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Nach YomiI Kings · מלכים א׳Chapter 6

I Kings 6

מלכים א׳ ׀ךק ו׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: I Kings | Chapter: 6 of 22 | Day: 106 of 742

Date: May 28, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

I Kings 6 is the chapter in which the Beit HaMikdash is built. It is one of the most architecturally precise passages in Tanakh — a sustained piece of sacred description in which dimensions, materials, and decorative motifs are laid out with a craftsman’s deliberateness. The chapter is also rhetorically extraordinary in what it withholds: there are no scenes, no speeches except a single divine word in the middle (verses 11-13), no characters in motion. Where chapter 5 gave us the diplomacy and the workforce that made the Temple possible, chapter 6 gives us the building itself — measured, paneled, gilded, and at last completed. The reader is asked to behold and to understand: the geometry of the House, the symbolic vocabulary of its ornament, and the moral condition under which God’s presence will dwell within it.

The opening verse is one of the most famous chronological anchors in Tanakh: in the four-hundred-and-eightieth year after the Exodus, in the second month — Ziv, an old Canaanite name later replaced by Iyar — in the fourth year of Shlomo’s reign, the construction begins. Chazal use this verse to fix the date of Yetziat Mitzrayim, and the chronology of the entire Israelite nationhood-and-monarchy era hangs on it. The dimensions follow immediately: the House itself is sixty cubits long, twenty wide, thirty high; the ulam (porch) extends another ten cubits beyond the front. These proportions — exact doubles of the dimensions of the Mishkan in many of its parts — frame the Temple as a stable, monumental successor to the portable sanctuary, not a different category of structure but its full-scale, permanent rendering. The windows are described as shekufim atumim — recessed and latticed — a difficult phrase that Chazal read theologically: narrow on the outside but wide on the inside, because the Temple did not need light to enter from the world; rather, light went out from it.

A striking technical detail is the yetzi’a — the storied side-structure that wrapped around the building’s exterior on three sides, providing storage chambers and likely housing some of the priestly service infrastructure. The chapter notes that each story was successively wider (five, six, seven cubits), achieved by recessing the Temple wall as one ascended, so that the supporting beams of the side-chambers rested on these recessed ledges and never penetrated the actual wall of the Temple. Then comes the chapter’s most famous architectural-theological note: when the House was being built, no hammer or axe or any iron tool was heard in the House while it was being built (verse 7). The stones were entirely shaped at the quarry and brought silently to the site. Chazal connect this to the earlier prohibition against using iron on the altar (Shemot 20:22) — iron is the material of war, of Esav, and the House of peace must not be cut by it. The midrash also offers a more wondrous reading: the shamir, a miraculous stone-cutting creature given to Shlomo, did the cutting without iron at all. The silence of the construction is itself part of the architecture: the Beit HaMikdash arises without the noise of tools, in a stillness that anticipates its purpose.

In the heart of the chapter, immediately after the structural description and before the gilding begins, comes the chapter’s only divine speech (verses 11-13). It is a starkly conditional promise: if you walk in My statutes, observe My ordinances, and keep My commandments to walk in them, I will fulfill the word I spoke to David your father, and I will dwell among the children of Israel and not forsake My people Israel. The divine indwelling — the Shechinah — is being announced into the very building under construction, but the announcement is conditioned on Israel’s fidelity. The Temple, magnificent in its physical perfection, is not in itself a guarantor of God’s presence; that presence is contingent on the moral and religious life of the people. This is the chapter’s deepest theological claim, and it sits in a striking literary position — embedded between the description of the exterior and the description of the gilded interior, as if to remind the reader that what truly matters about the House is not the gold yet to come but the fidelity that will inhabit it.

The interior is then described in luminous, almost overwhelming detail. The walls are paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling, the floor with cypress, all so that no stone is visible — the entire stone shell is dressed in living wood. The innermost twenty cubits, separated by a cedar partition, become the Devir, the Holy of Holies — a perfect twenty-by-twenty-by-twenty cubit cube, the architectural realization of the Mishkan’s Kodesh HaKodashim. Here Shlomo carves and gilds with a special intensity. The walls of the entire House are carved with three repeating motifs: keruvim (cherubim), timorot (palm-trees), and peturei tzitzim (open-flower calyxes) — a vocabulary that points simultaneously toward the angelic, the paradisal, and the natural-vegetal. Pure gold covers everything: walls, floor, the cedar altar (the future incense altar), and golden chains hang at the entrance to the Devir.

The chapter’s centerpiece arrives in verses 23-28: the two great cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits tall, each with a ten-cubit wingspan, placed in the Devir. They are entirely new — additions to the Mishkan’s pair of small gold cherubim atop the Aron, not replacements for them. With wings outstretched, the cherubim’s wingtips touch the side walls of the Devir while their inner wings touch each other in the center, exactly spanning the twenty-cubit room. Below them the Aron HaBrit will rest, with its own original pair of cherubim still atop the kapporet. The Holy of Holies thus contains two pairs of cherubim — small and intimate atop the Aron, monumental and protective above and around it. The whole interior is then gilded again, and golden carvings of cherubim, palms, and calyxes adorn every wall.

The doors of the Devir and of the Heichal are described next, both of carved and gilded wood. The Devir’s doors are of atzei shemen (olive-wood, or possibly oleaster); the outer Heichal’s doors are of cypress, hinged on cylindrical pivot-posts. All bear the same iconography of cherubim, palms, and calyxes. The chapter ends with the date-bookends: the foundations were laid in Ziv of year four; the building was completed in the eighth month, Bul (later called Marcheshvan), of year eleven. Seven years from foundation to completion. The total seven years, contrasted with the thirteen years he later spent on his own palace (chapter 7:1), is itself a quiet rebuke or a quiet point of pride, depending on how one reads it: the House of Hashem demanded less time than the house of the king, but the House was built first, and was built with a different sort of attention. The next chapter will turn to the palace, the Temple vessels, and Chiram of Tzor’s bronzework. But for now, the House stands. It is the chapter’s whole subject and its whole accomplishment.

׀ךק ו׳ · Chapter 6

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֣י ב֎שְׁמוֹנ֎֣ים שׁ֞נ֣֞ה וְאַךְב֌ַ֣ע מֵא֣וֹת שׁ֞נ֞֡ה לְ׊ֵ֣את ב֌ְנֵ֜י֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֣ל מֵאֶ֜ךֶץ֟מ֎׊ְךַ֩י֎ם֩ ב֌ַשׁ֌֞נ֚֞ה ה֞ךְב֎יע֎֜ית ב֌ְחֹ֣דֶשׁ ז֮֗ו ה֚ו֌א הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֔י ל֎מְלֹ֥ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עַל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל וַי֌֎֥בֶן הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת לַיהֹו֞֜ה׃

English:

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.

The chapter opens with one of Tanakh's most consequential chronological anchors: 480 years after Yetziat Mitzrayim, in the fourth year of Shlomo's reign, in the month of Ziv (the second month). Rashi: Ziv = Iyar, named for the *zivah* (radiance) of blossoms; the Targum renders 'month of buds.' Radak parses the syntax: 'in the reign of Shlomo' modifies 'the fourth year,' as confirmed by Divrei Hayomim II 3:2.
ךש׎יRashi
ב֌ְחֹדֶשׁ ז֮ו. הו֌א א֎י֌֞ך, ד֌ְא֎ית ב֌ֵה֌ ז֮יו־א לְא֮יל־נ־א, וְכֵן ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: ז֮יו נ֎י׊֞נַי֌֞א. הו֌א הַחֹדֶשׁ הַש֌ֵׁנ֎י. לְמ֎נְיַן הֶחֳד֞שׁ֎ים, שֶׁהֲךֵי נ֎יס֞ן ךֹאשׁ הַש֌ׁ֞נ֞ה לֶחֳד֞שׁ֎ים. ל֎מְלֹךְ שְׁלֹמֹה. מו֌סַב עַל הַש֌ׁ֞נ֞ה ה֞ךְב֎יע֎ית, ךְב֎יע֎ית לְמַלְכו֌ת שְׁלֹמֹה, וְכֵן הו֌א אוֹמֵך ב֌ְד֎בְךֵי הַי֌֞מ֎ים: וַי֌֞חֶל ל֎בְנוֹת ב֌ַחֹדֶשׁ הַש֌ֵׁנ֎י ב֌֎שְׁנַת אַךְב֌ַע לְמַלְכו֌תוֹ.
In the month of Ziv. This is Iyar because the trees have blossoms. And [Targum] Yonoson translated this similarly, "the bloom of the buds." Which is the second month. When numbering the months, because Nissan is the beginning of the year for [counting] months. Of the reign of Shlomo. Referring to "the fourth year."1I.e., it does not mean "the second month of Shlomo's reign," rather it means the second month of the fourth year of Shlomo's reign. It was the fourth year of Shlomo's reign. And similarly it is stated in Divrei Hayomim, "And he began to build in the second month [on the second day] in the fourth year of his reign."2II Divrei Hayomim 3:2.

