And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.

1 KINGS 6:2KJV
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1 Kings 6:2 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 6:2 mean?

1 Kings 6:2 describes the size of the temple that King Solomon built for the LORD, stating its length was sixty cubits, its width was twenty cubits, and its height was thirty cubits. This verse gives the basic dimensions of the building, showing its considerable size and the care taken in its construction.

The verse is part of a larger section where the author details Solomon’s building of the temple in Jerusalem, a major event for Israel. The measurements are given in cubits, an ancient unit roughly equal to 18 inches, and are meant to convey the grandeur and significance of the structure dedicated to the LORD.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 6:2

  • "house" (בַּיִת, bayit): This word refers specifically to the temple as the "house" or dwelling place of the LORD, emphasizing its role as a sacred space.
  • "cubits" (אַמָּה, ammah): The repeated use of this word for measurement shows the importance of exactness and order in the temple’s construction, reflecting reverence for the LORD.
  • "Solomon" (שְׁלֹמֹה, Shelomoh): Naming Solomon highlights his role as the builder, fulfilling his father David’s wish and God’s promise.

Why 1 Kings 6:2 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the temple was a large, carefully measured building, not a small or improvised structure, which shows the importance placed on worship and the presence of God.
  • By giving specific dimensions, the verse connects to the detailed instructions for sacred spaces found elsewhere in the Bible, such as the tabernacle, showing continuity in Israel’s worship practices.
  • The focus on Solomon as the builder links this event to God’s promises to David and the establishment of Jerusalem as the religious center for Israel.

Where else these words appear

“height” Hebrew H6967 · used in 43 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 Kings 6:20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

“threescore” Hebrew H8346 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
  • Numbers 31:34 And threescore and one thousand asses,
  • 2 Chronicles 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

“breadth” Hebrew H7341 · used in 89 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 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.
  • Ezekiel 41:3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.

“length” Hebrew H753 · used in 90 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 Kings 6:20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
  • Ezekiel 40:36 The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.