1 Raja-raja 3:16-28
Konteks3:16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 3:17 One of the women said, “My master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was with me in the house. 3:18 Then three days after I had my baby, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one else in the house except the two of us. 1 3:19 This woman’s child suffocated 2 during the night when she rolled 3 on top of him. 3:20 She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms. 3:21 I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, 4 dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.” 5 3:22 The other woman said, “No! My son is alive; your son is dead!” But the first woman replied, “No, your son is dead; my son is alive.” Each presented her case before the king. 6
3:23 The king said, “One says, ‘My son is alive; your son is dead,’ while the other says, ‘No, your son is dead; my son is alive.’” 3:24 The king ordered, “Get me a sword!” So they placed a sword before the king. 3:25 The king then said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!” 3:26 The real mother 7 spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. 8 She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” 9 But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!” 3:27 The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 3:28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected 10 the king, for they realized 11 that he possessed supernatural wisdom 12 to make judicial decisions.
1 Raja-raja 5:1-18
Konteks5:1 (5:15) 13 King Hiram of Tyre 14 sent messengers 15 to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in his father’s place. (Hiram had always been an ally of David.) 5:2 Solomon then sent this message to Hiram: 5:3 “You know that my father David was unable to build a temple to honor the Lord 16 his God, for he was busy fighting battles on all fronts while the Lord subdued his enemies. 17 5:4 But now the Lord my God has made me secure on all fronts; there is no adversary or dangerous threat. 5:5 So I have decided 18 to build a temple to honor the Lord 19 my God, as the Lord instructed my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a temple to honor me.’ 20 5:6 So now order some cedars of Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants. I will pay your servants whatever you say is appropriate, for you know that we have no one among us who knows how to cut down trees like the Sidonians.”
5:7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The Lord is worthy of praise today because he 21 has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.” 5:8 Hiram then sent this message to Solomon: “I received 22 the message you sent to me. I will give you all the cedars and evergreens you need. 23 5:9 My servants will bring the timber down from Lebanon to the sea. I will send it by sea in raft-like bundles to the place you designate. 24 There I will separate the logs 25 and you can carry them away. In exchange you will supply the food I need for my royal court.” 26
5:10 So Hiram supplied the cedars and evergreens Solomon needed, 27 5:11 and Solomon supplied Hiram annually with 20,000 cors 28 of wheat as provision for his royal court, 29 as well as 20,000 baths 30 of pure 31 olive oil. 32 5:12 So the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him. And Hiram and Solomon were at peace and made a treaty. 33
5:13 King Solomon conscripted 34 work crews 35 from throughout Israel, 30,000 men in all. 5:14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 men per month. They worked in Lebanon for one month, and then spent two months at home. Adoniram was supervisor of 36 the work crews. 5:15 Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers 37 and 80,000 stonecutters 38 in the hills, 5:16 besides 3,300 39 officials who supervised the workers. 40 5:17 By royal order 41 they supplied large valuable stones in order to build the temple’s foundation with chiseled stone. 5:18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s construction workers, 42 along with men from Byblos, 43 did the chiseling and prepared the wood and stones for the building of the temple. 44
2 Tawarikh 2:1-18
Konteks2:1 (1:18) 45 Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 46 2:2 (2:1) Solomon had 47 70,000 common laborers 48 and 80,000 stonecutters 49 in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors. 50
2:3 Solomon sent a message to King Huram 51 of Tyre: 52 “Help me 53 as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs 54 for the construction of his palace. 55 2:4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor 56 the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed, 57 and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis. 58 2:5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 2:6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky 59 and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him. 60
2:7 “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple, crimson, and violet colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalem 61 and Judah, whom my father David provided. 2:8 Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum 62 trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept 63 at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants 2:9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple. 2:10 Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 kors 64 of ground wheat, 20,000 kors of barley, 120,000 gallons 65 of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
2:11 King Huram 66 of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.” 2:12 Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 67 2:13 Now I am sending you Huram Abi, 68 a skilled and capable man, 2:14 whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian. 69 He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, violet, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father. 2:15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised; 2:16 we will get all the timber you need from Lebanon 70 and bring it 71 in raft-like bundles 72 by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.”
