The Book Of 1 Kings (1:1-22:53)
The United Kingdom (1 Kings 1:1-11:43)
The Reign of Solomon (1 Kings 2:12-11:43)
The Temple (5:1-8:66)
Construction In Jerusalem (5:1 to 7:51)
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE
1 Kings 5:1-6:38; 2Ch 2:1-3:13
Reading:
Songs: Let The Beauty Of Jesus Been Seen In You
Theme: God’s presence or approval is conditional
INTRODUCTION
A. Have you ever considered the investment of time and resources required to build a house that would captivate the minds of those who saw it? It would be no small investment.
B. Throughout the history of Israel, the Lord had manifested his presence in the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a temporary structure. It was a tent. It was portable and could be moved from place to place as Israel wondered. There were several designations for the Tabernacle. Tabernacle - a Hebrew verb meaning "to dwell," was where God had made his presence known (Exo 25:9; Psa 15:1); Sanctuary - a place that was set apart and holy unto God. (Exo 25:8); Tent of Meeting - was where God made provision for meeting with man, where God had mandated that he was to be worshiped (Exo 27:21; 28:43; 29:4-ff; 33:7); Tent of Testimony - was a reference to the covenant which God had made with his people (Num 9:15; 17:7-8). (Each of these four also have a correlation with the church.)
C. David had expressed desire to build a permanent structure to house those elements of worship contained within the Tabernacle, but he was told by God that it would be left to a son to engage in this work. Solomon built the temple, the resting place for the tabernacle - the proper place of worship for the Jews. Having secured the throne and having established his rule over Israel, Solomon began the world of building a permanent house for God’s presence. Chapters 5-8 of the Book Of Kings, details the construction of the temple from the initial gathering of building supplies to its final dedication. Chapters 5-6 of the Book Of Kings, describe the building of it.
D. In the building of the temple we have a foreshadow of the church and God’s continued fulfillment of his promises to Abraham, specifically, that from him would come one that would bless all the nations. Let’s study today the building of the temple.
Discussion
I. PREPARATIONS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE (5:1-62).
Construction materials
A. ... Hiram king of Tyre sent ... unto Solomon ... And Solomon sent to Hiram ... (5:1-6).
1 ¶ And Hiram <02438> king <04428> of Tyre <06865> sent <07971> (8799) his servants <05650> unto Solomon <08010>; for he had heard <08085> (8804) that they had anointed <04886> (8804) him king <04428> in the room of his father <01>: for Hiram <02438> was ever <03117> a lover <0157> (8802) of David <01732>. {Hiram: also called, Huram}
2 And Solomon <08010> sent <07971> (8799) to Hiram <02438>, saying <0559> (8800),
3 Thou knowest <03045> (8804) how that David <01732> my father <01> could <03201> (8804) not build <01129> (8800) an house <01004> unto the name <08034> of the LORD <03068> his God <0430> for <06440> the wars <04421> which were about him on every side <05437> (8804), until the LORD <03068> put <05414> (8800) them
under the soles <03709> of his feet <07272>.
4 But now the LORD <03068> my God <0430> hath given me rest <05117> (8689) on every side <05439>, so that there is neither adversary <07854> nor evil <07451> occurrent <06294>.
5 And, behold, I purpose <0559> (8802) to build <01129> (8800) an house <01004> unto the name <08034> of the LORD <03068> my God <0430>, as the LORD <03068> spake <01696> (8765) unto David <01732> my father <01>, saying <0559> (8800), Thy son <01121>, whom I will set <05414> (8799) upon thy throne <03678> in thy room, he shall build <01129> (8799) an house <01004> unto my name <08034>. {purpose: Heb. say}
6 Now therefore command <06680> (8761) thou that they hew <03772> (8799) me cedar trees <0730> out of Lebanon <03844>; and my servants <05650> shall be with thy servants <05650>: and unto thee will I give <05414> (8799) hire <07939> for thy servants <05650> according to all that thou shalt appoint <0559> (8799): for thou knowest <03045> (8804) that there is not among us any <0376> that can skill <03045> (8802) to hew <03772> (8800) timber <06086> like unto the Sidonians <06722>. {appoint: Heb. say}
1. Solomon established contract with Hiram the king of the city of Tyre (1Ki 5:1-12; 2Ch 2:1-16).
2. Hiram of Tyre had sent wood and carpenters to David for the construction of his palace in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:11).