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וְהַב֌ַ֗י֎ת אֲשֶׁ֚ך ב֌֞נ֞֜ה הַמ֌ֶրלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לַיהֹו֞֔ה שׁ֎שׁ֌֎ים֟אַמ֌֥֞ה אׇךְכ֌֖וֹ וְעֶשְׂך֎֣ים ךׇחְב֌֑וֹ ו֌שְׁלֹשׁ֎֥ים אַמ֌֖֞ה קוֹמ֞ת֜וֹ׃

English:

The House that King Solomon built for GOD was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.

The Temple's principal dimensions: 60 cubits (length, east-west) × 20 cubits (width, north-south) × 30 cubits high. Rashi: the 60-cubit length comprises the Heichal (40 cubits) plus the Devir/Holy of Holies (20 cubits). Radak adds that Divrei Hayomim II 3:4 records the height of the upper-stories and Ulam together as 120 cubits — referring to the second-floor structure above the main 30-cubit shell.
ךש׎יRashi
שׁ֎ש֌ׁ֎ים אַמ֌֞ה. הַהֵיכ֞ל וְהַד֌ְב֎יך יַחַד.
Sixty amohs. The Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies together.3The length of the Sanctuary was 40 amos and the Holy of Holies was 20 amos.

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וְה֞או֌ל֞֗ם עַל֟׀֌ְנֵי֙ הֵיכַ֣ל הַב֌ַ֔י֎ת עֶשְׂך֎րים אַמ֌֞ה֙ אׇךְכ֌֔וֹ עַל֟׀֌ְנֵ֖י ךֹ֣חַב הַב֌֑֞י֎ת עֶ֧שֶׂך ב֌֞אַמ֌֛֞ה ךׇחְב֌֖וֹ עַל֟׀֌ְנֵ֥י הַב֌֞֜י֎ת׃

English:

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.

The Ulam (porch) extends across the eastern face of the Heichal: 20 cubits long (matching the Temple's width) and 10 cubits deep, jutting outward 'al pnei habayit.' Rashi explains the convention: the larger dimension is always called 'length,' the smaller 'width' — so in the Heichal proper east-west is the length, but in the Ulam (oriented across the front) north-south becomes the length.
ךש׎יRashi
וְה֞או֌ל֞ם עַל ׀֌ְנֵי. ל֎׀ְנֵי הַהֵיכ֞ל ב֌֎כְנ֎יס֞תוֹ. א֞ךְכ֌וֹ עַל ׀֌ְנֵי ךֹחַב הַב֌֞י֎ת. אֹךֶךְ ה֞או֌ל֞ם לְך֞חְב֌וֹ שֶׁל הַהֵיכ֞ל מ֮ן הַ׊֌֞׀וֹן לַד֌֞ךוֹם. כ֌֞ל מ֎ד֌֞ה הַיְתֵך֞ה קְךו֌י֞ה אֹךֶךְ, וְהַ׀֌ְחו֌ת֞ה קְךו֌י֞ה ךֹחַב, לְ׀֎י שֶׁב֌ַהֵיכ֞ל מ֎ד֌ַת מ֮ן הַמ֌֎זְך֞ח לַמ֌ַעֲך֞ב יְתֵך֞ה, קְךו֌י֞ה אֹךֶךְ, ו֌ב֞או֌ל֞ם שֶׁמ֌֎ד֌ַת מ֎׊֌֞׀וֹן לַד֌֞ךוֹם יְתֵך֞ה ב֌וֹ, קְךו֌י֞ה אֹךֶךְ מ֮ן הַ׊֌֞׀וֹן לַד֌֞ךוֹם, ו֌מ֎ן הַמ֌֎זְך֞ח לַמ֌ַעֲך֞ב קְךו֌י֞ה ב֌וֹ ךֹחַב. עַל ׀֌ְנֵי הַב֌֞י֎ת. ל֎׀ְנֵי הַב֌ַי֎ת, לְ׊ַד מ֮זְ׹־ח לְ׊ַד חו֌ץ.
The entrance hall along the front. In front of the entrance to the Sanctuary. [Twenty amohs] long along the front of the width of the Beis Hamikdosh. The length of the entrance hall was along the width of the Sanctuary, from north to south. All larger measurements are referred to as the length, and the lesser are referred to as the width. Since in the Sanctuary, the measurement from east to west was greater,4It measured 40 amos versus 20 amos from north to south. it was called the length, but since the entrance hall's measurement from north to south was greater,5It measured 20 amos versus 10 amos from east to west. [that which is] called the length, [is the measurement] from north to south and [the measurement] from east to west was called the width. Along the front of the house. Was in front of the house on the eastern side, on the outside.6I.e., it was in addition to the 60 amos mentioned in v. 2 above.

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֣עַשׂ לַב֌֞֔י֎ת חַל֌וֹנֵ֖י שְׁקֻ׀֎֥ים אֲטו֌מ֎֜ים׃

English:

aMeaning of parts of vv. 4–6 is uncertain. He made windows for the House, recessed and latticed.

The famous 'shekufim atumim' windows. Rashi (citing Menachot 86b): contrary to ordinary windows that flare wide on the inside to admit more light, these were *narrow on the inside, wide on the outside* — to teach that the Temple did not need light to enter; rather, divine light went out from it. Metzudat David: sealed with translucent glass-like material — visible-through but blocked. Radak notes the Targum gave the opposite reading (open inside, sealed outside).
ךש׎יRashi
שְׁקֻ׀֎ים אֲטֻמ֎ים. ךַב֌וֹתֵינו֌ ׀֌ֵךְשׁו֌: שְׁקו֌׀֎ים לְשׁוֹן ךְא֎י֌֞ה ו֌׀ְת֎יח֞ה וְהַשְׁק֞׀֞ה, ׀֌ְתו֌ח֎ים מ֎ב֌ַחו֌ץ וַאֲטו֌מ֎ים מ֎ב֌֎׀ְנ֎ים, קְש־׹֮ים מ֎ב֌֎׀ְנ֎ים, שֶׁל֌ֹא כ֌ְדֶךֶךְ שְׁא֞ך חַל֌וֹנוֹת אֲחֵךוֹת ה֞עֲשׂו֌יוֹת לְמ֞אוֹך, לְהַךְאוֹת שֶׁאֵינוֹ ש־׹֮יךְ לְאוֹך֞ה.
That were open [wide] on the outside and closed [narrow] on the inside. Our Rabbis explained [שקו׀ים] as an expression of looking, an opening, an observation;7It was made of a glass-like substance.—Metzudas Dovid. open on the outside and closed on the inside, narrow on the inside, not in the usual manner of other windows8Alternatively, חלוני means "sockets" into which שק׀ים [="horizontal beams"] were inserted. The sockets were open only on the inside and did not go all the way through the wall, i.e., they were אטומים [=sealed] and not visible from the outside of the building. which are made for illumination,9They are therefore constructed narrow on the outside and widening towards the inside to allow the light to spread out as it enters. to indicate that it was not in need of illumination.10See Maseches Menachos 86b.

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֩בֶן֩ עַל֟ק֎֚יך הַב֌ַրי֎ת (י׊וע) [י֞׊֎֙יעַ֙] ס֞ב֎֔יב אֶת֟ק֎יךրוֹת הַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ ס֞ב֎֔יב לַהֵיכ֖֞ל וְלַד֌ְב֎֑יך וַי֌ַ֥עַשׂ ׊ְל֞ע֖וֹת ס֞ב֎֜יב׃

English:

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.

