וַיְהִ֣י בִשְׁמוֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָ֣ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵא֣וֹת שָׁנָ֡ה לְצֵ֣את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֩יִם֩ בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הָרְבִיעִ֜ית בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ זִ֗ו ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לִמְלֹ֥ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּ֥בֶן הַבַּ֖יִת לַיהֹוָֽה׃ In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv—that is, the second month—in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, Solomon began to build the House of GOD.
וְהַבַּ֗יִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֜ה הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה שִׁשִּׁים־אַמָּ֥ה אׇרְכּ֖וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים רׇחְבּ֑וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃ The House that King Solomon built for GOD was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
וְהָאוּלָ֗ם עַל־פְּנֵי֙ הֵיכַ֣ל הַבַּ֔יִת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ אׇרְכּ֔וֹ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רֹ֣חַב הַבָּ֑יִת עֶ֧שֶׂר בָּאַמָּ֛ה רׇחְבּ֖וֹ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַבָּֽיִת׃ The portico in front of the Great Hall of the House was 20 cubits long—along the width of the House—and 10 cubits deep to the front of the House.
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ לַבָּ֔יִת חַלּוֹנֵ֖י שְׁקֻפִ֥ים אֲטוּמִֽים׃ aMeaning of parts of vv. 4–6 is uncertain. He made windows for the House, recessed and latticed.
וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ עַל־קִ֨יר הַבַּ֤יִת (יצוע) [יָצִ֙יעַ֙] סָבִ֔יב אֶת־קִיר֤וֹת הַבַּ֙יִת֙ סָבִ֔יב לַהֵיכָ֖ל וְלַדְּבִ֑יר וַיַּ֥עַשׂ צְלָע֖וֹת סָבִֽיב׃ Against the outside wall of the House—the outside walls of the House enclosing the Great Hall and the Shrinebthe Shrine I.e., the inner sanctuary, designated in v. 16 and elsewhere as the “Holy of Holies.”—he built a storied structure; and he made side chambers all around.
(היצוע) [הַיָּצִ֨יעַ] הַתַּחְתֹּנָ֜ה חָמֵ֧שׁ בָּאַמָּ֣ה רׇחְבָּ֗הּ וְהַתִּֽיכֹנָה֙ שֵׁ֤שׁ בָּאַמָּה֙ רׇחְבָּ֔הּ וְהַ֨שְּׁלִישִׁ֔ית שֶׁ֥בַע בָּאַמָּ֖ה רׇחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֡י מִגְרָעוֹת֩ נָתַ֨ן לַבַּ֤יִת סָבִיב֙ ח֔וּצָה לְבִלְתִּ֖י אֲחֹ֥ז בְּקִירוֹת־הַבָּֽיִת׃ The lowest story was 5 cubits wide, the middle one 6 cubits wide, and the third 7 cubits wide; for he had provided recesses around the outside of the House so as not to penetrate the walls of the House.
וְהַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּהִבָּ֣נֹת֔וֹ אֶבֶן־שְׁלֵמָ֥ה מַסָּ֖ע נִבְנָ֑ה וּמַקָּב֤וֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן֙ כׇּל־כְּלִ֣י בַרְזֶ֔ל לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַ֥ע בַּבַּ֖יִת בְּהִבָּנֹתֽוֹ׃ When the House was built, only finished stones cut at the quarry were used, so that no hammer or ax or any iron tool was heard in the House while it was being built.
פֶּ֗תַח הַצֵּלָע֙ הַתִּ֣יכֹנָ֔ה אֶל־כֶּ֥תֶף הַבַּ֖יִת הַיְמָנִ֑ית וּבְלוּלִּ֗ים יַֽעֲלוּ֙ עַל־הַתִּ֣יכֹנָ֔ה וּמִן־הַתִּיכֹנָ֖ה אֶל־הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁים׃ The entrance to the middlecmiddle Septuagint and Targum read “lowest.” [story of] the side chambers was on the right side of the House; and winding stairs led up to the middle chambers, and from the middle chambers to the third story.
וַיִּ֥בֶן אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וַיְכַלֵּ֑הוּ וַיִּסְפֹּ֤ן אֶת־הַבַּ֙יִת֙ גֵּבִ֔ים וּשְׂדֵרֹ֖ת בָּאֲרָזִֽים׃ When he finished building the House, he paneled the House with beams and planks of cedar.dhe paneled the House with beams and planks of cedar Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וַיִּ֤בֶן אֶת־[הַיָּצִ֙יעַ֙] (היצוע) עַל־כׇּל־הַבַּ֔יִת חָמֵ֥שׁ אַמּ֖וֹת קוֹמָת֑וֹ וַיֶּאֱחֹ֥ז אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִֽים׃ {פ}
He built the storied structure against the entire House—each story 5 cubits high, so that it encased the House with timbers of cedar.
וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ Then the word of GOD came to Solomon,
הַבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה בֹנֶ֗ה אִם־תֵּלֵ֤ךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתַ֖י לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־דְּבָרִי֙ אִתָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיךָ׃ “With regard to this House you are building—if you follow My laws and observe My rules and faithfully keep My commandments, I will fulfill for you the promise that I gave to your father David:
וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א אֶעֱזֹ֖ב אֶת־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
I will abide among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.”
וַיִּ֧בֶן שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וַיְכַלֵּֽהוּ׃ When Solomon had completed the construction of the House,
וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ אֶת־קִיר֨וֹת הַבַּ֤יִת מִבַּ֙יְתָה֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִקַּרְקַ֤ע הַבַּ֙יִת֙ עַד־קִיר֣וֹת הַסִּפֻּ֔ן צִפָּ֥ה עֵ֖ץ מִבָּ֑יִת וַיְצַ֛ף אֶת־קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת בְּצַלְע֥וֹת בְּרוֹשִֽׁים׃ he paneled the walls of the House on the inside with planks of cedar. He also overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, from the floor of the House to the ceiling. And he overlaid the floor of the House with planks of cypress.
וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ אֶת־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים אַמָּ֜ה (מירכותי) [מִֽיַּרְכְּתֵ֤י] הַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִן־הַקַּרְקַ֖ע עַד־הַקִּיר֑וֹת וַיִּ֤בֶן לוֹ֙ מִבַּ֣יִת לִדְבִ֔יר לְקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃ Twenty cubits from the rear of the House, he built [a partition] of cedar planks from the floor to the walls;ewalls Septuagint reads “rafters.” he furnished its interior to serve as a shrine, as the Holy of Holies.
וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים בָּאַמָּ֖ה הָיָ֣ה הַבָּ֑יִת ה֖וּא הַהֵיכָ֥ל לִפְנָֽי׃ fMeaning of vv. 17–22 is unclear in part. The front part of the House, that is, the Great Hall, measured 40 cubits.
וְאֶ֤רֶז אֶל־הַבַּ֙יִת֙ פְּנִ֔ימָה מִקְלַ֣עַת פְּקָעִ֔ים וּפְטוּרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים הַכֹּ֣ל אֶ֔רֶז אֵ֥ין אֶ֖בֶן נִרְאָֽה׃ The cedar of the interior of the House had carvings of gourds and calyxes; it was all cedar, no stone was exposed.
וּדְבִ֧יר בְּתוֹךְ־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה הֵכִ֑ין לְתִתֵּ֣ן שָׁ֔ם אֶת־אֲר֖וֹן בְּרִ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃ In the innermost part of the House, he fixed a Shrine in which to place the Ark of GOD’s Covenant.
וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֨ה אֹ֜רֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים אַמָּ֣ה רֹ֗חַב וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ קוֹמָת֔וֹ וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃ The interior of thegThe interior of the Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Shrine was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 20 cubits high. He overlaid it with solid gold; he similarly overlaid [its] cedar altar.
וַיְצַ֨ף שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה אֶת־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְעַבֵּ֞ר (ברתיקות) [בְּרַתּוּק֤וֹת] זָהָב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֔יר וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָֽב׃ Solomon overlaid the interior of the House with solid gold; and he inserted golden chains into the door ofhinto the door of Heb. “in front of.” the Shrine. He overlaid [the Shrine] with gold,
וְאֶת־כׇּל־הַבַּ֛יִת צִפָּ֥ה זָהָ֖ב עַד־תֹּ֣ם כׇּל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְכׇל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ אֲֽשֶׁר־לַדְּבִ֖יר צִפָּ֥ה זָהָֽב׃ so that the entire House was overlaid with gold; he even overlaid with gold the entire altar of the Shrine. And so the entire House was completed.
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ בַּדְּבִ֔יר שְׁנֵ֥י כְרוּבִ֖ים עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמּ֖וֹת קוֹמָתֽוֹ׃ In the Shrine he made two cherubim of olive wood, each 10 cubits high.
וְחָמֵ֣שׁ אַמּ֗וֹת כְּנַ֤ף הַכְּרוּב֙ הָאֶחָ֔ת וְחָמֵ֣שׁ אַמּ֔וֹת כְּנַ֥ף הַכְּר֖וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֑ית עֶ֣שֶׂר אַמּ֔וֹת מִקְצ֥וֹת כְּנָפָ֖יו וְעַד־קְצ֥וֹת כְּנָפָֽיו׃ [One] had a wing measuring 5 cubits and another wing measuring 5 cubits, so that the spread from wingtip to wingtip was 10 cubits;
וְעֶ֙שֶׂר֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה הַכְּר֖וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֑י מִדָּ֥ה אַחַ֛ת וְקֶ֥צֶב אֶחָ֖ד לִשְׁנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃ and the wingspread of the other cherub was also 10 cubits. The two cherubim had the same measurements and proportions:
קוֹמַת֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הָאֶחָ֔ד עֶ֖שֶׂר בָּאַמָּ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן הַכְּר֥וּב הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ the height of the one cherub was 10 cubits, and so was that of the other cherub.