3. In this text he offered the same services to Solomon for the building of a Temple.
Consideration And Measures Taken
B. ... Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees ... And Solomon gave Hiram ... measures of wheat ... and pure oil ... year by year... (5:7-12; 2Ch 2:11-16).
7 And it came to pass, when Hiram <02438> heard <08085> (8800) the words <01697> of Solomon <08010>, that he rejoiced <08055> (8799) greatly <03966>, and said <0559> (8799), Blessed <01288> (8803) be the LORD <03068> this day <03117>, which hath given <05414> (8804) unto David <01732> a wise <02450> son <01121> over this great <07227> people <05971>.
8 And Hiram <02438> sent <07971> (8799) to Solomon <08010>, saying <0559> (8800), I have considered <08085> (8804) the things which thou sentest <07971> (8804) to me for: and I will do <06213> (8799) all thy desire <02656> concerning timber <06086> of cedar <0730>, and concerning timber <06086> of fir <01265>. {considered: Heb. heard}
9 My servants <05650> shall bring them down <03381> (8686) from Lebanon <03844> unto the sea <03220>: and I will convey <07760> (8799) them by sea <03220> in floats <01702> unto the place <04725> that thou shalt appoint <07971> (8799) me, and will cause them to be discharged <05310> (8765) there, and thou shalt receive <05375> (8799) them: and thou shalt accomplish <06213> (8799) my desire <02656>, in giving <05414> (8800) food <03899> for my household <01004>. {appoint: Heb. send}
10 ¶ So Hiram <02438> gave <05414> (8802) Solomon <08010> cedar <0730> trees <06086> and fir <01265> trees <06086> according to all his desire <02656>.
11 And Solomon <08010> gave <05414> (8804) Hiram <02438> twenty <06242> thousand <0505> measures <03734> of wheat <02406> for food <04361> to his household <01004>, and twenty <06242> measures <03734> of pure <03795> oil <08081>: thus gave <05414> (8799) Solomon <08010> to Hiram <02438> year <08141> by year <08141>. {measures: Heb. cors}
12 And the LORD <03068> gave <05414> (8804) Solomon <08010> wisdom <02451>, as he promised <01696> (8765) him: and there was peace <07965> between Hiram <02438> and Solomon <08010>; and they two <08147> <00> made <03772> (8799) a league <01285> together <08147>.
1. The of wood was transported down the coast to a place where it was received by Solomon’s men at Joppa, and then hauled overland to Jerusalem.
2. In return for it, Solomon entered into a trade agreement with Hiram in which Israel supplied Tyre with wheat, barley, oil and wine products from Israel.
Construction Workers
C. ... Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel ... (5:13-18; 2Ch 2:17-18).
13 And king <04428> Solomon <08010> raised <05927> (8686) a levy <04522> out of all Israel <03478>; and the levy <04522> was thirty <07970> thousand <0505> men <0376>. {levy: Heb. tribute of men}
14 And he sent <07971> (8799) them to Lebanon <03844>, ten <06235> thousand <0505> a month <02320> by courses <02487>: a month <02320> they were in Lebanon <03844>, and two <08147> months <02320> at home <01004>: and Adoniram <0141> was over the levy <04522>.
15 And Solomon <08010> had threescore and ten <07657> thousand <0505> that bare <05375> (8802) burdens <05449>, and fourscore <08084> thousand <0505> hewers <02672> (8802) in the mountains <02022>;
16 Beside the chief <08269> of Solomon’s <08010> officers <05324> (8737) which were over the work <04399>, three <07969> thousand <0505> and three <07969> hundred <03967>, which ruled <07287> (8802) over the people <05971> that wrought <06213> (8802) in the work <04399>.
17 And the king <04428> commanded <06680> (8762), and they brought <05265> (8686) great <01419> stones <068>, costly <03368> stones <068>, and hewed <01496> stones <068>, to lay the foundation <03245> (8763) of the house <01004>.