The yatzia — a multi-story structure of side-chambers wrapping the Temple's exterior on three sides (north, west, south). Rashi (citing Bava Batra 61a): three names refer to the same chamber: yatzia, ta, tzela. The chambers wrapped the Heichal and the Devir from outside, providing storage and service space without infringing on the sacred interior.
ךש׎יRashi
י֞׊֎יעַ. א׀נטי"×¥ ב֌ְלַעַ"ז (י֞׊֎יעַ), ו֌שְׁלשׁ֞ה שֵׁמוֹת יֵשׁ ל֞ה֌, י֞׊֎יעַ, ת֌֞א, ׊ֶלַע כ֌ַךְ מְ׀וֹך֞שׁ ב֌ְב֌֞ב֞א ב֌ַתְך֞א. אֶת ק֎יךוֹת הַב֌ַי֎ת ס֞ב֎יב. כ֌ְלוֹמַך כ֌ְנֶגֶד הַהֵיכ֞ל ו֌בֵית ק֞דְשֵׁי הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎ים הו֌א הַד֌ְב֎יך, ע֞שׂ֞ה ׊ְל֞עוֹת מ֎ב֌ַחו֌ץ, לְד֞ךוֹם ו֌לְמַעֲך֞ב ו֌לְ׊֞׀וֹן, וְסוֹף הַמ֌֎קְך֞א הו֌א ׀֌ֵךו֌שׁ לְךֹאשׁוֹ, וַי֌֎בֶן עַל ק֮י׹ הַב֌ַי֎ת, ס֞מו֌ךְ לְק֮י׹ הַב֌ַי֎ת, י֞׊֎יעַ ס֞ב֎יב, כ֌ֵי׊ַד ע֞שׂ֞ה? אֶת ק֎יךוֹת הַב֌ַי֎ת לַהֵיכ֞ל וְלַד֌ְב֎יך, ע֞שׂ֞ה ׊ְל֞עוֹת. וַי֌ַעַשׂ. כ֌ְמוֹ ע֞שׂ֞ה, וְכֵן: וַיְה֎י ל֮י ל֎ישׁו֌ע֞ה, כ֌ְמוֹ ה־י־ה ל֮י ל֎ישׁו֌ע֞ה.
A chamber. Apentec, in O.F. It has three names, י׊יע' תא' ׊לע, thus is this explained in [Maseches] Bava Basra.11 61a. Around the walls of the Beis Hamikdosh circling all around. I.e., against the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, which is the דבי׹, he made chambers on the outside at the south, west, and north. And the end of the verse explains its beginning. "He built against the wall of the Beis Hamikdosh, [meaning] near the wall of the Beis Hamikdosh, a chamber round about. How did he make it? "Against the walls of the Beis Hamikdosh, [i.e., against] the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, he made chambers." And he made. He made. And similarly, "He was [ויהי] my salvation,"12Shemos 15:2. means the same as "He was [היה] my salvation."13The word 'יהי' is in the future tense but the 'vav' converts it [="ו" המה׀ך] to the past tense.

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

(הי׊וע) [הַי֌֞׊֎֚יעַ] הַת֌ַחְת֌ֹנ֞֜ה ח֞מֵ֧שׁ ב֌֞אַמ֌֣֞ה ךׇחְב֌֞֗ה֌ וְהַת֌֎֜יכֹנ֞ה֙ שֵׁրשׁ ב֌֞אַמ֌֞ה֙ ךׇחְב֌֞֔ה֌ וְהַ֚שׁ֌ְל֎ישׁ֎֔ית שֶׁ֥בַע ב֌֞אַמ֌֖֞ה ךׇחְב֌֑֞ה֌ כ֌֎֡י מ֎גְך֞עוֹת֩ נ֞תַ֚ן לַב֌ַրי֎ת ס֞ב֎יב֙ ח֔ו֌׊֞ה לְב֎לְת֌֎֖י אֲחֹ֥ז ב֌ְק֎יךוֹת֟הַב֌֞֜י֎ת׃

English:

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.

The three stories of side-chambers grew progressively wider: bottom 5 cubits, middle 6, top 7. Rashi (citing Mishna Middot 4:3): 38 chambers in all — 15 north, 15 south (5×3 stories), 8 west. The widening was achieved by *migra'ot* — recessing the Temple wall by one cubit at the height of each story, so the side-chamber roof-beams rested on the recessed ledge rather than penetrating the wall — preserving the integrity and beauty of the Temple wall itself.
ךש׎יRashi
הַי֌֞׊֎יעַ הַת֌ַחְת֌ֹנ֞ה. ב֌ְכ֞ל ךו֌חַ וְךו֌חַ ה֞יו֌ הַת֌֞א֎ים שְׁלשׁ֞ה זֶה עַל זֶה, ו֌מ֎ד֌ַת א֞ךְכ֌וֹ לֹא נֶאֶמְך֞ה כ֌֞אן, ו֌בְמַס֌ֶכֶת מ֎ד֌וֹת שׁ֞נ֎ינו֌: שְׁלשׁ֎ים ו֌שְׁמוֹנ֞ה ת֌֞א֎ים ה֞יו֌, חֲמ֎ש֌ׁ֞ה ע֞שׂ֞ך ב֌ַ׊֌֞׀וֹן, חֲמ֎ש֌ׁ֞ה עַל ג֌ַב֌ֵי חֲמ֎ש֌ׁ֞ה, וַחֲמ֎ש֌ׁ֞ה עַל ג֌ַב֌ֵיהֶן, וְכֵן ב֌ַד֌֞ךוֹם, ו֌שְׁמוֹנ֞ה ב֌ַמ֌ַעֲך֞ב, שְׁלשׁ֞ה עַל ג֌ַב֌ֵי שְׁלשׁ֞ה, ו֌שְׁנַי֎ם עַל ג֌ַב֌ֵיהֶם, הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה ח֞מֵשׁ, וְה֞אֶמְ׊֞עוֹת שֵׁשׁ, וְה֞עֶלְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁבַע, ל֞מ֌֞ה? כ֌֎י מ֎גְך֞עוֹת נ֞תַן לַב֌ַי֎ת ס֞ב֎יב חו֌׊֞ה, קוֹמַת הַת֌֞א ח֞מֵשׁ אַמ֌וֹת, ו֌כְשֶׁעוֹלֶה כ֌ֹתֶל הַהֵיכ֞ל ח֞מֵשׁ אַמ֌וֹת, ג֌וֹךֵעַ אֶת ע֞בְיוֹ, וְכ֎נ֌ֵס ב֌וֹ אַמ֌֞ה לְ׀֞נ֎ים, וְה֎נ֌֎יחַ עַל אוֹת֞ה֌ כ֌ְנ֎יס֞ה ך֞אשֵׁי קוֹךוֹת ג֌ַג עֲל֎י֌ַת הַת֌֞א, שֶׁה֎יא קַךְק֞ע֎ית לְאֶמְ׊֞ע֎ית, ו֌כְשֶׁעוֹלֶה עֶשֶׂך, כ֌֎נֵס אַמ֌֞ה, לְהַנ֌֎יחַ ך֞אשֵׁי קוֹךוֹת עֲל֎י֌ַת ה֞אֶמְ׊֞ע֎ית, שֶׁה֎יא קַךְקַע ה֞עֶלְיוֹנ֞ה, נ֎מְ׊ֵאת אֶמְ׊֞ע֎ית ׹ְח־ב־ה מ֮ן הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה אַמ֌֞ה, וְה֞עֶלְיוֹנ֞ה ׹ְח־ב־ה מ֮ן הַת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה אַמ֌֞ה. לְב֎לְת֌֎י אֲחֹז ב֌ְק֎יךוֹת הַב֌֞י֎ת. שֶׁל֌ֹא לְדַב֌ֵק ך֞אשֵׁי הַק֌וֹךוֹת ד֌ֶךֶךְ נְק־ב֮ים ב֌ְק֎יךוֹת הַב֌ַי֎ת, שֶׁק֌֎לְקו֌ל הַחוֹמ֞ה הו֌א, וְאֵינוֹ ד֌ֶךֶךְ נוֹי.
The bottom chamber. One each side there were three [tiers of] chambers, one on the other. The measurement of its length is not stated here, but in Maseches Midos14 4:3. we learned that there were thirty-eight chambers, fifteen in the north, five on top of five and five on top of them, and the same was in the south. And eight in the west, three on top of three and two on top of them. The bottom ones were five [amohs wide] and the middle ones six, and the top ones seven. Why? Because he made depressions in the wall of the house round about on the outside. The height of the chamber was five amohs, and as the height of the wall of the Sanctuary reached five amohs, he decreased its thickness and recessed it one amoh inward, and on that recess he placed the ends of the beams of the roof at the top of the chamber which served as the floor of the middle one. And as the wall reached [the height of] ten [amohs], he recessed it [another] amoh to place the ends of the beams of the roof of the middle [chamber] which served as the floor of the upper [chamber]. Thus we find the middle [chamber] is wider than the lower one by one amoh, and the upper [chamber] is wider than the middle one by one amoh. So that [the beams] would not be attached to the walls of the Beis Hamikdosh. In order that the ends of the beams do not attach [to the walls] through perforations in the walls of the house, since this deteriorates the wall and it diminishes its beauty.

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וְהַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ ב֌ְה֎ב֌֣֞נֹת֔וֹ אֶבֶן֟שְׁלֵמ֥֞ה מַס֌֖֞ע נ֮בְנ־֑ה ו֌מַק֌֞בրוֹת וְהַג֌ַךְזֶן֙ כ֌ׇל֟כ֌ְל֎֣י בַךְזֶ֔ל לֹ֜א֟נ֎שְׁמַ֥ע ב֌ַב֌ַ֖י֎ת ב֌ְה֎ב֌֞נֹת֜וֹ׃

English:

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.

