1 KINGS LESSON 9


     We will begin this lesson in I Kings 7:1 "But Solomon was
building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house."

     This is a break from the information about the temple and its
contents. Perhaps, the difference in the time it took to build his own
palace is the difference in the size. Solomon had a large group of
people, who lived in his house, and the house necessarily had to be
huge. The main reason for the house of the LORD being finished first,
was that his attention was mostly on the temple. The finishing of his
own house was of less importance to him.

     I Kings 7:2  "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."

     This is, probably, one of many buildings on the palace grounds.
This was made of cedar. The house was 100 cubits, or 150 feet long.
It was 50 cubits, or 75 feet wide, and 30 cubits, or 45 feet high.
This was the size of a small hotel, or motel.

     I Kings 7:3 "And [it was] covered with cedar above upon the
beams, that [lay] on forty five pillars, fifteen [in] a row."

     This is speaking of three rows of fifteen each.

     I Kings 7:4 "And [there were] windows [in] three rows, and light
[was] against light [in] three ranks."

     Perhaps, there were three stories, and the three rows of beams,
and the three rows of light show that there were windows on each
floor.

     I Kings 7:5 "And all the doors and posts [were] square, with the
windows: and light [was] against light [in] three ranks."

     This is, possibly, saying that, the windows were square and the
doors were square.

     I Kings 7:6  "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
[were] before them."

     This is speaking of the porch extending the width of the house.
It appears to have a roof, which was held up by cedar beams. It did
not appear to have walls, however.

     I Kings 7:7  "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 to the other."

     This seems to be another porch on another building. The building,
described before, probably, was not the one where the throne was. It
appears, the walls and the ceiling were made of cedar.

     I Kings 7:8  "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."

     We see, in this, that the king had a personal house. There seemed
to be a courtyard in the center of the house, and a porch at the
entrance of the house. This house is not to be confused with the
building mentioned earlier in this lesson. There seemed to be a number
of buildings in the complex. The queen usually lived in the women's
quarters. Solomon built a separate house for the daughter of Pharaoh.

     I Kings 7:9 "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."

     The stones and the cedar used in the buildings, that made up
Solomon's complex, were expensively done. The palace buildings far
surpassed anything in the known world at that time. These buildings,
inside and out, were as near perfection as man could make them.

     I Kings 7:10 "And the foundation [was of] costly stones, even
great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits."

     The stones that made up the foundation were huge. They were 12
and 15 feet stones. The costly stones were speaking of stones of
decoration.

     I Kings 7:11 "And above [were] costly stones, after the measures
of hewed stones, and cedars."

     It appears, here, that the smaller stones were more decorative
than the foundation stones. Even the cedars were carved into beautiful
decorations.

     I Kings 7:12 "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."

     This appears, that the cedar beams were on top of the cut stones.
We must remember, that the great stones were 12 to 15 feet. Three rows
of them would cover a very large area.

     I Kings 7:13  "And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of
Tyre." I Kings 7:14 "He [was] a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali,
and his father [was] a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was
filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works
in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work."
     This Hiram is not the same person as the king. He was, probably,
named Hiram in honor of the king. This man is a master in working with
bronze. This young man was from a mixed marriage. His mother had been
a Hebrew from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a man of Tyre. His
father is dead at this point. He has been filled with the wisdom,
understanding, and cunning to work in bronze, or brass. These are
natural talents from God, that had been improved upon by practice.
He immediately comes to Solomon, and wrought his work in the brass.

     I Kings 7:15 "For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen
cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of
them about."

     These pillars were huge. They were 27 feet high by 18 feet
completely around them, {in circumference}.

     I Kings 7:16 "And he made two chapiters [of] molten brass, to set
upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter [was]
five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter [was] five cubits:"

     The chapiters were decorated top pieces that went on the top of
the pillars. This was 7 1/2 feet high. Each of them were made exactly
alike.

     I Kings 7:17 "[And] nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain
work, for the chapiters which [were] upon the top of the pillars;
seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter."

     This speaks of the decoration on the chapiters. The chain work
appeared from a distance to be rope dropped down across the other
decoration.

     I Kings 7:18 "And he made the pillars, and two rows round about
upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that [were] upon the top,
with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter."

     The "pomegranates" symbolize fruitfulness in good works. This is
as if these pillars are topped with this. There were two rows of
pomegranates that went around each chapiter.

     I Kings 7:19 "And the chapiters that [were] upon the top of the
pillars [were] of lily work in the porch, four cubits."

     This has jumped from the two pillars, to the other pillars, which
were surrounding the court. The chapiters were decorated with lilies.

     I Kings 7:20 "And the chapiters upon the two pillars [had
pomegranates] also above, over against the belly which [was] by the
network: and the pomegranates [were] two hundred in rows round about
upon the other chapiter."

     The 200 pomegranates show the size of the pillars and their
chapiters.
     I Kings 7:21 "And he set up the pillars in the porch of the
temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof
Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof
Boaz."

     The two pillars were at the entrance. Everyone coming in had to
come between them. "Jachin" means He will establish. "Boaz" means
fleetness. Boaz is in the ancestry of Jesus. I believe these two posts
are speaking of the fact that the Christians will be established in
the LORD Jesus Christ.

     I Kings 7:22 "And upon the top of the pillars [was] lily work: so
was the work of the pillars finished."

     These are the same as we read of earlier. These surrounded the
court. The lilies were, probably, open flowers, instead of the bud.

     Some of this building we will, probably, never completely
understand, until we get to heaven. I do know that the temple,
particularly, and the palace complex, in general, were absolutely
beautiful buildings.


































                        1 Kings 9 Questions


1.  How many years did it take to build Solomon's house?
2.  What are some of the reasons it could have taken this long?
3.  Solomon's house was built of what?
4.  How large was the building mentioned in verse 2?
5.  Verse 3 says, the beams were set upon how many pillars?
6.  What does the author believe about the windows?
7.  What was the size of the porch?
8.  He made a __________ for the throne where he might judge?
9.  What did Solomon make for the Pharaoh's daughter?
10. Where did the queen usually live?
11. How beautiful, comparative to the rest of the world, were these
    buildings?
12. How large were the stones in verse 10?
13. How many stones made up the court?
14. The smaller stones were more _____________ than the large ones.
15. Who did Solomon send for, from Tyre, to work the brass?
16. What tribe was his mother from?
17. He was filled with what three things?
18. How large were the two pillars of brass in verse 15?
19. What did he put on top of the brass pillars?
20. How tall were the chapiters?
21. What do the "pomegranates" symbolize?
22. How did the pillars around the court differ from these two
    pillars?
23. What were the two pillars in the porch named?
24. What do their names mean?
25. Putting the two names together symbolically means what?