I Kings 7:1-12
“But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.” (I Kings 7:1)
While Solomon loved the Lord, spending seven years building the temple, he spent thirteen years building his own home, starting while he was still having the temple built. In addition he built a number of great structures, both public and private.
“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. And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row. And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks.
And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.
Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.” (I Kings 7:2-7)
The house of the forest of Lebanon was the seat of government. It was a huge meeting hall, a hundred fifty feet long by seventy five feet wide and forty five feet tall. It was built with open beam construction with four rows of pillars joined at the top by large beams to carry the weight at the bottom level, probably rising about twenty feet into the air. On top of that frame work, and additional forty five pillars were placed to raise the roof to the final height of forty five feet. All the posts or pillars and beams were squared , and three rows of windows of windows were incorporated. Apparently there were also three rows or ranks of skylights.
An external porch was built as a platform for speaking to large public gatherings across one end. An enclosed porch, at the other end was made as the throne room, and was finished off with cedar flooring and paneling to be used as a court room.
“And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.” (I Kings 7:8)
Solomon’s personal residence also had another court or throne room in the porch similar to the one at the house of the forest of Lebanon. Solomon also built a separate residence for his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh. It was similar to the porch at the house of the Forest of Lebanon.
“All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
“And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.” (I Kings 7:9-11)
No expense was spared in Solomon’s construction. Every stone for the outer walls was sawed to exact measurement on all sides and transported to Jerusalem, from the first course to the wall cap or coping. The foundation was made of huge, hand cut stones averaging twelve to fifteen feet in length. All the timbers were of squared off cedar.
“And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.” (I Kings 7:12)
A large area outside the porch for public meetings and the inner court for Jewish worshippers were enclosed with three courses of stone, capped with cedar beams. Besides providing a meeting place, they would provide a defensive wall in case of attack.
“But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.” (I Kings 7:1)
While Solomon loved the Lord, spending seven years building the temple, he spent thirteen years building his own home, starting while he was still having the temple built. In addition he built a number of great structures, both public and private.
“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. And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row. And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks.
And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.
Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.” (I Kings 7:2-7)
The house of the forest of Lebanon was the seat of government. It was a huge meeting hall, a hundred fifty feet long by seventy five feet wide and forty five feet tall. It was built with open beam construction with four rows of pillars joined at the top by large beams to carry the weight at the bottom level, probably rising about twenty feet into the air. On top of that frame work, and additional forty five pillars were placed to raise the roof to the final height of forty five feet. All the posts or pillars and beams were squared , and three rows of windows of windows were incorporated. Apparently there were also three rows or ranks of skylights.
An external porch was built as a platform for speaking to large public gatherings across one end. An enclosed porch, at the other end was made as the throne room, and was finished off with cedar flooring and paneling to be used as a court room.
“And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.” (I Kings 7:8)
Solomon’s personal residence also had another court or throne room in the porch similar to the one at the house of the forest of Lebanon. Solomon also built a separate residence for his wife, the daughter of Pharaoh. It was similar to the porch at the house of the Forest of Lebanon.
“All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
“And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.” (I Kings 7:9-11)
No expense was spared in Solomon’s construction. Every stone for the outer walls was sawed to exact measurement on all sides and transported to Jerusalem, from the first course to the wall cap or coping. The foundation was made of huge, hand cut stones averaging twelve to fifteen feet in length. All the timbers were of squared off cedar.
“And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.” (I Kings 7:12)
A large area outside the porch for public meetings and the inner court for Jewish worshippers were enclosed with three courses of stone, capped with cedar beams. Besides providing a meeting place, they would provide a defensive wall in case of attack.
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