מלכים א 6

1 וַיְהִי בִשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה לְצֵאת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם בַּשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית בְּחֹדֶשׁ זִו הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לִמְלֹךְ שְׁלֹמֹה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבֶן הַבַּיִת לַיהוָֽה׃

480 years after the Israeli people left Egypt, during the fourth year that Solomon ruled Israel, early in May, Solomon’s workers began to build the temple.

2 וְהַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה לַֽיהוָה שִׁשִּֽׁים־אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים רָחְבּוֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃

Inside, [the main part of] the temple was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

3 וְהָאוּלָם עַל־פְּנֵי הֵיכַל הַבַּיִת עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ עַל־פְּנֵי רֹחַב הַבָּיִת עֶשֶׂר בָּאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ עַל־פְּנֵי הַבָּֽיִת׃

The entrance room was 15 feet long and 30 feet wide, just as wide as the main part of the temple.

4 וַיַּעַשׂ לַבָּיִת חַלּוֹנֵי שְׁקֻפִים אֲטֻמִֽים׃

There were windows in [the walls of] the temple. The windows were narrower on the outside than on the inside.

5 וַיִּבֶן עַל־קִיר הַבַּיִת יצוע יָצִיעַ סָבִיב אֶת־קִירוֹת הַבַּיִת סָבִיב לַֽהֵיכָל וְלַדְּבִיר וַיַּעַשׂ צְלָעוֹת סָבִֽיב׃

Against the two sides and against the back of the temple walls, they built a structure/building that had rooms in it. [This structure had three levels/stories and each was 7-1/2 feet high].

6 היצוע הַיָּצִיעַ הַתַּחְתֹּנָה חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְהַתִּֽיכֹנָה שֵׁשׁ בָּֽאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית שֶׁבַע בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ כִּי מִגְרָעוֹת נָתַן לַבַּיִת סָבִיב חוּצָה לְבִלְתִּי אֲחֹז בְּקִֽירוֹת־הַבָּֽיִת׃

[Each room in] the lowest level/story was 7-1/2 feet wide. [Each room in] the middle level/story was nine feet wide. [The rooms in] the top level/story were 10-1/2 feet wide. The wall of the temple at the top level/story was thinner than the wall at the middle level/story, and the wall of the middle level/story was thinner than the wall at the bottom level/story. The result was that the rooms could be supported by the wall underneath them, and did not require wooden beams to support them.

7 וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנֹתוֹ אֶֽבֶן־שְׁלֵמָה מַסָּע נִבְנָה וּמַקָּבוֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן כָּל־כְּלִי בַרְזֶל לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַע בַּבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנֹתֽוֹ׃

The huge stones for [the foundation of] the temple were cut and shaped at the quarry [to become very smooth]. The result was that while the workers were building the temple there was no noise, because they did not use hammers or chisels or any other iron tools there.

8 פֶּתַח הַצֵּלָע הַתִּיכֹנָה אֶל־כֶּתֶף הַבַּיִת הַיְמָנִית וּבְלוּלִּים יַֽעֲלוּ עַל־הַתִּיכֹנָה וּמִן־הַתִּֽיכֹנָה אֶל־הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁים׃

The entrance to the bottom level/story [of that attached structure] was on the south side of the temple. There were stairs from the bottom level/story to the middle and top level/story.

9 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַבַּיִת וַיְכַלֵּהוּ וַיִּסְפֹּן אֶת־הַבַּיִת גֵּבִים וּשְׂדֵרֹת בָּאֲרָזִֽים׃

So Solomon’s [workers] finished building the [framework of the] temple. They made the ceiling from cedar beams and boards.

10 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־היצוע הַיָּצִיעַ עַל־כָּל־הַבַּיִת חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת קֽוֹמָתוֹ וַיֶּאֱחֹז אֶת־הַבַּיִת בַּעֲצֵי אֲרָזִֽים׃

They built the structure that had three levels/stories, that was against the walls of the temple. Each level/story was 7-1/2 feet high, and was joined to the temple with cedar beams.

11 וַֽיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹה לֵאמֹֽר׃

Then Yahweh said this to Solomon:

12 הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה בֹנֶה אִם־תֵּלֵךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי תַּֽעֲשֶׂה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתַי לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־דְּבָרִי אִתָּךְ אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד אָבִֽיךָ׃

“[I want to tell you] about this temple that you are building. If you continually obey all my statutes and laws and commands, I will do for you what I promised to your father David.