18 And Solomon’s <08010> builders <01129> (8802) and Hiram’s <02438> builders <01129> (8802) did hew <06458> (8799) them, and the stonesquarers <01382>: so they prepared <03559> (8686) timber <06086> and stones <068> to build <01129> (8800) the house <01004>. {stonesquares: or, Giblites}
1. Solomon established a draft system.
a. from Israel - 30,000 woodcutters from Israel (1Ki 5:13-14).
(1) Men from all the tribes of Israel were conscripted into a labor force and sent in shifts of 10,000 to work in this construction project.
(2) Each shift stayed one month at a time, so that each man worked for Solomon four months out of each year.
(3) The other eight months they presumably worked in their own fields.
b. from strangers in the land - 150,000 (2Ch 2:17-18).
(1) 70,000 bearers of burdens - transportation
(2) 80,000 hewers - stone cutters.
c. 3,300 (3,600 in Chronicles) overseers over the work (1Ki 5:15; 2Ch 2:18).
d. total workforce - 183,300
2. “great stones” (v 17; cf. Lands of the Bible, 205, 562; Josephus Antiquities, Book V, chapter v, 1)
Transition: With the preparations Solomon had made he was ready to start the construction of the temple.
II. CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE (6:1-38; 2Chr 3:1-5:1).
The Outside Of The Temple
A. ... in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign ... he began to build the house of the LORD ... (6:1-10).
1 ¶ And it came to pass in the four <0702> hundred <03967> <08141> and eightieth <08084> year <08141> after the children <01121> of Israel <03478> were come out <03318> (8800) of the land <0776> of Egypt <04714>, in the fourth <07243> year <08141> of Solomon’s <08010> reign <04427> (8800) over Israel <03478>, in the month <02320> Zif <02099>, which is the second <08145> month <02320>, that he began to build <01129> (8799) the house <01004> of the LORD <03068>. {began…: Heb. built}
2 And the house <01004> which king <04428> Solomon <08010> built <01129> (8804) for the LORD <03068>, the length <0753> thereof was threescore <08346> cubits <0520>, and the breadth <07341> thereof twenty <06242> cubits, and the height <06967> thereof thirty <07970> cubits <0520>.
3 And the porch <0197> before <06440> the temple <01964> of the house <01004>, twenty <06242> cubits <0520> was the length <0753> thereof, according to the breadth <07341> of the house
<01004>; and ten <06235> cubits <0520> was the breadth <07341> thereof before the house <01004>.
4 And for the house <01004> he made <06213> (8799) windows <02474> of narrow <0331> (8801) lights <08261>. {of…: or, broad within, and narrow without: or, skewed and closed}
5 And against the wall <07023> of the house <01004> he built <01129> (8799) chambers <03326> (8675) <03326> round about <05439>, against the walls <07023> of the house <01004> round about <05439>, both of the temple <01964> and of the oracle <01687>: and he made <06213> (8799) chambers <06763> round about <05439>: {against the wall: or, upon, or, joining to the wall} {built chambers: Heb. built floors} {made chambers: Heb. made ribs}
6 The nethermost <08481> chamber <03326> (8675) <03326> was five <02568> cubits <0520> broad <07341>, and the middle <08484> was six <08337> cubits <0520> broad <07341>, and the third <07992> was seven <07651> cubits <0520> broad <07341>: for without in the wall of <02351> the house <01004> he made <05414> (8804) narrowed rests <04052> round about <05439>, that the beams should not be fastened <0270> (8800) in the walls <07023> of the house <01004>. {narrowed…: Heb. narrowings, or, rebatements}
7 And the house <01004>, when it was in building <01129> (8736), was built <01129> (8738) of stone <068> made ready <08003> before it was brought <04551> thither: so that there was neither hammer <04717> nor axe <01631> nor any tool <03627> of iron <01270> heard <08085> (8738) in the house <01004>, while it was in building <01129> (8736).
8 The door <06607> for the middle <08484> chamber <06763> was in the right <03233> side <03802> of the house <01004>: and they went up <05927> (8799) with winding stairs <03883> into the middle <08484> chamber, and out of the middle <08484> into the third <07992>. {side: Heb. shoulder