The chapter's most famous architectural-theological note: no hammer, no axe, no iron tool was heard at the construction site. Rashi: the stones were brought already finished from the quarry — and (per a well-known mesorah) shaped not by iron but by the **shamir**, a miraculous worm or stone the Holy One had set aside for this purpose; Shlomo had the eagle bring it from Gan Eden. Radak elaborates: the shamir, kept in a lead tube packed with cotton and bran, would split any stone over which it was placed. Iron is the metal of war and bloodshed; the House of peace would not be cut by it.
ךש׎יRashi
ב֌ְה֎ב֌֞נֹתוֹ אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמ֞ה מַס֌֞ע. כ֌ְמוֹ שֶׁה֎ס֌֎יעו֌ה֞ מ֮ן ה־ה־׹ עַל יְדֵי הַש֌ׁ֞מ֎יך, כ֌ְמוֹ שֶׁה֎יא ב֌֞א֞ה מ֎ש֌ׁ֞ם, נְת֞נו֌ה֞ ב֌ְחוֹמַת הַב֌֎נְי֞ן, וְלֹא ס֎ת֌ְתו֌ה֞ ב֌֎כְלֵי בַךְזֶל, וְאַבְנֵי ג֞ז֎ית ה֞א֞מו֌ך לְמַעְל֞ה, מַחֲלֹקֶת ה֮יא ב֌ְסוֹט֞ה (מח ב). ו֌מַק֌֞בוֹת. דלוט"א ב֌֎לְשׁוֹן ךו֌סְי֞א (׀֌ַט֌֎ישׁ).
When [the Beis Hamikdosh] was being constructed it was built of whole stones carried [from the quarry]. As it was removed from the mountain, through the worm [=a שמיך],15See Mishnayos Avos 5:6. Radak indicates that Shlomo sent an eagle to bring him the shamir which was in the Garden of Eden. [i.e.,] as it came from there they set it into the wall of the structure,16That is why it is called אבן שלמה [=whole stones], because they were used exactly as they arrived, without being cut or chiseled. and they did not chisel it with any metal tools. And the "stone" mentioned above,17 5:31. is a controversy in [Maseches] Sotah.18 48b. Hammer. Delutta, in Russian.

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

׀֌ֶ֗תַח הַ׊֌ֵל֞ע֙ הַת֌֎֣יכֹנ֞֔ה אֶל֟כ֌ֶ֥תֶף הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת הַיְמ֞נ֎֑ית ו֌בְלו֌ל֌֎֗ים יַ֜עֲלו֌֙ עַל֟הַת֌֎֣יכֹנ֞֔ה ו֌מ֎ן֟הַת֌֎יכֹנ֖֞ה אֶל֟הַשׁ֌ְל֎שׁ֎֜ים׃

English:

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.

The entrance to the side-chambers was on the *southern* (right) side of the Temple. Access to upper stories was via *belulim* — Rashi: spiral staircases winding around a stone pillar, called 'vis' in Old French ('vindelstein' in German), allowing one to ascend many cubits in tight space without the steep angle of a ladder. Targum: 'mesibata' — circular stairs. Each chamber connected upward through these spirals to the next story above.
ךש׎יRashi
׀֌ֶתַח הַ׊֌ֵל֞ע הַת֌֎יכֹנ֞ה אֶל כ֌ֶתֶף הַב֌ַי֎ת הַיְמ֞נ֎ית. יוֹנ֞ת֞ן ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם ת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה זוֹ כ֌ְמוֹ ת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה, לֹא ת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה ב֌ֵין עֶלְיוֹנ֞ה לַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה, שֶׁב֌ְח֞מֵשׁ ת֌֞א֎ים שֶׁב֌ַד֌֞ךוֹם ה־י־ה ל֞ה֌ ׀֌ֶתַח אֶל הַחו֌ץ ב֌ַש֌ׁו֌ך֞ה הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה, וְזֶה (הַת֌ַךְג֌ו֌ם) ו֌בְלו֌ל֎ים יַעֲלו֌ עַל הַת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה. הַת֌֎יכֹנ֞ה. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: מְ׊֎יע֞ת֞א, כ֌֎י הַת֌֞א֎ים הַל֌֞לו֌ לֹא ה֞יו֌ ׀֌ְתו֌ח֎ים אֶל הַחו֌ץ. שְׁלשׁ֞ה ׀֌ְת֞ח֎ים ה֞יו֌ לְכ־ל אֶח֞ד, כ֌֞ךְ ה֮יא שְׁנו֌י֞ה ב֌ְמַס֌ֶכֶת מ֎ד֌וֹת (שׁ֞ם), אֶח֞ד לַת֌֞א מ֮ן הַי֌֞מ֎ין, וְאֶח֞ד לַת֌֞א מ֮ן הַש֌ְׂמֹאל, וְאֶח֞ד לַת֌֞א שֶׁעַל ג֌ַב֌֞יו. וְל֎מ֌ֵד כ֌֞אן, שֶׁאֶח֞ד מ֮ן הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֎ים שֶׁב֌ְכֹתֶל ד֌ְךוֹמ֎י, ה־י־ה לוֹ ׀֌ֶתַח אֶל הַחו֌ץ, וְדֶךֶךְ אוֹתוֹ ׀֌ֶתַח נ֎כְנ֞ס֎ים לְכֻל֌֞ם, 'וְ׊ֵל֞ע הַת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה' ד֌֎קְך֞א, לֹא ת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה ב֌ֵין עֶלְיוֹנ֞ה לַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה, אֶל֌֞א ת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה שֶׁב֌ְח֞מֵשׁ ת֌֞א֎ים שֶׁב֌ַד֌֞ךוֹם ה־י־ה ל֞ה֌ ׀֌ֶתַח אֶל הַחו֌ץ ב֌ַש֌ׁו֌ך֞ה הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה, וְזֶהו֌ ת֌ַךְג֌ו֌ם 'ו֌בְלו֌ל֌֎ים יַעֲלו֌ עַל הַת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה', שֶׁל֌ְמַעְל֞ה הֵימֶנ֌֞ה, מַשְׁמ֞ע דְהַ׊֌ֶלַע הַת֌֎יכוֹנ֞ה לְמַט֌֞ה. ב֌ְלו֌ל֌֎ים. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: מְס֎ב֌֞ת֞א, וְהו֌א שֶׁק֌וֹך֎ין ב֌֎לְשׁוֹנֵנו֌ וויי"ן ב֌ְלַעַ"ז ו֌ב֎לְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכ֌ְנַז ווינד"ל שטיי"ן, וְשׁ֞ם הַמ֌ֻךְג֌֞ל שווינד"ל שטי"ג (מַדְךֵגוֹת לו֌לְי֞נ֎י֌וֹת), וְהו֌א ב֌֎נְיַן עַמ֌ו֌ד אֲב֞נ֎ים ע֞שׂו֌י מַעֲלוֹת מַעֲלוֹת, וְהַהוֹלֵךְ ב֌֞הֶן ד֌וֹמֶה כ֌ְמַק֌֎יף סְב֎יבוֹת עַמ֌ו֌ד, וְעוֹל֎ין ב֌וֹ כ֌ַמ֌֞ה וְכַמ֌֞ה אַמ֌וֹת ג֌֞בוֹה֌ַ, וְאֵין ש־׹֮יךְ לְשֶׁ׀ַע כ֌֎שְׁא֞ך סֻל֌֞ם, כ֌֎י ה֎ק֌֎י׀וֹ הו֌א שׁ֎׀֌ו֌עַ. אֶל הַש֌ְׁל֎שׁ֎ים. כ֌ְמוֹ אֶל הַש֌ְׁל֎ישׁ֎ים.
The entrance of the bottom chamber was in the right side of the house. [Targum] Yonoson rendered תיכונה as the "bottom,"19It cannot mean the middle story because you would not have an entrance to a building that is one story above ground level. and not as "between" the upper and lower [ones], because the five chambers on the southern side had an opening to the outside in the bottom story. And this (is the meaning) "and by a winding stairway they went up to the middle [chamber]."20Thus indicating that תיכונה was the "bottom" story. The bottom. [Targum] Yonoson rendered "the middle," because these chambers were not open to the outside. There were three openings to each. Thus is this taught in Maseches Midos,21 4:3. "One was to the chamber on the right and one was to the chamber on the left and one to the chamber above." And it teaches us here that one of the lower [chambers] on the southern wall had an opening to the outside and through that opening22The southern side is called the "right" side, because a person standing inside the Beis Hamikdosh at its entrance and looking out would be facing east and the southern side would be to the right. they entered all the chambers. And the "middle chamber" of the verse, is not the middle one between the upper and the lower [ones], but the middle one of the five chambers on the southern side which had an opening to the outside in the bottom story. And this is the meaning of, "and by a winding stairway they went up to the middle [chamber]," which was above it, signifying that the תיכונה chamber was below. And by a winding stairway. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, a winding staircase [=מסיבתא], and that is called in our language [O.F.] vis, and in German, vindelstein, and the commonly used name is schvindel stieg. It is a structure of stone pillars made [in the form] of many stairs, and one who goes on them is likened to one spiraling around a column, ascending many amohs on it without needing the inclination of an ordinary ladder, because its spiral serves as its incline. To the third. [שלישים means the same] as to the third [=שלישיים]

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֥בֶן אֶת֟הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת וַיְכַל֌ֵ֑הו֌ וַי֌֎סְ׀֌ֹրן אֶת֟הַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ ג֌ֵב֎֔ים ו֌שְׂדֵךֹ֖ת ב֌֞אֲך֞ז֎֜ים׃

English:

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.