13 וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא אֶעֱזֹב אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

I will live among the Israeli people, [in this temple, ] and I will never abandon them.”

14 וַיִּבֶן שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־הַבַּיִת וַיְכַלֵּֽהוּ׃

Solomon’s [workers] finished building the temple.

15 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־קִירוֹת הַבַּיִת מִבַּיְתָה בְּצַלְעוֹת אֲרָזִים מִקַּרְקַע הַבַּיִת עַד־קִירוֹת הַסִּפֻּן צִפָּה עֵץ מִבָּיִת וַיְצַף אֶת־קַרְקַע הַבַּיִת בְּצַלְעוֹת בְּרוֹשִֽׁים׃

On the inside, they lined/covered the walls with cedar boards. They lined/covered them from the floor to the ceiling. They made the floor from cypress boards.

16 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה מירכותי מִֽיַּרְכְּתֵי הַבַּיִת בְּצַלְעוֹת אֲרָזִים מִן־הַקַּרְקַע עַד־הַקִּירוֹת וַיִּבֶן לוֹ מִבַּיִת לִדְבִיר לְקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

Inside the back part of the temple they built an inner room, called the Very Holy Place. It was 30 feet long. All the walls of this room were lined with cedar boards.

17 וְאַרְבָּעִים בָּאַמָּה הָיָה הַבָּיִת הוּא הַהֵיכָל לִפְנָֽי׃

In front of the Very Holy Place there was a room that was 60 feet long.

18 וְאֶרֶז אֶל־הַבַּיִת פְּנִימָה מִקְלַעַת פְּקָעִים וּפְטוּרֵי צִצִּים הַכֹּל אֶרֶז אֵין אֶבֶן נִרְאָֽה׃

The cedar [boards on the walls] inside the temple were decorated with carvings of gourds and flowers. [The walls were] completely covered with cedar boards, with the result that the stones [of the walls behind them] could not be seen.

19 וּדְבִיר בְּתוֹךְ־הַבַּיִת מִפְּנִימָה הֵכִין לְתִתֵּן שָׁם אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהוָֽה׃

At the back of the temple they made the Very Holy Place, where the Sacred Chest would be put.

20 וְלִפְנֵי הַדְּבִיר עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה אֹרֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה רֹחַב וְעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה קֽוֹמָתוֹ וַיְצַפֵּהוּ זָהָב סָגוּר וַיְצַף מִזְבֵּחַ אָֽרֶז׃

That room was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. They covered the walls with [very thin sheets of] pure gold. [For burning incense] they also made an altar of cedar [boards].

21 וַיְצַף שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־הַבַּיִת מִפְּנִימָה זָהָב סָגוּר וַיְעַבֵּר ברתיקות בְּרַתּוּקוֹת זָהָב לִפְנֵי הַדְּבִיר וַיְצַפֵּהוּ זָהָֽב׃

Solomon told them to cover the other walls inside the temple with [very thin sheets of] pure gold and to fasten gold chains across the entrance to the Very Holy Place.

22 וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבַּיִת צִפָּה זָהָב עַד־תֹּם כָּל־הַבָּיִת וְכָל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־לַדְּבִיר צִפָּה זָהָֽב׃

They covered all the walls of the temple and the altar that was outside the Very Holy Place with [very thin sheets of] gold.

23 וַיַּעַשׂ בַּדְּבִיר שְׁנֵי כְרוּבִים עֲצֵי־שָׁמֶן עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃

Inside the Very Holy Place, they made from olive tree wood [large statues of] two creatures with wings. Each one was 15 feet tall.

24 וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת כְּנַף הַכְּרוּב הָֽאֶחָת וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת כְּנַף הַכְּרוּב הַשֵּׁנִית עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת מִקְצוֹת כְּנָפָיו וְעַד־קְצוֹת כְּנָפָֽיו׃

They each were the same size and had the same shape. They each had two wings [which were spread out]. Each wing was 7-1/2 feet long, with the result that the distance between the outer ends of the two wings was 15 feet.

