1 Kings 4

1 Kings 4:1

The House of the Lord] This House, called the Temple, ver. 3. the Throne of Gods glory, Jer. XIV. 21. a Glorious high throne, Jer. XVII. 12. our Holy and Beautiful House, where our fathers praised thee, Esay XLVI. 11. the Beauty of Holinesse, 1 Chron XVI. 29. was built in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, or Sion, on the Threshing-floore of Araunah or Ornan the Jebusite, 2 Chron. III. 1. 1 Chron. XXII. 1.

Very wonderful riches acquired, and laid up, and other preparations made by David, and others, towards the building of the Temple, 2 Sam. VIII. 11, 12. 1 Chron. XXII. 14. and ch. XXIX.

And the Patterne or Platforme of it given to David by the Spirit, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 21. he set down in writing particularly, and gave it to his sonne, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 11,—18. This was such like an help as Moses had, Exod. XXV. 40. The Preparations for the second Temple were very small.

Huge stones, and costly, and precious stones used in Solomons Buildings, 1 King. VII. 9,—12. and chap. X. 2, 10, 11. 1 Chron. XXIX. 2, 8. 2 Chron. III. 6.

The Brazen Altar for Sacrifice was in the Court next the Temple, in the open aire.

The Lavers likewise in that Court, between the Brazen Altar, and the Temple; fixt and placed before the Temple, in the inmost Court; viz. five Bases, and Lavers upon them, on the right hand; and five on the left, as one was to go from the East into the Temple: To wash in them such things as they Offered for the Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices.

The great molten Sea, standing on twelve Oxen, or Brazen Buls, which were by, and beside, not under the Bases and Lavers, as the word is rendered, Jer. LII 20. This Sea was placed on the right hand, or North-side, over against the South, For the Priests to wash in, 2 Chron. IV. 6, 10. In most other places in Scripture, the Right hand is taken for the South; and the Left hand for the North; as supposing a mans posture with his face towards the East.

Going on from the East towards the West; and passing by the Altar, Lavers, and Sea; Entrance was so made into the Porch of the Temple. This Porch being the entrance, and East-end of the Temple, was in length twenty Cubits; from North to South; In breadth ten Cubits, from East to West; and in height as high as the Temple, and thrice as high above it, one hundred and twenty Cubits in all, 1 King. VI. 3. 2 Chron. III 4. In the middle betweene the walls, not joyning to the walls, stood on each side of the entrance or Porch, the two Pillars, of Jachin, on the right hand; and Boaz, on the left; eighteen sacred Cubits apiece high, 1 King. VII. 15. or thirty five common Cubits besides the Basis or Pedestal of one Cubit, 2 Chron.

III. 15. Although some would have this thirty five to be the number arising from the height of both Pillars or the shafts of them.

And a Chapiter on the top of each, five sacred Cubits high, 1 King. VII. 16. 2 Chron. III. 15. to a part whereof are assigned three Cubits, 2 King. XXV. 17. And they being four fingers thick of brasse, and hollow within, Jer. LII. 21. a line of twelve sacred Cubits did compasse either of the Pillars about, 1 King. VII. 15. Some divide the Pillars into five parts; or rather into six thus; a square Table on the bottome; a Rundle or round Basis upon that; the shaft and maine body of the Pillars round; and above that a square Border upon which the Pomegranates were; a Head, or Chapiter, or Belly; and a Crowne or Powel, both round.

All the three parts above the Shaft are called by the name of Chapiter, and are said to be five Cubits high, 1 King. VII. 16. Jer. LII. 22. And the four Cubits; 1 King. VII. 19. is to be understood of some parts of them: And the thee Cubits, 2 King. XXV. 17. of the other: or the four Cubits relate to the Lilie-work, and the three Cubits to the Net-work. The whole Chapiters had Nets of Checker-work, and wreaths of Chain-work, seven on either 1 King.

VII. 17. And Pomegranates upon the Net-works, in two rowes, one above another, that is, twenty four on a square or side, and so ninety six in all upon the four sides of each rowe; which with the four corner ones make up one hundred in each rowe, 2 Chron. III. 16. Jer. LII. 23. And so two hundred on either Pillar, 1 King. VII. 20. and four hundred Pomegranates on both joyntly.