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִ֜ים בְּת֣וֹךְ ׀ הַבַּ֣יִת הַפְּנִימִ֗י וַֽיִּפְרְשׂוּ֮ אֶת־כַּנְפֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִים֒ וַתִּגַּ֤ע כְּנַף־הָאֶחָד֙ בַּקִּ֔יר וּכְנַף֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הַשֵּׁנִ֔י נֹגַ֖עַת בַּקִּ֣יר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַבַּ֔יִת נֹגְעֹ֖ת כָּנָ֥ף אֶל־כָּנָֽף׃ He placed the cherubim inside the inner chamber.iinner chamber I.e., the Shrine. Since the wings of the cherubim were extended, a wing of the one touched one wall and a wing of the other touched the other wall, while their wings in the center of the chamber touched each other.
וַיְצַ֥ף אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים זָהָֽב׃ He overlaid the cherubim with gold.
וְאֵת֩ כׇּל־קִיר֨וֹת הַבַּ֜יִת מֵסַ֣ב ׀ קָלַ֗ע פִּתּוּחֵי֙ מִקְלְעוֹת֙ כְּרוּבִ֣ים וְתִמֹרֹ֔ת וּפְטוּרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים מִלִּפְנִ֖ים וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃ All over the walls of the House, of both the inner area and the outer area, he carved reliefs of cherubim, palms, and calyxes,
וְאֶת־קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת צִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃ and he overlaid the floor of the House with gold, both the inner and the outer areas.
וְאֵת֙ פֶּ֣תַח הַדְּבִ֔יר עָשָׂ֖ה דַּלְת֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הָאַ֥יִל מְזוּז֖וֹת חֲמִשִֽׁית׃ For the entrance of the Shrine he made doors of olive wood, the pilasters and the doorposts having five sides.jthe pilasters and the doorposts having five sides Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וּשְׁתֵּי֮ דַּלְת֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שֶׁ֒מֶן֒ וְקָלַ֣ע עֲ֠לֵיהֶ֠ם מִקְלְע֞וֹת כְּרוּבִ֧ים וְתִמֹרֹ֛ת וּפְטוּרֵ֥י צִצִּ֖ים וְצִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב וַיָּ֛רֶד עַל־הַכְּרוּבִ֥ים וְעַל־הַתִּמֹר֖וֹת אֶת־הַזָּהָֽב׃ The double doors were of olive wood, and on them he carved reliefs of cherubim, palms, and calyxes. He overlaid them with gold, hammering the gold onto the cherubim and the palms.
וְכֵ֥ן עָשָׂ֛ה לְפֶ֥תַח הַהֵיכָ֖ל מְזוּז֣וֹת עֲצֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן מֵאֵ֖ת רְבִעִֽית׃ For the entrance of the Great Hall, too, he made doorposts of oleaster wood, having four sides,khaving four sides Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וּשְׁתֵּ֥י דַלְת֖וֹת עֲצֵ֣י בְרוֹשִׁ֑ים שְׁנֵ֨י צְלָעִ֜ים הַדֶּ֤לֶת הָאַחַת֙ גְּלִילִ֔ים וּשְׁנֵ֧י קְלָעִ֛ים הַדֶּ֥לֶת הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית גְּלִילִֽים׃ and the double doors of cypress wood, each door consisting of two rounded planks.
וְקָלַ֤ע כְּרוּבִים֙ וְתִ֣מֹר֔וֹת וּפְטֻרֵ֖י צִצִּ֑ים וְצִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֔ב מְיֻשָּׁ֖ר עַל־הַמְּחֻקֶּֽה׃ On them he carved cherubim, palms, and calyxes, overlaying them with gold applied evenly over the carvings.
וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַפְּנִימִ֔ית שְׁלֹשָׁ֖ה טוּרֵ֣י גָזִ֑ית וְט֖וּר כְּרֻתֹ֥ת אֲרָזִֽים׃ He built the inner enclosure of three courses of hewn stones and one course of cedar beams.
בַּשָּׁנָה֙ הָרְבִיעִ֔ית יֻסַּ֖ד בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּיֶ֖רַח זִֽו׃ In the fourth year, in the month of Ziv, the foundations of the House of GOD were laid;
וּבַשָּׁנָה֩ הָאַחַ֨ת עֶשְׂרֵ֜ה בְּיֶ֣רַח בּ֗וּל ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י כָּלָ֣ה הַבַּ֔יִת לְכׇל־דְּבָרָ֖יו וּלְכׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֑ו וַיִּבְנֵ֖הוּ שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃ and in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul—that is, the eighth month—the House was completed according to all its details and all its specifications. It took him seven years to build it.