25 וְעֶשֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּה הַכְּרוּב הַשֵּׁנִי מִדָּה אַחַת וְקֶצֶב אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃

26 קוֹמַת הַכְּרוּב הָֽאֶחָד עֶשֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּה וְכֵן הַכְּרוּב הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃

27 וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִים בְּתוֹךְ ׀ הַבַּיִת הַפְּנִימִי וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ אֶת־כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרֻבִים וַתִּגַּע כְּנַף־הָֽאֶחָד בַּקִּיר וּכְנַף הַכְּרוּב הַשֵּׁנִי נֹגַעַת בַּקִּיר הַשֵּׁנִי וְכַנְפֵיהֶם אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת נֹגְעֹת כָּנָף אֶל־כָּנָֽף׃

They put those statues next to each other in the Very Holy Place so that the wing of the one touched the one wing of the other in the center of the room, and the outer wings touched the walls.

28 וַיְצַף אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִים זָהָֽב׃

They covered the statues with [very thin sheets of] gold.

29 וְאֵת כָּל־קִירוֹת הַבַּיִת מֵסַב ׀ קָלַע פִּתּוּחֵי מִקְלְעוֹת כְּרוּבִים וְתִֽמֹרֹת וּפְטוּרֵי צִצִּים מִלִּפְנִים וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃

[Solomon told them to] decorate the walls of the main room and the Very Holy Place by carving representations of winged creatures and palm trees and flowers.

30 וְאֶת־קַרְקַע הַבַּיִת צִפָּה זָהָב לִפְנִימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃

They also covered the floor of both rooms with [very thin sheets of] gold.

31 וְאֵת פֶּתַח הַדְּבִיר עָשָׂה דַּלְתוֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁמֶן הָאַיִל מְזוּזוֹת חֲמִשִֽׁית׃

They made a set of doors from olive tree wood, and placed them at the entrance to the Very Holy Place. The doorposts joined at the top to form a pointed arch.

32 וּשְׁתֵּי דַּלְתוֹת עֲצֵי־שֶׁמֶן וְקָלַע עֲלֵיהֶם מִקְלְעוֹת כְּרוּבִים וְתִמֹרוֹת וּפְטוּרֵי צִצִּים וְצִפָּה זָהָב וַיָּרֶד עַל־הַכְּרוּבִים וְעַל־הַתִּֽמֹרוֹת אֶת־הַזָּהָֽב׃

The doors were decorated by carving on them representations of winged creatures, palm trees, and flowers. All of these things were covered with [very thin sheets of] gold.

33 וְכֵן עָשָׂה לְפֶתַח הַֽהֵיכָל מְזוּזוֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁמֶן מֵאֵת רְבִעִֽית׃

They made a rectangular door frame from olive tree wood, and put it [between the entrance room and] the main room.

34 וּשְׁתֵּי דַלְתוֹת עֲצֵי בְרוֹשִׁים שְׁנֵי צְלָעִים הַדֶּלֶת הָֽאַחַת גְּלִילִים וּשְׁנֵי קְלָעִים הַדֶּלֶת הַשֵּׁנִית גְּלִילִֽים׃

They made two folding doors from cypress wood [and fastened them to the door frame].

35 וְקָלַע כְּרוּבִים וְתִמֹרוֹת וּפְטֻרֵי צִצִּים וְצִפָּה זָהָב מְיֻשָּׁר עַל־הַמְּחֻקֶּֽה׃

The doors were also decorated with wood carvings of winged creatures, palm trees, and flowers, and they were also covered evenly with [very thin sheets of] gold.

36 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית שְׁלֹשָׁה טוּרֵי גָזִית וְטוּר כְּרֻתֹת אֲרָזִֽים׃

They built a courtyard in front of the temple. The walls around the courtyard were made of cedar and stone; to make the walls, between each layer of cedar beams they put down two layers of stone.

37 בַּשָּׁנָה הָֽרְבִיעִית יֻסַּד בֵּית יְהוָה בְּיֶרַח זִֽו׃

They laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh in early May, in the fourth year [that Solomon ruled].

38 וּבַשָּׁנָה הָאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה בְּיֶרַח בּוּל הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִי כָּלָה הַבַּיִת לְכָל־דְּבָרָיו וּלְכָל־משפטו מִשְׁפָּטָיו וַיִּבְנֵהוּ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִֽים׃

In the eleventh year [that he ruled], in the middle of October, they finished building the temple and all of its parts, doing exactly what Solomon told them to do. It required seven years to build it.