The double ceiling: a lower ornamental ceiling of *gevim* (carved cedar boards or hollow vault-tiles) and an upper ceiling of cedar *sederot* (rows of planks). Rashi: the lower one was for beauty (paneled and decorated, like a 'celing' in Old French); the upper one of cedar planks was for structural support. Radak: the lower was actually cypress (per Divrei Hayomim II 3:5), the upper cedar; *gevim* may suggest curved ribbing like ribs of a body.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌֎סְ׀֌ֹן. לְשׁוֹן כ֌֎ס֌ו֌י ת֌֎קְך֞ה. ג֌ֵב֎ים ו֌שְׂדֵךֹת ב֌֞אֲך֞ז֎ים. שְׁת֌ֵי ת֌֎קְך֞אוֹת, אַחַת עֲשׂו֌י֞ה לְנוֹי מ֎ל֌ְמַט֌֞ה, וְאַחַת שֶׁל לו֌חֵי אֲך֞ז֎ים מ֎ל֌ְמַעְל֞ה, שֶׁל ג֌ֵב֎ים ה֮יא הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹנ֞ה. וְת֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: ב֌ְהַנְת֌ו֌כ֎ין, וְלֹא י֞דַעְת֌֎י מ־ה הֵן, וְשׁ֞מַעְת֌֎י מ֎ש֌ְׁמוֹ שֶׁל ךַב֌֎י מְנַחֵם זַ׊ַ"ל, שֶׁהֵם נְס֞ך֎ים אֲךו֌ג֎ים נ־א֮ים כ֌ְמ֎ין ׊ו֌ך֞ה, וְקוֹך֎ין לוֹ ב֌֎לְשׁוֹנֵנו֌ שילי"ד (ת֎קְך֞ה) (ו֌ב֎לְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכ֌ְנַז גהימל"ט), וְה֮יא לְשׁוֹן 'שׁ֞מַי֎ם ', 'שְׁמֵי קוֹך֞ה'. וַאֲנ֎י אוֹמֵך, שֶׁהֵם לְבֵנ֎ים חֲלו֌ל֎ים, וְהֵם כ֌ַחֲ׊֎י ק֞נֶה ע֞גֹל, שֶׁעוֹשׂ֎ין לְכ֎ס֌ו֌י ב֌֞ת֌֎ים (ב֌֎לְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכ֌ְנַז דעק שיגל — ךְעַ׀֎ים). ג֌ֵב֎ים. ל֞שׁוֹן אֲךַמ֌֎י: ג֌ו֌בְת֌֞א ד֌ְקַנְי֞א, וְהֵם ה֞יו֌ (לְמַעְל֞ה), וְהַש֌ְׂדֵךוֹת (לְמַט֌֞ה). ו֌שְׂדֵךֹת. לו֌חֵי אֲך֞ז֎ים סְדו֌ך֎ים לְמַעְל֞ה מ֮ן הַג֌ֵב֎ים, ל֎דְך֎יסַת ה֞ךֶגֶל, כ֌ְשֶׁעוֹל֎ין ל֎ךְאוֹת ב֌ְבֶדֶק הַב֌ַי֎ת. וְכֵן ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: ו֌שְׂדֵךוֹת ב֌֞אֲך֞ז֎ים: וְעֵיל֌֞א מ֎נ֌ְהוֹן (ךוֹ׊ֶה לוֹמַך, מ֮ן הַג֌ֵב֎ים) ס֎ידְך֞א דְך֎כְ׀֌ַת ךֵישֵׁי שׁ֎ךְי֞ת֞א אַךְזַי֌֞א, וְך֎כְ׀֌ַת לְשׁוֹן ת֌ְכ֎י׀ַת, וַחֲבֵךוֹ: ע֞בֵי שְׁח֞ק֎ים, ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: מֵך֎כְ׀֌ַת עֲנ֞נ֎ין קְל֮יל֮ין.
And [he] covered. An expression of a ceiling covering. With decorated boards and connected planks of cedar. [There were] two ceilings, the one made for beauty was below, and the one of cedar planks was above; that of paneling was the lower one. And [Targum] Yonoson rendered [גבים as] בהנתוכין, but I do not know what they are. I heard in the name of Rabbi Menachem, blessed be the memory of the righteous, that they are boards woven beautifully in the form of a design, and it is called in our language [O.F.] celed, and in German, gehimmelt, and that is an expression of "heavenly," [meaning] the highest part of the beam. But I say, they are hollowed bricks, and they are like half a round reed, which are used as coverings for houses. (In German, dek tzigel.) Paneling. In Aramaic it is גובתא דקניא which were (above) and the planks (below). And connected planks. Planks of cedar arranged above the paneling upon which they walk when they go up to repair the building. And similarly, [Targum] Yonoson rendered ושדךות בא׹זים as, "above them (i.e., the paneling) was an arrangement of a succession [דךכ׀ת] of cedar wooden planks," and "&ךכ׀ת" is an expression of a succession, comparable to, "clouds of heaven,"23II Shmuel 22:12. which [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "a succession [=מךיכ׀ת] of light clouds."

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎րבֶן אֶת֟[הַי֌֞׊֎֙יעַ֙] (הי׊וע) עַל֟כ֌ׇל֟הַב֌ַ֔י֎ת ח֞מֵ֥שׁ אַמ֌֖וֹת קוֹמ֞ת֑וֹ וַי֌ֶאֱחֹ֥ז אֶת֟הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת ב֌ַעֲ׊ֵ֥י אֲך֞ז֎֜ים׃ {×€}

English:

He built the storied structure against the entire House—each story 5 cubits high, so that it encased the House with timbers of cedar.

Each side-chamber story was 5 cubits high (Rashi: bringing the total stack to 15 cubits — half the height of the Temple wall, leaving the upper 15 cubits visible). The chambers were 'attached' to the House via cedar beams resting on the wall-recesses, encasing the building's lower half on three sides.
ךש׎יRashi
ח֞מֵשׁ אַמ֌וֹת קוֹמ֞תוֹ. שֶׁל כ֌֞ל אֶח֞ד וְאֶח֞ד, הֲךֵי ג֌֞בְה֞ן ח֞מֵשׁ עֶשְׂךֵה אַמ֌וֹת, לְבַד עֳב֎י הַת֌֎קְך֞ה. וַי֌ֶאֱחֹז אֶת הַב֌ַי֎ת. הו֌א כ֌֎ס֌ו֌י הַג֌ַג ה֞עֶלְיוֹן, וְהַס֌֎׀֌ו֌ן ה֞א֞מו֌ך לְמַעְל֞ה, הו֌א ת֌֎קְךַת ה֞עֲל֎י֌֞ה.
Five amohs high. Of each one. Therefore, their total height was fifteen amohs besides the thickness of the ceiling. And he covered the Beis Hamikdosh. That is the upper covering of the roof, and the covering [=והס׀ון] mentioned above that was the ceiling of the upper story.

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַ֜יְה֎י֙ ד֌ְבַך֟יְהֹו֞֔ה אֶל֟שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֜ך׃

English:

Then the word of GOD came to Solomon,

In the middle of the construction account, the narrative pauses for a divine address. Radak: the prophet Achiya HaShiloni came to Shlomo while he was still building. The placement is striking — God's word interrupts the technical description with a moral condition for the entire project.

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

הַב֌ַ֚י֎ת הַז֌ֶ֜ה אֲשֶׁך֟אַת֌֣֞ה בֹנֶ֗ה א֎ם֟ת֌ֵלֵրךְ ב֌ְחֻק֌ֹתַי֙ וְאֶת֟מ֎שְׁ׀֌֞טַ֣י ת֌ַ֜עֲשֶׂ֔ה וְשׁ֞מַךְת֌֥֞ אֶת֟כ֌ׇל֟מ֎׊ְוֺתַ֖י ל֞לֶ֣כֶת ב֌֞הֶ֑ם וַהֲק֎מֹת֎րי אֶת֟ד֌ְב֞ך֎י֙ א֎ת֌֞֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ך ד֌֎ב֌ַ֖ךְת֌֎י אֶל֟ד֌֞ו֎֥ד א֞ב֎֜יך֞׃

English:

“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:

The chapter's central theological pivot: a *conditional* promise. Despite the Temple's magnificence, God says — Metzudat David — 'though you build it most beautifully, I will not rest My Shechinah within it unless you walk in My laws.' The keeping of mitzvot, not the gold and cedar, secures God's promised indwelling that He had pledged to David.

