls. To add further height to the columns, Hiram adds two “capitals,” bringing the total height to 38 feet (11.5 m). The level of detail described in the manufacture of these columns is, once more, quite striking. Even though it is not always possible to envisage precisely what is being described, the overall effect is clear.

Again, the decorative elements on the bronze pillars are modeled on the natural world:

He made pomegranates in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital. . . . Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. . . . There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital.

The prominence of the pomegranates may well be due to the presence of pomegranates on the garments of the high priest (Ex. 28:33–34; 39:24–26) and, when coupled with the “lily-work,” also seems to point again to the connection between Eden and the temple. Once these pillars are erected at the vestibule, they proclaim a crucial message to God’s people: the Lord’s intent is to dwell among his people.

The names “Jachin” (“he establishes,” used as a verb in 1 Kings 2:12, 24, 45, 46 of establishing David’s throne; see also 2 Sam. 7:13) and “Boaz” (“in him is strength”) for the southern and northern pillars, respectively, may be read separately (affirming the Lord’s plans and his power) or together (“he establishes in strength,” a more general reference to God’s upholding the cosmos). It is hard to choose between these options.

7:23–26 The “sea of cast metal” is another substantial object: “It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference” (16 ft. [5 m] across, 8 ft. [2.5 m] deep, 50 ft. [15 m] in circumference, holding in excess of 10,500 gal. [40,000 l] of water). This vast bowl (much bigger than that of Ex. 30:18) is also decorated with floral imagery (“Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, . . . its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily”) and rests on “twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east.” The oxen, symbols of strength, are facing out to the four corners of the earth. In 2 Chronicles 4:6 it is stated that the priests wash in this “sea,” but it may also portray Yahweh’s victory over all of his enemies, who are symbolized by the watery forces of chaos.

7:27–39 By this stage in the list, most readers are beginning to flag, as the construction of ten smaller (6.5 ft. ✕ 6.5 ft. ✕ 5 ft./2 m ✕ 2 m ✕ 1.5 m) basins and their pedestals is described. The construction of these stands is described in painstaking detail. This time, the decorations include “lions, oxen, and cherubim” as well as “palm trees . . . with wreaths all around” (v. 36). As neither the function nor the symbolism of these stands and the basins (each close to 25 gal./100 l in capacity) is explained, it seems that the writer’s focus is on providing exhaustive detail rather than on making particular theological points.

7:40–47 A simple inventory of Hiram’s work is included by way of summary before we are given a clarifying note about the utensils’ manufacture and a fresh statement of the sheer abundance of the reign of Solomon: “And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.” We have already read that gold was in plentiful supply—it is only in times of real prosperity that it is unnecessary to calculate how much bronze one has used!

7:48–51 As the chapter draws to a conclusion, Hiram’s skill gives way to Solomon’s sponsorship, as bronze gives way to a reminder of the gold coating much of the temple: “Solomon made . . . the golden altar, the golden table . . . the lampstands of pure gold . . . the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold. . . .” Given the earlier references to Solomon’s excessive wealth, there is a double-edged note to all of this. Yes, Solomon has been extravagant in the finish he has applied to the temple, but this must be set against his preoccupation with his own royal complex and the apparent disregard he has shown to the word of Yahweh with regard to military force and royal splendor. However, the chapter does end positively with a straightforward announcement that Solomon has completed the temple and, as a good son of his father, David, has “brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.” Solomon’s task of temple building is complete. The commission from his father, David, has been discharged. This is a high point in the unfolding narrative of God’s people. Or is it? These details take their place alongside the less positive notes (such as the fact that Solomon’s house is bigger than Yahweh’s) in the increasingly complex account of the reign of this first Son of David.