2:17 Solomon took a census 73 of all the male resident foreigners in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 in all. 2:18 He designated 74 70,000 as common laborers, 75 80,000 as stonecutters 76 in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work. 77
1 Raja-raja 6:1-13
Konteks6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, during the month Ziv 78 (the second month), he began building the Lord’s temple. 6:2 The temple King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet 79 long, 30 feet 80 wide, and 45 feet 81 high. 6:3 The porch in front of the main hall of the temple was 30 feet 82 long, corresponding to the width of the temple. It was 15 feet 83 wide, extending out from the front of the temple. 6:4 He made framed windows for the temple. 6:5 He built an extension all around the walls of the temple’s main hall and holy place and constructed side rooms in it. 84 6:6 The bottom floor of the extension was seven and a half feet 85 wide, the middle floor nine feet 86 wide, and the third floor ten and a half 87 feet wide. He made ledges 88 on the temple’s outer walls so the beams would not have to be inserted into the walls. 89 6:7 As the temple was being built, only stones shaped at the quarry 90 were used; the sound of hammers, pickaxes, or any other iron tool was not heard at the temple while it was being built. 6:8 The entrance to the bottom 91 level of side rooms was on the south side of the temple; stairs went up 92 to the middle floor and then on up to the third 93 floor. 6:9 He finished building the temple 94 and covered it 95 with rafters 96 and boards made of cedar. 97 6:10 He built an extension all around the temple; it was seven and a half feet high 98 and it was attached to the temple by cedar beams.
6:11 99 The Lord said 100 to Solomon: 6:12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow 101 my rules, observe 102 my regulations, and obey all my commandments, 103 I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David. 104 6:13 I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”
2 Tawarikh 3:1-14
Konteks3:1 Solomon began building the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem 105 on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan 106 the Jebusite. 3:2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign. 107
3:3 Solomon laid the foundation for God’s temple; 108 its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet. 109 3:4 The porch in front of the main hall was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple, 110 and its height was 30 feet. 111 He plated the inside with pure gold. 3:5 He paneled 112 the main hall 113 with boards made from evergreen trees 114 and plated it with fine gold, decorated with palm trees and chains. 115 3:6 He decorated the temple with precious stones; the gold he used came from Parvaim. 116 3:7 He overlaid the temple’s rafters, thresholds, walls and doors with gold; he carved decorative cherubim on the walls.
3:8 He made the most holy place; 117 its length was 30 feet, 118 corresponding to the width of the temple, and its width 30 feet. 119 He plated it with 600 talents 120 of fine gold. 3:9 The gold nails weighed 50 shekels; he also plated the upper areas with gold. 3:10 In the most holy place he made two images of cherubim and plated them with gold. 3:11 The combined wing span of the cherubs was 30 feet. 121 One of the first cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched one wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the second cherub’s wings. 122 3:12 Likewise one of the second cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched the other wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the first cherub’s wings. 123 3:13 The combined wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. 124 They stood upright, facing inward. 125 3:14 He made the curtain out of violet, purple, crimson, and white fabrics, and embroidered on it decorative cherubim.
1 Raja-raja 6:14-38
Konteks6:14 So Solomon finished building the temple. 126 6:15 He constructed the walls inside the temple with cedar planks; he paneled the inside with wood from the floor of the temple to the rafters 127 of the ceiling. He covered the temple floor with boards made from the wood of evergreens. 6:16 He built a wall 30 feet in from the rear of the temple as a partition for an inner sanctuary that would be the most holy place. 128 He paneled the wall with cedar planks from the floor to the rafters. 129 6:17 The main hall in front of the inner sanctuary was 60 feet long. 130 6:18 The inside of the temple was all cedar and was adorned with carvings of round ornaments and of flowers in bloom. Everything was cedar; no stones were visible. 131
6:19 He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord could be placed there. 6:20 The inner sanctuary was 30 feet 132 long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He plated it with gold, 133 as well as the cedar altar. 134 6:21 Solomon plated the inside of the temple with gold. 135 He hung golden chains in front of the inner sanctuary and plated the inner sanctuary 136 with gold. 6:22 He plated the entire inside of the temple with gold, as well as the altar inside the inner sanctuary. 137
6:23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubs of olive wood; each stood 15 feet 138 high. 6:24 Each of the first cherub’s wings was seven and a half feet long; its entire wingspan was 15 feet. 139 6:25 The second cherub also had a wingspan of 15 feet; it was identical to the first in measurements and shape. 140 6:26 Each cherub stood 15 feet high. 141 6:27 He put the cherubs in the inner sanctuary of the temple. 142 Their wings were spread out. One of the first cherub’s wings touched one wall and one of the other cherub’s wings touched the opposite wall. The first cherub’s other wing touched the second cherub’s other wing in the middle of the room. 143 6:28 He plated the cherubs with gold.
