1 Kings 7:9-12

7:9 All of these were built with the best ¹  stones, chiseled to the right size ²  and cut with a saw on all sides, ³  from the foundation to the edge of the roof ⁴  and from the outside to the great courtyard. 7:10 The foundation was made of large valuable stones, measuring either 15 feet or 12 feet. ⁵  7:11 Above the foundation ⁶  the best ⁷  stones, chiseled to the right size, ⁸  were used along with cedar. 7:12 Around the great courtyard were three rows of chiseled stones and one row of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the Lord’s temple and the hall of the palace. ⁹ 

1 Kings 10:27

10:27 The king made silver as plentiful ¹⁰  in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was ¹¹  as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. ¹² 

Malachi 1:4

1:4 Edom ¹³  says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord who rules over all ¹⁴  responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as ¹⁵  the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased.

¹ tn Or “valuable” (see 5:17).

² tn Heb “according to the measurement of chiseled [stone].”

³ tn Heb “inside and out.”

⁴ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word טְפָחוֹת (tÿfakhot) is uncertain, but it is clear that the referent stands in opposition to the foundation.

⁵ tn Heb “stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits” (it is unclear exactly what dimension is being measured). If both numbers refer to the length of the stones (cf. NCV, CEV, NLT), then perhaps stones of two different sizes were used in some alternating pattern.

⁶ tn Heb “on top,” or “above.”

⁷ tn Or “valuable” (see 5:17).

⁸ tn Heb “according to the measurement of chiseled [stone].”

⁹ tn Or “the porch of the temple.”

¹⁰ tn The words “as plentiful” are added for clarification.

¹¹ tn Heb “he made.”

¹² tn Heb “as the sycamore fig trees which are in the Shephelah.”

¹³ sn Edom, a “brother” nation to Israel, became almost paradigmatic of hostility toward Israel and God (see Num 20:14-21; Deut 2:8; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Amos 1:11-12; Obad 10-12).

¹⁴ sn The epithet Lord who rules over all occurs frequently as a divine title throughout Malachi (24 times total). This name (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, yÿhvah tsÿva’ot), traditionally translated “Lord of hosts” (so KJV, NAB, NASB; cf. NIV NLT “Lord Almighty”; NCV, CEV “Lord All-Powerful”), emphasizes the majestic sovereignty of the Lord, an especially important concept in the postexilic world of great human empires and rulers. For a thorough study of the divine title, see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 123-57.

¹⁵ tn Heb “and they will call them.” The third person plural subject is indefinite; one could translate, “and people will call them.”