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְשׁ֣֞כַנְת֌֎֔י ב֌ְת֖וֹךְ ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א אֶעֱזֹ֖ב אֶת֟עַמ֌֎֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃ {×€}

English:

I will abide among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.”

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֧בֶן שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה אֶת֟הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת וַיְכַל֌ֵ֜הו֌׃

English:

When Solomon had completed the construction of the House,

A bridge verse: the structural shell is complete, and now begins the interior finishing. Metzudat David: earlier (verse 9) the *walls* and *ceiling* were finished; this *vayikalehu* announces completion of the entire stone-and-cedar shell. Radak: now Shlomo turns to interior wood-work — the Heichal interior.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֩בֶן֩ אֶת֟ק֎יך֚וֹת הַב֌ַրי֎ת מ֎ב֌ַ֙יְת֞ה֙ ב֌ְ׊ַלְע֣וֹת אֲך֞ז֎֔ים מ֎ק֌ַךְקַրע הַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ עַד֟ק֎יך֣וֹת הַס֌֎׀֌ֻ֔ן ׊֎׀֌֥֞ה עֵ֖ץ מ֎ב֌֑֞י֎ת וַיְ׊ַ֛ף אֶת֟קַךְקַ֥ע הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת ב֌ְ׊ַלְע֥וֹת ב֌ְךוֹשׁ֎֜ים׃

English:

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.

The interior is paneled in cedar from floor to ceiling. Rashi explains the practical reason: the entire interior was to be gilded (verse 21), and gold cannot be applied directly to stone — it requires a wood substrate to nail it onto. So cedar walls and cypress floor become the substrate. The stone shell entirely disappears from view, replaced by living wood inside.
ךש׎יRashi
מ֎ב֌ַיְת֞ה ב֌ְ׊ַלְעוֹת אֲך֞ז֎ים. ק֎יךוֹת אֶךֶז אֵ׊ֶל ק֮י׹ ה֞אֶבֶן, כ֌ְדֵי ל֞טו֌חַ ע֞ל֞יו ז־ה־ב, כ֌ְמוֹ שֶׁהו֌א אוֹמֵך לְמַט֌֞ה (׀סוק כא): וַיְ׊ַף שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת הַב֌ַי֎ת ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֞ה ז־ה־ב ס֞גו֌ך, וְא֮י אֶ׀ְשׁ֞ך ל֞טו֌חַ ז־ה־ב עַל ג֌ַב֌ֵי ה֞אֲב֞נ֎ים, כ֌֎י א֎ם ב֌ְעֵ׊֎ים ו֌בְמַסְמְךוֹת. ק֎יךוֹת הַס֌֎׀֌ֻן. ק֎יךוֹת ה֞עֲל֎י֌֞ה. אֶת קַךְקַע הַב֌ַי֎ת. ה֞ך֎׊ְ׀֌֞ה כ֌ֻל֌֞ה֌.
With panels of cedar. Boards of cedar against the stone wall in order to coat it with gold, as it states below, "And Shlomo covered the inside of the Beis Hamikdosh with refined gold,"24Below, v. 21. and it is impossible to coat gold on top of the stones, without wood and nails. Beams of the ceiling. The boards of the attic. The floor of the Beis Hamikdosh. The entire floor.

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֩בֶן֩ אֶת֟עֶשְׂך֎֚ים אַמ֌֞֜ה (מיךכותי) [מ֎֜י֌ַךְכ֌ְתֵրי] הַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ ב֌ְ׊ַלְע֣וֹת אֲך֞ז֎֔ים מ֎ן֟הַק֌ַךְקַ֖ע עַד֟הַק֌֎יך֑וֹת וַי֌֎րבֶן לוֹ֙ מ֎ב֌ַ֣י֎ת ל֮דְב֮֔י׹ לְקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎֜ים׃

English:

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.

The Devir is partitioned: 20 cubits at the western (rear) end of the House are walled off floor-to-ceiling with cedar planks, designated the Holy of Holies. Rashi: this is the famous **Amah Traksin** — the partition between the Heichal's 40 cubits and the Devir's 20. Metzudat David: the Devir thus exactly mirrors the Mishkan's Kodesh HaKodashim, but at full scale.
ךש׎יRashi
אֶת עֶשְׂך֎ים אַמ֌֞ה מ֎י֌ַךְכ֌ְתֵי הַב֌ַי֎ת. עֶשְׂך֎ים שֶׁהֵן מ֎ס֌וֹף הַהֵיכ֞ל ו־ה־לְא־ה, וְה֞עֶשְׂך֎ים שֶׁב֌ְסוֹף הַב֌ַי֎ת, הֵן שֶׁל ב֌ֵית הַכ֌ַ׀֌ֹךֶת (ד֌ְהַיְנו֌ ק֞דְשֵׁי הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎ים). עַד הַק֌֎יךוֹת. עַד הַת֌֎קְך֞ה, ע֞שׂ֞ה ק֮י׹ אֶךֶז לְכַס֌וֹת ק֮י׹ ה֞אֶבֶן, ל֞טו֌חַ ע֞ל֞יו ז־ה־ב. וַי֌֎בֶן לוֹ. אוֹת֞ם עֶשְׂך֎ים אַמ֌֞ה. מ֎ב֌ַי֎ת ל֮דְב֮י׹. ל֎׀ְנ֎ים מ֎מ֌ְח֎׊֌ַת אַמ֌֞ה טְךַקְס֎ין, הַמ֌ַ׀ְסֶקֶת ב֌ֵין אַךְב֌֞ע֎ים לְעֶשְׂך֎ים, וְאוֹת֞ה֌ מְח֎׊֌֞ה קְךו֌י֞ה ד֌ְב֎יך. לְקֹדֶשׁ הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎ים. ה֎בְד֌֎יל֞ן לְאוֹת֞ן עֶשְׂך֎ים אַמ֌֞ה.
The twenty amohs at the end of the Beis Hamikdosh. The twenty [amohs] which were at the end of the Sanctuary and beyond, and the twenty [amohs] which were at the end of the building, they are the house containing the Ark cover (i.e., the Holy of Holies). To the ceiling. He made the walls of cedar until the ceiling to cover the walls of stone in order to coat it with gold. He built it. Those twenty amohs. On the inner side of the partition. Inward of the "Amma Traksin" [partition], which separated between the forty [amohs] and the twenty [amohs], and that partition is called "Dvir."25Also, "Dvir" sometimes means the Holy of Holies. See Rashi in v. 5 above and also the Metzudas Tzion there. For the Holy of Holies. He designated those twenty amohs.

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וְאַךְב֌֞ע֎֥ים ב֌֞אַמ֌֖֞ה ×”Öž×™ÖžÖ£×” הַב֌֑֞י֎ת ה֖ו֌א הַהֵיכ֥֞ל ל֎׀ְנ֞֜י׃

English:

fMeaning of vv. 17–22 is unclear in part. The front part of the House, that is, the Great Hall, measured 40 cubits.

The arithmetic: of the Temple's total 60-cubit length, 40 cubits constitute the Heichal proper (the front section, east of the Devir-partition). Rashi: 'lifnai' — 'before/in front of the Devir' — the outer area facing the Holy of Holies.
ךש׎יRashi
הַהֵיכ֞ל ל֎׀ְנ֞י. ל֎׀ְנֵי הַד֌ְב֎יך לְ׊ַד הַחו֌ץ.
That is the Sanctuary before it. In front of the partition towards the outside.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וְאֶրךֶז אֶל֟הַב֌ַ֙י֎ת֙ ׀֌ְנ֎֔ימ֞ה מ֎קְלַ֣עַת ׀֌ְק֞ע֎֔ים ו֌׀ְטו֌ךֵ֖י ׊֎׊֌֎֑ים הַכ֌ֹ֣ל אֶ֔ךֶז אֵ֥ין אֶ֖בֶן נ֎ךְא֞֜ה׃

English:

The cedar of the interior of the House had carvings of gourds and calyxes; it was all cedar, no stone was exposed.