6:29 On all the walls around the temple, inside and out, 144 he carved 145 cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom. 6:30 He plated the floor of the temple with gold, inside and out. 146 6:31 He made doors of olive wood at the entrance to the inner sanctuary; the pillar on each doorpost was five-sided. 147 6:32 On the two doors made of olive wood he carved 148 cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom, and he plated them with gold. 149 He plated the cherubs and the palm trees with hammered gold. 150 6:33 In the same way he made doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall, only with four-sided pillars. 151 6:34 He also made 152 two doors out of wood from evergreens; each door had two folding leaves. 153 6:35 He carved cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom and plated them with gold, leveled out over the carvings. 6:36 He built the inner courtyard with three rows of chiseled stones and a row of cedar beams.
6:37 In the month Ziv 154 of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign 155 the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple. 6:38 In the eleventh year, in the month Bul 156 (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build. 157
[3:18] 1 sn There was no one else in the house except the two of us. In other words, there were no other witnesses to the births who could identify which child belonged to which mother.
[3:21] 5 tn Heb “look, it was not my son to whom I had given birth.”
[3:22] 6 tn Heb “they spoke before the king.” Another option is to translate, “they argued before the king.”
[3:26] 7 tn Heb “the woman whose son was alive.”
[3:26] 8 tn Heb “for her compassions grew warm for her son.”
[3:26] 9 tn The infinitive absolute before the negated jussive emphasizes the main verb.
[3:28] 10 tn Heb “feared,” perhaps in the sense, “stood in awe of.”
[3:28] 12 tn Heb “the wisdom of God within him.”
[5:1] 13 sn The verse numbers in the English Bible differ from those in the Hebrew text (BHS) here; 5:1-18 in the English Bible corresponds to 5:15-32 in the Hebrew text. See the note at 4:21.
[5:1] 14 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[5:1] 15 tn Heb “his servants.”
[5:3] 16 tn Heb “a house for the name of the
[5:3] 17 tn Heb “because of the battles which surrounded him until the
[5:5] 18 tn Heb “Look, I am saying.”
[5:5] 19 tn Heb “a house for the name of the
[5:5] 20 tn Heb “a house for my name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the
[5:7] 21 tn Or “Blessed be the
[5:8] 23 tn Heb “I will satisfy all your desire with respect to cedar wood and with respect to the wood of evergreens.”
[5:9] 24 tn Heb “I will place them [on? as?] rafts in the sea to the place where you designate to me.” This may mean he would send them by raft, or that he would tie them in raft-like bundles, and have ships tow them down to an Israelite port.
[5:9] 25 tn Heb “smash them,” i.e., untie the bundles.
[5:9] 26 tn Heb “as for you, you will satisfy my desire by giving food for my house.”
[5:10] 27 tn Heb “and Hiram gave to Solomon cedar wood and the wood of evergreens, all his desire.”
[5:11] 28 sn As a unit of dry measure a cor was roughly equivalent to six bushels.
[5:11] 30 tc The Hebrew text has “twenty cors,” but the ancient Greek version and the parallel text in 2 Chr 2:10 read “twenty thousand baths.”
[5:11] sn A bath was a liquid measure equivalent to almost six gallons.
