6:37 In the month Ziv 1 of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign 2 the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple. 6:38 In the eleventh year, in the month Bul 3 (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build. 4
7:1 Solomon took thirteen years to build his palace. 5
7:13 King Solomon sent for Hiram 16 of Tyre. 17 7:14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, 18 and his father was a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. He had the skill and knowledge 19 to make all kinds of works of bronze. He reported to King Solomon and did all the work he was assigned.
7:15 He fashioned two bronze pillars; each pillar was 27 feet 20 high and 18 feet 21 in circumference. 7:16 He made two bronze tops for the pillars; each was seven-and-a-half feet high. 22 7:17 The latticework on the tops of the pillars was adorned with ornamental wreaths and chains; the top of each pillar had seven groupings of ornaments. 23 7:18 When he made the pillars, there were two rows of pomegranate-shaped ornaments around the latticework covering the top of each pillar. 24 7:19 The tops of the two pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies and were six feet high. 25 7:20 On the top of each pillar, right above the bulge beside the latticework, there were two hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments arranged in rows all the way around. 26 7:21 He set up the pillars on the porch in front of the main hall. He erected one pillar on the right 27 side and called it Jakin; 28 he erected the other pillar on the left 29 side and called it Boaz. 30 7:22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the construction of the pillars was completed.
1 sn In the month Ziv. This would be April-May, 966
2 tn The words “of Solomon’s reign” are added for clarification. See v. 1.
3 sn In the month Bul. This would be October-November 959
4 tn Heb “he built it in seven years.”
5 tn Heb “His house Solomon built in thirteen years and he completed all his house.”
6 tn Heb “Solomon.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
7 tn Heb “he built.”
8 sn The Palace of the Lebanon Forest. This name was appropriate because of the large amount of cedar, undoubtedly brought from Lebanon, used in its construction. The cedar pillars in the palace must have given it the appearance of a forest.
9 tn Heb “one hundred cubits.”
10 tn Heb “fifty cubits.”
11 tn Heb “thirty cubits.”
12 tn Heb “on top,” or “above.”
13 tn Or “valuable” (see 5:17).
14 tn Heb “according to the measurement of chiseled [stone].”
15 tn Or “the porch of the temple.”
16 tn Heb “King Solomon sent and took Hiram from Tyre.” In 2 Chr 2:13 (MT v. 12) and 4:11, 16 his name is spelled “Huram.”
17 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
18 tn 2 Chr 2:14 (13 HT) says “from the daughters of Dan.”
19 tn Heb “he was filled with the skill, understanding, and knowledge.”
20 tn Heb “eighteen cubits.”
21 tn Heb “twelve cubits.”
22 tn Heb “two capitals he made to place on the tops of the pillars, cast in bronze; five cubits was the height of the first capital, and five cubits was the height of the second capital.”
23 tn Heb “there were seven for the first capital, and seven for the second capital.”
24 tn Heb “he made the pillars, and two rows surrounding one latticework to cover the capitals which were on top of the pomegranates, and so he did for the second latticework.” The translation supplies “pomegranates” after “two rows,” and understands “pillars,” rather than “pomegranates,” to be the correct reading after “on top of.” The latter change finds support from many Hebrew
25 tn Heb “the capitals which were on the top of the pillars were the work of lilies, in the porch, four cubits.” It is unclear exactly what dimension is being measured.
26 tn Heb “and the capitals on the two pillars, also above, close beside the bulge which was beside the latticework, two hundred pomegranates in rows around, on the second capital.” The precise meaning of the word translated “bulge” is uncertain.
27 tn Or “south.”
28 sn The name Jakin appears to be a verbal form and probably means, “he establishes.”
29 tn Or “north.”
30 sn The meaning of the name Boaz is uncertain. For various proposals, see BDB 126-27 s.v. בעז. One attractive option is to revocalize the name as בְּעֹז (be’oz, “in strength”) and to understand it as completing the verbal form on the first pillar. Taking the words together and reading from right to left, one can translate the sentence, “he establishes [it] in strength.”