The interior cedar was carved with two repeating motifs: **mikla'at peka'im** (carvings shaped like gourds or knobs) and **peturei tzitzim** (open-flower calyxes). Rashi notes Targum Yonatan reads *peka'im* as egg-shaped designs. Together, the cedar surface is alive with ornate floral and rounded motifs — and crucially, no stone is visible: the entire interior is wood-clad.
ךש׎יRashi
וְאֶךֶז אֶל הַב֌ַי֎ת ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֞ה מ֎קְלַעַת ׀֌ְק֞ע֎ים. ׀֌ֵךו֌שׁ, וְאוֹת֞ם ק֎יךוֹת אֲך֞ז֎ים שֶׁע֞שׂ֞ה אֶל הַב֌ַי֎ת ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֞ה, לְכַס֌וֹת ק֮י׹ ה֞אֶבֶן, ק֞לו֌עַ ה־י־ה ב֌ְ׊֎י֌ו֌ךֵי קְל֎יעוֹת וְ׊ו֌ךוֹת ׀֌ְק֞ע֎ים, כ֌ְמ֎ין כ֌ַ׀ְת֌וֹך֎ים, ׀֌ְק֞ע֎ים, למויישייל"ש ב֌ְלַעַ"ז (׀֌ְק֞עוֹת, כ֌ַ׀ְתוֹךֵי נוֹי). ו֌׀ְטו֌ךֵי ׊֎׊֌֎ים. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: וְאַט֌ו֌נ֎ין שׁוֹשַׁנ֌֎ין, ׊ו֌ךַת שַׁלְשְׁל֞אוֹת. ׀֌ְטו֌ךֵי. לְשׁוֹן חֲב֞ל֎ים, כ֌֎לְשׁוֹן ג֌ְמ֞ך֞א, כ֌ְמוֹ כ֌ְ׀֎יטו֌ךֵי בְ׀֎י וֵשֶׁט. ׊֎׊֌֎ים. לְשׁוֹן ׀֌ְך֞ח֎ים, כ֌ְמוֹ: וַי֌֞׊ֶץ ׊֎יץ, חֲב֞ל֎ים ו֌׀ְך֞ח֎ים. ו֌מְנַחֵם ח֎ב֌ְךוֹ: ׀֌ְטו֌ךֵי, לְשׁוֹן: ׀֌ֶטֶך ךֶחֶם, ו֌כְמוֹ: יַ׀ְט֎יךו֌ בְשׂ֞׀֞ה. הַכ֌ֹל אֶךֶז אֵין אֶבֶן נ֮׹ְא־ה. ת֌ַךְג֌ו֌ם: כ֌֞ל ב֌ֵית֞א ×—Öž×€Öµ×™ נ֎סְך֎ין ד֌ְאַךְז֞א לֵית אַבְנ֞א מ֎תְחַזְי֞א. מ֎קְלַעַת ׀֌ְק֞ע֎ים. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: גְלַף חֵיזו֌ בֵיע֎ין (׀֌ֵךו֌שׁ, ח֞קו֌ק כ֌֎דְמו֌ת ב֌ֵי׊֎ים עֲגֻל֌֎ים).
The cedar of the inside of the Beis Hamikdosh was carved with designs. This means, that those cedar boards which he made for the inside of the building to cover the stone walls, were carved with figured carvings and forms of fragments resembling knobs; ׀קעים are imosjjls, in O.F. Of buds and blossoming flowers. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "and cords and flowers," in the form of chains. Buds. [׀טוךי is] an expression of cords in the language of the Talmud, as in, "as the rope through the loophole."26Maseches Berachos 8a. Blossoming flowers. [ששים is] an expression of flowers, as in, "and it bloomed [וי׊ץ] buds [׊יץ],"27Bamidbar 17:23. cords and blossoms. But Menachem related ׀טוךי as an expression of, "to open [׀טך] of the womb,"28Shemos 13:12. and as in, "they open [י׀טיךו] the lip."29Tehillim 22:8. All was cedar [wood] no stone was visible. [Targum Yonoson rendered,] "the whole building was covered with cedar boards, no stone was visible." Carved with designs. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "and engraved was a resemblance of eggs."30Alternatively, ׀קעים are designs of fruit.—Metzudas Tzion. (Meaning engraved in the shape of round eggs.)

׀סוק י׮ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

ו֌דְב֎֧יך ב֌ְתוֹךְ֟הַב֌ַ֛י֎ת מ֎׀֌ְנ֎֖ימ֞ה הֵכ֎֑ין לְת֎ת֌ֵ֣ן שׁ֞֔ם אֶת֟אֲך֖וֹן ב֌ְך֎֥ית יְהֹו֞֜ה׃

English:

In the innermost part of the House, he fixed a Shrine in which to place the Ark of GOD’s Covenant.

The purpose of the Devir is now stated: to house the **Aron Brit Hashem** — the Ark of the Covenant. Rashi/Radak preserve a remarkable Aggadic tradition: through ruach hakodesh Shlomo foresaw the Temple's eventual destruction and dug a hidden chamber in deep, winding tunnels under the Devir. Yoshiyahu (II Divrei Hayomim 35:3) eventually concealed the Aron there. The verb **hechin** ('he prepared') is read as preparing both the visible chamber and this hidden one.
ךש׎יRashi
ו֌דְב֎יך ב֌ְתוֹךְ הַב֌ַי֎ת. מְח֎׊֌ַת אַמ֌֞ה טְךַקְס֎ין. לְת֎ת֌ֵן. כ֌ְמוֹ ל֞תֵת.
And the Holy of Holies within the Beis Hamikdosh. The "Amoh Traksin" partition. To place. [It has the same meaning] as לתת.31Knowing that the Beis Hamikdosh will eventually be destroyed Shlomo "prepared ]=[הכין" for the moment by excavating under the Sanctuary a chamber that was hidden in deep and winding tunnels. The chamber was large enough to accommodate the Ark which would be hidden there right before the destruction. See II Divrei Hayomim 35:3 and Maseches Yoma 52b.

׀סוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וְל֎׀ְנֵ֣י הַד֌ְב֎֡יך עֶשְׂך֎ים֩ אַמ֌֚֞ה אֹ֜ךֶךְ וְעֶשְׂך֎֧ים אַמ֌֣֞ה ךֹ֗חַב וְעֶשְׂך֎րים אַמ֌֞ה֙ קוֹמ֞ת֔וֹ וַיְ׊ַ׀֌ֵ֖הו֌ ז֞ה֣֞ב ס֞ג֑ו֌ך וַיְ׊ַ֥ף מ֎זְב֌ֵ֖חַ א֞֜ךֶז׃

English:

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.

The Devir is a perfect 20-cubit cube — though the Heichal is 30 cubits high, the Devir's ceiling sits 10 cubits lower (Bava Batra 98b: the upper 10 cubits formed an alit/upper-floor, or per other readings, the Aggadah counts only the area above the cherubim's wings). All overlaid with **zahav sagur** — pure gold (Rashi: literally 'closed gold,' so precious that when sold, all other gold-shops closed for lack of business). The cedar altar (the future incense altar, mizbach haketoret) is also gilded.
ךש׎יRashi
וְל֎׀ְנֵי הַד֌ְב֎יך. ל֎׀ְנ֎ים מֵאוֹת֞ה֌ מְח֎׊֌֞ה, ח־ל־ל שֶׁל עֶשְׂך֎ים אֹךֶךְ, וְשֶׁל עֶשְׂך֎ים ךֹחַב. וְעֶשְׂך֎ים אַמ֌֞ה קוֹמ֞תוֹ. כ֌ְלוֹמַך, עֲל֎י֌ַת שֶׁל ב֌ֵית ק֞דְשֵׁי הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎ים, נְמו֌כ֞ה מ֎ש֌ֶׁל הֵיכ֞ל. וַיְ׊ַ׀֌ֵהו֌. לַד֌ְב֎יך, ה֮יא הַמ֌ְח֎׊֌֞ה. ז־ה־ב ס֞גו֌ך. ׀֌ֵךְשׁו֌ ב֌וֹ ךַב֌וֹתֵינו֌: ב֌ְשׁ֞ע֞ה שֶׁנ֌֎׀ְת֌֞ח ל֎מ֌֞כֵך, כ֌֞ל חֲנֻי֌וֹת אֲחֵךוֹת נ֎סְג֌֞ךוֹת. וְיוֹנ֞ת֞ן ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם: ד֌ְה֞ב ט־ב, ךוֹ׊ֶה לוֹמַך: מ֮י שֶׁי֌ֵשׁ לוֹ מ֎מ֌ֶנ֌ו֌, סוֹגְךוֹ לְעַ׊ְמוֹ. וַיְ׊ַף מ֎זְב֌ֵחַ א֞ךֶז. הו֌א מ֎זְב֌ַח הַק֌ְטֹךֶת. וְת֞מֵה֌ַ אֲנ֎י, וְשֶׁל משֶׁה ל֞מ֌֞ה נ֎גְנַז.
The inside of the Holy of Holies. Within that partition was an area of twenty [amohs] long and twenty [amohs] wide. And twenty amohs high. I.e., the height of the Holy of Holies was lower than that of the Temple.32The height of the Holy of Holies was twenty amohs, and the height of the Temple was stated as thirty amohs in v. 2 above. He covered it. The Sanctuary, [i.e.,] the partition. Refined gold. Our Rabbis explained this [סגוך], that at the time [this type of gold] was offered for sale, all other stores were closed [=נסגךות].33See Maseches Yoma 45a. The other stores were closed because no one would want to buy regular gold. But [Targum] Yonoson rendered this as "good gold," i.e., he who possesses this gold "locks" it [סוגךו] for himself.34It is so precious that he keeps it closed up all the time. [He] covered the altar with cedar wood. That is the [golden] altar of incense, but I am perplexed, why was Moshe's [golden altar] hidden?