Passing through the Porch, They entered into the Sanctuary or Body of the Temple, conjoyned to the Porch; which Sanctuary or Body was fourty sacred Cubits long, and twenty broad, and thirty high, 1 King. VI. 17. 2 Chron. III. 3 Overlaid within with gold, upon Palme trees, and Chaines, and Cherubims; and garnished with precious stones, 2 Chron. III. 5, 6, 7.

In this body of the Temple, were the things following; ten Candlesticks of gold, with their Lamps [Besides other of silver mentioned, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 16. for other uses, in other places, in the Courts and Chambers of the Priests and Levites.] Of which ten, there were placed five on the right hand, and five on the left 2 Chron. IV. 7. And each of them far greater then that one in the Tabernacle. Oile was used to the Lamps.

Ten Tables for Shew-bread, likely of gold; [besides other of silver in other places, for other uses, in the Priests Courts, Chambers, and Treasuries, mentioned, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 16. Of which ten, there were five placed on the right side, and five on the left, 2 Chron. IV. 8, 19. Though one Table and one Candlestick, be named for the rest, 2 Chron. XIII. 11. 1 King. VII. 48.

Altar of Incense, of gold, placed by the Oracle, at the West-end of the Sanctuary, 1 King. VI. 20, 22. and VII. 48. On which was daily burnt the Perfume, Exod. XXX. 34,—38. and ver. 1,—10. And that not by the High Priest only; as it is in the Annotations on 2 Chron. XXVI. 16. But by other Priests; as it is in the Annotations on Exod. XXX. 7.

Thence straight forward, Through the Vaile, and Doore the High Priest once in the year entered into the Oracle or Most-Holy-Place; twenty sacred Cubits long; twenty broad; and twenty high; a perfect square, 1 King. VI. 20. Being the West-end of the Temple. By the Height here it seemes plainly to be ten Cubits lower then the Body of the Temple; as our Chancels commonly are lower then the Bodies of our Churches. Neither seemes there to be any thing in the Text to induce us to be otherwise minded: Though the Great Annotations on 1 King. VI. 20. seek out wayes to heighten the upmost outmost top of it to be level and even with the top of the Temple.

In the Oracle were, the Ark, called Gods strength, and glory, Psal LXXVIII. 61, and CXXXII. 8. 1 Sam. IV. 20. And in it only two Tables of the Law and Covenant, or Testimony: The Propitiatory or Cover upon it; which made up the Mercy-seat: And the two Cherubims, not of massie gold, as those two lesser ones in the Tabernacle, Exod. XXXVII. 7. But of Olive-tree, covered with plates of Gold, and meeting with one of their wings upon the Mercy-seat; and the other wings stretching to the walls of the Oracle; whereupon it is called the Chariot of the Cherubims, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 19. See 1 Sam. IV. 4 Psal.

LXXX. 1. and XIX. 1. Esay XXXVII. 16. And their faces were inward or toward the House, 2 Chron. III. 13. These Cherubims have one paire of wings apiece. In Ezekiels Vision two paire apiece, Ezek. I. 6. and chap. X. 21.

In Esayes Vision the Seraphim have three paire a piece, Esay VI. 2. As also those four living wights, Apoc. IV. 8. Probably on their Shoulders, Breasts, and Hips. These Cherubims were so made as the parts of them might be taken asunder, 2 Chron. III. 10. And by the side of the Arke, or before the Testimony, are conceived to be the Pot of Mannah; Aarons Rod; The Censer; and the Book of the Law, as they had formerly been in the most Holy Place of the Sanctuary. And the smaller Cherubims which Moses made out of the matter of the Mercy-seat, or Propitiatory, or Cover, if inseparably fastened to the ends of it, then they were also covered with the great Cherubims, Exod.

XXV. 18, 19. & ch. XXXVII. 8. Of all which see what more hath been said upon Exod. See also 1 King. VI. and VIII. chapters. 2 Chron. III. and IV. chapters, where more is set down of the gold, and precious ornaments of this place, and the things in it. [Our Westerne Churches have the Chancels at the East-end; and the steeples commouly at the West-end; (otherwise then it was in Solomons Temple) in relation likely to Judea, and Jerusalem, and that Temple, East from us. Of the second Temple in Ezra; we have little for the things in it. Of Herods Temple, little or nothing in Scripture.

The windows narrow without, and broad within, were above the Chambers, round about both the Temple, and Oracle.

Of the Walls, and Doores, see 2 Chron. III. 5, 6, 7. and chap. IV. 22. 1 King. VI. 15, 16, 22, 29, 30, 31,—35. and VII. 50.

The Floore of the Temple, was of Firre-Plancks, 1 King. VI 15. Of the Oracle, was of Cedar, ver. 16. Both overlaid with gold, i. e. plates of gold, ver. 30.

The covering of the House was with beames, and boards of Cedar, ver. 9. sieled or covered within with gold, 2 Chron. III. 5, 8. And in likelyhood Lead upon the outside of them, to defend all against the injuries of the weather.

Gates of the Temple, and Courts of it, 2 Chron. VIII. 14. and XXIII. 4, 5, 19, 20. and XXIV. 8. and XXVII. 3. and XXXI. 14. and XXXV. 15. See the Annotations on Ezek. VIII. 3, 5, 14. and on chap. IX. 2. and on chap. XL. 3.

The Courts; of the Tabernacle was one; of Solomons Temple at least two, 2 Chron. IV. 9. Besides the Court of the Gentiles, or intermural; the East-gate whereof was called Solomons Porch; of Ezekiels Visionarie Temple, at least three; besides that for the Gentiles.

The Courts were comprised under the name of the Temple, Acts XXI. 28. Joh. II. 14, 16. In the Court of the People, or Greater Court Solomon erected his Scaffold, 2 Chron. VI. 13. And Joash was anointed King, 2 Chron. XXIII. 13. And here, and in the Porch of it, were the People taught, by the Priests, and Levites; by the Prophets, and Apostles; by our Saviour, who never entered further then this Court into the Temple.

The time of Building, seven years. Though there were six moneths more by comparing, 1 King. VI. 1, 38. 2 Chron. III. 2. Like to that of the time of Davids reigne, 2 Sam. V. 4, 5.

The time of Dedication of the House and Altar in the seventh moneth, 1 King. VIII. 2. 2 Chron. V. 3. and chap. VII. 9, 10. either the moneth before all the appurtenances, and ordinances of the House were fully finished; or else in the seventh moneth of the next year, when the Jubilee began; that so the celebrity of Bringing in the Ark, and Dedication of the Temple, and Solomons sacrifices, and his solemne Prayer upon his brazen scaffold, might then and thereby, become the greater and more illustrious, 1 King. VIII. 1,—66. 2 Chron. V. and VI. and VII. chapters.

It began the seventh or eighth day of that moneth: for on the fifteenth day began the Feast of Tabernacles. And in relation to these two Feasts, are those fourteen dayes mentioned, 1 King. VIII. 65. 2 Chron. VII. ver. 8, 9. And on the twenty third day of that moneth the people were dismissed, 2 Chron. VII. 10. the eighth day of the later Feast, 1 King.

VIII. 66.

1 Kings 4:4

Gibeon] The Tabernacle was never at any one of the Cities of the Levites, except here at Gibeon only.

1 Kings 4:5

sonne of Nathan] The Prophet Nathans two sons highly honoured and advanced by Solomon.

1 Kings 4:7

a little childe] In that sleep Solomon calls himself a little childe; And a little before that David testifies the like of him, 1 Chron. XXII. 5. and chap. XXI. 1. with an eye had to his grear charge at that age; not unlike to that, Jer. I. 6. Yet then David calls him a Wise-man, 1 King. II. 9. even before that wonderful increase of wisdome added to him after Davids death; And then Solomon, being indeed about seventeen years old, had Rehoboam, his son, as appears by the age of Rehoboam at the beginning of his reigne, 1 King. XIV. 21. 2 Chron. XII. 13.

1 Kings 4:16

Harlots] The King knew not likely, that the women were Harlots; haply open Inne-keepers, and close Harlots.

1 Kings 4:32

Spake] Solomon chosen by God to be King, 1 Chron. XXVIII. 5. and XXIX. 1. and chap. XXII. 9, 10, spake three thousand Proverbs. And he spake of all Trees, 1 King. IV. 32, 33. Not that the Text saith, he writ them, or of them. And his Songs were one thousand and five.