[5:11] 32 tn Heb “and Solomon supplied Hiram with twenty thousand cors of wheat…pure olive oil. So Solomon would give to Hiram year by year.”
[5:12] 33 tn Heb “a covenant,” referring to a formal peace treaty or alliance.
[5:13] 35 sn Work crews. This Hebrew word (מַס, mas) refers to a group of laborers conscripted for royal or public service.
[5:15] 37 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
[5:15] 38 tn Heb “cutters” (probably of stones).
[5:16] 39 tc Some Greek
[5:16] 40 tn Heb “besides thirty-three hundred from the officials of Solomon’s governors who were over the work, the ones ruling over the people, the ones doing the work.”
[5:17] 41 tn Heb “and the king commanded.”
[5:18] 43 tn Heb “the Gebalites.” The reading is problematic and some emend to a verb form meaning, “set the borders.”
[5:18] 44 tc The LXX includes the words “for three years.”
[2:1] 45 sn Beginning with 2:1, the verse numbers through 2:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 2:1 ET = 1:18 HT, 2:2 ET = 2:1 HT, 2:3 ET = 2:2 HT, etc., through 2:18 ET = 2:17 HT. Beginning with 3:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
[2:1] 46 tn Heb “and Solomon said to build a house for the name of the
[2:2] 47 tn Heb “counted,” perhaps “conscripted” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[2:2] 48 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
[2:2] 49 tn Or “quarry workers”; Heb “cutters” (probably referring to stonecutters).
[2:2] 50 tc The parallel text of MT in 1 Kgs 5:16 has “thirty-six hundred,” but some Greek
[2:2] tn Heb “and 3,600 supervisors over them.”
[2:3] 51 tn Heb “Huram.” Some medieval Hebrew
[2:3] 52 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[2:3] 53 tn The words “help me” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
[2:3] 54 tn Heb “cedars.” The word “logs” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:3] 55 tn Heb “to build for him a house to live in it.”
[2:4] 56 tn Heb “for the name of.”
[2:4] 57 tn Heb “and the regular display.”
[2:4] 58 tn Heb “permanently [is] this upon Israel.”
[2:6] 59 tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[2:6] 60 tn Heb “Who retains strength to build for him a house, for the heavens and the heavens of heavens do not contain him? And who am I that I should build for him a house, except to sacrifice before him?”
[2:7] 61 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:8] 62 tn This is probably a variant name for almug trees; see 9:10-11 and the parallel passage in 1 Kgs 10:11-12; cf. NLT. One or the other probably arose through metathesis of letters.
[2:10] 64 sn As a unit of dry measure a kor was roughly equivalent to six bushels (about 220 liters).
[2:10] 65 tn Heb “20,000 baths” (also a second time later in this verse). A bath was a liquid measure roughly equivalent to six gallons (about 22 liters), so this was a quantity of about 120,000 gallons (440,000 liters).
[2:11] 66 tn Heb “Huram” (also in v. 12). Some medieval Hebrew
[2:12] 67 tn Heb “who has given to David a wise son [who] knows discernment and insight, who will build a house for the
[2:13] 68 sn The name Huram Abi means “Huram [is] my father.”
[2:14] 69 tn Heb “a son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father a man of Tyre.”
[2:16] 70 tn Heb “and we will cut down trees from Lebanon according to all your need.”
[2:16] 71 tn Heb “to you,” but this phrase has not been translated for stylistic reasons – it is somewhat redundant.
[2:16] 72 tn Or “on rafts.” See the note at 1 Kgs 5:9.
[2:18] 75 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
[2:18] 76 tn Or “quarry workers”; Heb “cutters” (probably referring to stonecutters).
[2:18] 77 tn Heb “and thirty-six hundred [as] supervisors to compel the people to work.”
[6:1] 78 sn During the month Ziv. This would be April-May, 966
[6:2] 79 tn Heb “sixty cubits.” A cubit was a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 cm. Measurements in vv. 2-10 have been converted to feet in the translation for clarity.
[6:2] 80 tn Heb “twenty cubits.”
[6:2] 81 tn Heb “thirty cubits.”
[6:3] 82 tn Heb “twenty cubits.”
[6:5] 84 tn Heb “and he built on the wall of the temple an extension all around, the walls of the temple all around, for the main hall and for the holy place, and he made side rooms all around.”
[6:6] 85 tn Heb “five cubits.”
[6:6] 87 tn Heb “seven cubits.”
[6:6] 88 tn Or “offsets” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NIV “offset ledges.”
[6:6] 89 tn Heb “so that [the beams] would not have a hold in the walls of the temple.”
[6:7] 90 tn Heb “finished stone of the quarry,” i.e., stones chiseled and shaped at the time they were taken out of the quarry.
[6:8] 91 tc The Hebrew text has “middle,” but the remainder of the verse suggests this is an error.
[6:8] 92 tn Heb “by stairs they went up.” The word translated “stairs” occurs only here. Other options are “trapdoors” or “ladders.”
[6:8] 93 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
[6:9] 94 tn Heb “ built the house and completed it.”
[6:9] 96 tn The word occurs only here; the precise meaning is uncertain.
[6:9] 97 tn Heb “and rows with cedar wood.”
[6:10] 98 tn Heb “five cubits.” This must refer to the height of each floor or room.
[6:11] 99 tc The LXX lacks vv. 11-14.
[6:11] 100 tn Heb “the word of the
[6:12] 103 tn Heb “and keep all my commandments by walking in them.”
[6:12] 104 tn Heb “I will establish my word with you which I spoke to David your father.”
[3:1] 105 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[3:1] 106 tn In 2 Sam 24:16 this individual is called אֲרַוְנָא (“Aravna”; traditionally “Araunah”). The form of the name found here also occurs in 1 Chr 21:15; 18-28.
[3:2] 107 sn This would be April-May, 966
[3:3] 108 tn Heb “and these are the founding of Solomon to build the house of God.”
[3:3] 109 tn Heb “the length [in] cubits by the former measure was sixty cubits, and a width of twenty cubits.” Assuming a length of 18 inches (45 cm) for the standard cubit, the length of the foundation would be 90 feet (27 m) and its width 30 feet (9 m).
[3:4] 110 tc Heb “and the porch which was in front of the length corresponding to the width of the house, twenty cubits.” The phrase הֵיכַל הַבַּיִת (heykhal habbayit, “the main hall of the temple,” which appears in the parallel account in 1 Kgs 6:3) has been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton after עַל־פְּנֵי (’al-pÿney, “in front of”). Note that the following form, הָאֹרֶךְ (ha’orekh, “the length”), also begins with the Hebrew letter he (ה). A scribe’s eye probably jumped from the initial he on הֵיכַל to the initial he on הָאֹרֶךְ, leaving out the intervening letters in the process.
[3:4] 111 tc The Hebrew text has “one hundred and twenty cubits,” i.e. (assuming a cubit of 18 inches) 180 feet (54 m). An ancient Greek witness and the Syriac version read “twenty cubits,” i.e., 30 feet (9 m). It is likely that מֵאָה (me’ah, “a hundred”), is a corruption of an original אַמּוֹת (’ammot, “cubits”).
[3:5] 113 tn Heb “the large house.”
[3:5] 114 tn Heb “wood of evergreens.”
[3:5] 115 tn Heb “and he put up on it palm trees and chains.”
[3:6] 116 tn Heb “and he plated the house [with] precious stone for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim.”
[3:6] sn The location of Parvaim, the source of the gold for Solomon’s temple, is uncertain. Some have identified it with modern Farwa in Yemen; others relate it to the Sanskrit parvam and understand it to be a general term for the regions east of Palestine.
[3:8] 117 tn Heb “the house of the holy place of holy places.”
[3:8] 118 tn Heb “twenty cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), this would give a length of 30 feet (9 m).
[3:8] 119 tc Heb “twenty cubits.” Some suggest adding, “and its height twenty cubits” (see 1 Kgs 6:20). The phrase could have been omitted by homoioteleuton.
[3:8] 120 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold plating was 40,380 lbs. (18,360 kg).
[3:11] 121 tn Heb “and the wings of the cherubs, their length was twenty cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the wingspan of the cherubs would have been 30 feet (9 m).
[3:11] 122 tn Heb “the wing of the one was five cubits from the touching of the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits from the touching of the wing of the other cherub.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), each wing would have been 7.5 feet (2.25 m) long.
[3:12] 123 tn Heb “and the wing of the one (הָאֶחָד, ha’ekhad, “the one”; this should probably be emended to הָאַחֵר, ha’akher, “the other”) cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits, clinging to the wing of the other cherub.”
[3:13] 124 tn Heb “the wings of these cherubs were spreading twenty cubits.”
[3:13] 125 tn Heb “and they were standing on their feet, with their faces to the house.” An alternative translation of the last clause would be, “with their faces to the main hall.”
[6:14] 126 tn Heb “ built the house and completed it.”
[6:15] 127 tc The MT reads קִירוֹת (qirot, “walls”), but this should be emended to קוֹרוֹת (qorot, “rafters”). See BDB 900 s.v. קוֹרָה.
[6:16] 128 tn Heb “He built twenty cubits from the rear areas of the temple with cedar planks from the floor to the walls, and he built it on the inside for an inner sanctuary, for a holy place of holy places.”
[6:16] 129 tc The MT has קְלָעִים (qÿla’im, “curtains”), but this should be emended to קוֹרוֹת (qorot, “rafters”). See BDB 900 s.v. קוֹרָה.
[6:17] 130 tn Heb “and the house was forty cubits, that is, the main hall before it.”
[6:18] 131 tn Heb “Cedar was inside the temple, carvings of gourds (i.e., gourd-shaped ornaments) and opened flowers; the whole was cedar, no stone was seen.”
[6:20] 132 tn Heb “twenty cubits” (this measurement occurs three times in this verse).
[6:20] 133 tn Heb “with plated gold” (or perhaps, “with pure gold”).
[6:20] 134 tn Heb “he plated [the] altar of cedar.”
[6:21] 135 tn Heb “with plated gold” (or perhaps, “with pure gold”).
[6:22] 137 tn Heb “all the temple he plated with gold until all the temple was finished; and the whole altar which was in the inner sanctuary he plated with gold.”
[6:23] 138 tn Heb “ten cubits” (a cubit was a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 cm).
[6:24] 139 tn Heb “The first wing of the [one] cherub was five cubits, and the second wing of the cherub was five cubits, ten cubits from the tips of his wings to the tips of his wings.”
[6:25] 140 tn Heb “and the second cherub was ten cubits, the two cherubs had one measurement and one shape.”
[6:26] 141 tn Heb “the height of the first cherub was ten cubits; and so was the second cherub.”
[6:27] 142 tn Heb “in the midst of the inner house,” i.e., in the inner sanctuary.
[6:27] 143 tn Heb “and their wings were in the middle of the room, touching wing to wing.”
[6:29] 144 sn Inside and out probably refers to the inner and outer rooms within the building.
[6:29] 145 tn Heb “carved engravings of carvings.”
[6:30] 146 sn Inside and out probably refers to the inner and outer rooms within the building.
[6:31] 147 tn Heb “the pillar, doorposts, a fifth part” (the precise meaning of this description is uncertain).
[6:32] 148 tn Heb “carved carvings of.”
[6:32] 149 tn Heb “he plated [with] gold” (the precise object is not stated).
[6:32] 150 tn Heb “and he hammered out the gold on the cherubs and the palm trees.”
[6:33] 151 tn Heb “and so he did at the entrance of the main hall, doorposts of olive wood, from a fourth.”
[6:34] 152 tn The words “he also made” are added for stylistic reasons.
[6:34] 153 tc Heb “two of the leaves of the first door were folding, and two of the leaves of the second door were folding.” In the second half of the description, the MT has קְלָעִים (qÿla’im, “curtains”), but this is surely a corruption of צְלָעִים (tsÿla’im, “leaves”) which appears in the first half of the statement.
[6:37] 154 sn In the month Ziv. This would be April-May, 966
[6:37] 155 tn The words “of Solomon’s reign” are added for clarification. See v. 1.
[6:38] 156 sn In the month Bul. This would be October-November 959