׀סוק כ׮א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיְ׊ַ֚ף שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה אֶת֟הַב֌ַ֛י֎ת מ֎׀֌ְנ֎֖ימ֞ה ז֞ה֣֞ב ס֞ג֑ו֌ך וַיְעַב֌ֵ֞ך (בךתיקות) [ב֌ְךַת֌ו֌קրוֹת] ז־ה־ב֙ ל֎׀ְנֵ֣י הַד֌ְב֎֔יך וַיְ׊ַ׀֌ֵ֖הו֌ ז֞ה֞֜ב׃

English:

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,

The Heichal too is fully gilded with zahav sagur. Across the entrance to the Devir, Shlomo installs **rattukot zahav** — golden chains/bolts (Rashi: berichim/shalshala'ot). Radak: there was a stone partition wall (the Amah Traksin) one cubit thick separating the Heichal from the Devir at the spot where the Mishkan's Parochet had hung; into that wall Shlomo set golden bars and gilded the wall itself.
ךש׎יRashi
אֶת הַב֌ַי֎ת. ב֌ֵית ק֞דְשֵׁי הַק֌ֳד֞שׁ֎ים. וַיְעַב֌ֵך. לְשׁוֹן ב֌ְך֎יח֎ים. ב֌ְךַת֌ו֌קוֹת. שַׁלְשְׁל֞אוֹת.
The [inside of the] Beis Hamikdosh. The room of the Holy of Holies. And he attached bars. [ויעבך] is an expression of bolts. Chains. Chains.

׀סוק כ׮ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וְאֶת֟כ֌ׇל֟הַב֌ַ֛י֎ת ׊֎׀֌֥֞ה ז־ה־֖ב עַד֟ת֌ֹ֣ם כ֌ׇל֟הַב֌֑֞י֎ת וְכׇל֟הַמ֌֎זְב֌ֵ֥חַ אֲ֜שֶׁך֟לַד֌ְב֎֖יך ׊֎׀֌֥֞ה ז֞ה֞֜ב׃

English:

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.

A summarizing flourish: the *entire* House is gilded — including, as Metzudat David notes, even the ceiling that was not previously mentioned. The mizbach haketoret stood opposite the Devir's entrance (between the Shulchan in the north and the Menorah in the south), all gilded on every face. Radak quotes Chazal that the silver-mention in Divrei Hayomim refers to the *value* of the gold — when sold, this gold made silver-dealers' shops close (m'chaseif kol ba'alei zehavim).
ךש׎יRashi
וְאֶת כ֌֞ל הַב֌ַי֎ת. כ֌֞ל הַהֵיכ֞ל כ֌ֻל֌וֹ.
And the whole Beis Hamikdosh. [I.e.,] the entire Sanctuary.

׀סוק כ׮ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֣עַשׂ ב֌ַד֌ְב֎֔יך שְׁנֵ֥י כְךו֌ב֎֖ים עֲ׊ֵי֟שׁ֑֞מֶן עֶ֥שֶׂך אַמ֌֖וֹת קוֹמ֞ת֜וֹ׃

English:

In the Shrine he made two cherubim of olive wood, each 10 cubits high.

The chapter's centerpiece: in the Devir, Shlomo placed two enormous **cherubim** carved from atzei shemen (olive wood, per Targum; Radak suggests possibly oleaster, since the verse-pair in Nechemia 8:15 distinguishes 'olive' from 'shemen'). Each cherub is 10 cubits tall (Rashi: feet on the ground, in contrast to the Mishkan's small kapporet-cherubim). They are entirely *new* — additions to, not replacements for, the original Aron-cherubim still atop the kapporet beneath them.
ךש׎יRashi
עֲ׊ֵי שׁ֞מֶן. (ת֌ַךְג֌ו֌ם:) ד֌ְא֞עֵי זֵית֞א. עֶשֶׂך אַמ֌וֹת קוֹמ֞תוֹ. וְךַגְלֵיהֶם ב֌ַק֌ַךְקַע עוֹמְד֎ים, אֶח֞ד מ֎׊֌֞׀וֹן ל֞א֞ךוֹן, וְאֶח֞ד מ֮ן הַד֌֞ךוֹם, סוֹכְכ֎ים עַל ה֞א֞ךוֹן וְעַל ב֌ַד֌֞יו, אֹךֶךְ הַכ֌ְנ֞׀ַי֎ם מְכַס֌֎ים מ֎קְ׊֞ת (ךֹחַב הַב֌ַד֌֎ים), שֶׁה֞א֞ךוֹן ה־י־ה נ֞תו֌ן א֞ךְכ֌וֹ לְך֞חְב֌וֹ שֶׁל ב֌ַי֎ת, ו֌בַד֌֞יו ב֌וֹלְט֎ין ב֌ְ׀ֶתַח הַד֌ְב֎יך ב֌ַ׀֌֞ךֹכֶת שֶׁכ֌ְנֶגֶד הַ׀֌ֶתַח, ו֌בַד֌֞יו נְתו֌נ֎ין ב֌ְך֞אשֵׁי א֞ךְכ֌֞ן, כ֌ְדֵי שֶׁי֌֎הְיו֌ שְׁנֵי לְו֎י֌֎ם יְכוֹל֎ים ל֎כ֌֞נֵס ב֌ֵינֵיהֶם, כ֌ְשֶׁנ֌וֹשְׂא֎ין אוֹתוֹ ב֌ַמ֌֎דְב֌֞ך.
Olive wood. [Targum Yonoson rendered,] "olive wood."35ע׊י שמן literally means "oil wood." Rashi indicates they are identical. However, in Nechemya 8:15 they are listed separately. Ten amohs high. And their legs were standing on the ground,36Unlike the cherubim that were made by Betzalel which were on the cover of the Ark and faced each other . See Shemos 37:9. one was on the north of the Ark and one on the south, covering the Ark and its poles. The length of the wings covered part (of the poles' width) since the Ark's length was set to the width of the Temple, and its poles were protruding at the entrance of the Holy of Holies into the curtain which was at the entrance. Its poles were set at the ends of the Ark's length, in order that two Leviyim should be able to enter between them, when they were carrying it in the wilderness.

׀סוק כ׮ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וְח֞מֵ֣שׁ אַמ֌֗וֹת כ֌ְנַրף הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֙ ה֞אֶח֞֔ת וְח֞מֵ֣שׁ אַמ֌֔וֹת כ֌ְנַ֥ף הַכ֌ְך֖ו֌ב הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֑ית עֶ֣שֶׂך אַמ֌֔וֹת מ֎קְ׊֥וֹת כ֌ְנ֞׀֖֞יו וְעַד֟קְ׊֥וֹת כ֌ְנ֞׀֞֜יו׃

English:

[One] had a wing measuring 5 cubits and another wing measuring 5 cubits, so that the spread from wingtip to wingtip was 10 cubits;

Each cherub had two 5-cubit wings — one extending toward each direction — totaling a 10-cubit wingspan from tip to tip. Rashi: when both cherubs' wings were spread, all four wingtips together filled the full 20-cubit width of the Devir; the cherubs' bodies stood miraculously without taking measurable space (or, per other readings, the wings were sized so the bodies fit naturally — Bava Batra 99a).
ךש׎יRashi
עֶשֶׂך אַמ֌וֹת מ֎קְ׊וֹת כ֌ְנ֞׀֞יו וְעַד קְ׊וֹת כ֌ְנ֞׀֞יו. כ֌ְשֶׁהֵן ׀֌ְךו֌שׂוֹת, נ֎מְ׊֞אוֹת כ֌ַנְ׀וֹת שְׁנֵיהֶם שֶׁה֞יו֌ נוֹגְעוֹת זוֹ ב֌֞זוֹ, מְמַל֌ְאוֹת כ֌֞ל חֲלַל עֶשְׂך֎ים אַמ֌֞ה, וְגו֌ף הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים אֵינוֹ מ֮ן הַמ֌֎ד֌֞ה, וְעוