Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: 3 Kings
Chapter 6
Ver. 1. Eightieth year. This chronology meets with the approbation of most people. See Usher. (Chap. xii.) Some, however, find a difficulty in reconciling it with Acts xiii. 20., which seems to attribute 450 years to the government of the judges. (Calmet) --- Septuagint have 440; Josephus 592, though Ruffin neglects the 90 in his version; Petau 520; Severus 582; Clement of Alexandria 566; Vossius 580; Cano 590; Serarius 680. --- Houbigant would read 350 in the Acts. But Capellus would add 100 here, &c. (Haydock) --- Second of the sacred year, corresponding with our April. Syriac, Chaldean styles it "of the splendour of flowers." (Menochius) --- The Hurons, and other nations of America, call this "the moon of plants;" the Flemings, "the month for mowing," Grasmaand. Our Saxon ancestors gave descriptive names to the months. See Verstegan. (Haydock) --- At first, the Hebrews only described the months by their order; "first, second," &c. In Solomon's time we begin to find other names, taken from the Phenicians, (Scaliger) Chaldean names were adopted; (Haydock) 1. Nisan; 2. Jar; 3. Sivan; 4. Tammus; 5. Ab; 6. Elul; 7. Tisri; 8. Marshevan; 9. Casleu; 10. Thebet; 11. Schebet; 12. Adar; (Calmet) 13. Veadar, the intercalary month, when requisite, according to the lunar system, which was not perhaps yet adopted. Each of these months generally corresponded with two of ours; Nisan with the end of March and the beginning of April, &c. Septuagint here take no notice of Zio, though they do, ver. 37. (Haydock) --- The temple was begun on Monday, May 21, in the year of the world 2992. (Usher) --- It was finished in the year of the world 3000, or in the following year, when it was solemnly dedicated. (Button.)
Ver. 2. House. Hebrew Habayith, "the palace" of the God of Israel, where the priests alone had access. It was surrounded by various courts and apartments, as the ancient temples were very different from ours. All these appendages sometimes go under the common name of the temple. (Calmet) --- Cubits. The common one contained half a yard. The sacred cubit amounted to 21,888 inches. (Arbuthnot) (Ezechiel xliii. 13.) --- Calmet makes the cubit consist of 24 fingers' breadth, or little less than 20 inches of the French measure, which is greater than ours. (Haydock) --- Hence the temple would be 102½ feet long, 34 feet 2 inches broad, 51 feet 3 inches high to the ceiling. (Calmet) --- The walls are not included; else the breadth would be almost 60 cubits, the length 100, and the height 50. (Villalpand ii. 5, 14.) (Menochius)
Ver. 3. Temple. The porch was of the same height as the temple, though we read that it was 120 cubits high, 2 Paralipomenon iii. 4. But one word seems there to have been substituted for another, (Calmet) unless it might resemble a high tower. (Haydock) --- Before the porch were placed the two brazen pillars. The interior of it was highly adorned by Herod. (Josephus, Antiquities xv. 11.)
Ver. 4. Oblique windows. Which were made slanting, that the light might be more easily communicated within. (Haydock) --- On the outside they were not so large. (Worthington) (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "windows to see through, shut," with lattices, (Calmet) or blinds. Protestants, "he made windows of narrow lights." (Haydock) --- Curtains might be hung before them, as no glass was yet used. (Calmet) --- These windows occupied the five cubits above the chambers, which were built on the west end, and on the sides of the temple, 15 cubits high. (Calmet) --- No windows were permitted in the holy of holies. (Menochius)
Ver. 5. Upon the wall. That is, joining to the wall. --- He built floors round about. Chambers or cells adjoining to the temple, for the use of the temple and of the priests, so contrived as to be between the inward and outward wall of the temple, in three stories, one above another. --- The oracle. The inner temple or holy of holies, where God gave his oracles. (Challoner) --- Sides. Protestants, "he made chambers round about." (Haydock) --- Some think that buttresses were used, to strengthen the building. Septuagint, "ribs," (Menochius) or sides. But there seem rather to have been three off-sets; so that the wall kept decreasing in breadth, as it grew higher, (Haydock) every ten cubits, (Ezechiel xli. 6.; Menochius) and thus the upper chamber was two cubits broader than the lowest. The beams might thus rest upon the walls, and be easily changed. (Haydock)
Ver. 6. Temple. This was done for greater respect, and that the walls might not be injured. Ezechiel (xli. 6,) counts 33 chambers on the three sides. St. Jerome seems to double that number; while Josephus acknowledges only 30. (Calmet) --- Salien has 42, or 14 in each story.
Ver. 7. Made ready, &c. So the stones for the building of God's eternal temple, in the heavenly Jerusalem, (who are the faithful) must first be hewn and polished here by many trials and sufferings, before they can be admitted to have a place in that celestial structure. (Challoner) --- Those who have the happiness to be chosen, will be no more disturbed with the noise or inconvenience of persecution, (Haydock) which they ought to bear in silence upon earth. (Worthington) --- Building. Screw nails were probably used. The ancient Romans wrought the mouldings, &c., of their pillars, after they were erected. The Rabbins pretend that a little worm, or stone schamir, which was brought from the earthly paradise by an eagle, or by the devil, Asmodeus, polished all the stones. Maimonides has even written a book on this famous worm. (Grotius) --- Theodoret (q. 23.) also asserts, without proof, that the stones were found ready cut, in the quarry, and that they had only to be polished. We may form a grand idea of the workmen employed by Solomon, when we consider that they were able to prepare all things, with such exactitude, at a distance. (Calmet)
Ver. 8. Middle side. Septuagint, "lower story." (Calmet) --- "The door of the lower story (rib or side, pleuras; Chaldean, the lower appendage) was under the right wing of the house, and a winding staircase led to the middle, and from the middle to the third story. (Haydock) --- This sense is very clear. Hebrew intimates that the staircase was round like a screw, and was formed in the wall, at one end of the rooms. --- Right hand of those who entered the temple, or on the north; though the south is commonly thus designated. The doors opened into the porch, as the temple was not to be made a thoroughfare. (Calmet)
Ver. 9. Roofs. Protestants, "beams and boards of cedar." None of the stones appeared within, ver. 18. (Haydock)
Ver. 10. Height. To prevent the excessive heats. Five other cubits were also subtracted, ver. 20. Some translate, "he made also stories of all the temple, each five cubits high;" so that the three stories occupied half the height of the walls, which were 30 cubits in height, ver. 2. (Calmet) --- Covered. Hebrew, "took (or bound together) the house," &c. The roof was flat. (Calmet) --- Villalpand maintains the contrary, (in Ezechiel xli.) with Sanchez, &c. Salien gathers from many of the ancients, that the floor here mentioned, was a balustrade, or the pinnacle of the temple, (Matthew iv.) where people might walk or pray. (Menochius)
Ver. 11. Saying. By the prophet Ahia, as the Jews suppose he was sent thrice to Solomon. The temple had been commenced two years; (Salien) or this apparition took place after the dedication, and is related more at length; (chap. ix. 2.; Calmet) though the former opinion seems more agreeable to the context, art building, &c. Instead of as for, (Haydock) we might supply stabit. "This house....shall stand;" (Salien) or simply, God looks down upon the building with complacency, and says, "This is the house," by way of eminence. As thou hast endeavoured to honour my name, I will not only fulfil my promises to David, but I will be ever ready to grant thy just requests, in this holy place, provided thou continue faithful, with thy subjects, and obey my commands. (Haydock)
Ver. 15. Fir. Or perhaps of another species of cedar, resembling the juniper-tree. It is found in Phœnecian and in Lycia. See chap. v. 8. It is doubted whether the sanctuary was also boarded, as we read that it was paved with marble. Hebrew, "with precious or costly stones," 2 Paralipomenon iii. 6. But boards might be laid upon them, as they were on other parts of the temple. The magnificence of Solomon appears in his using such costly things, even where they would not be exposed to view. The floor was again covered with plates of gold, ver. 30.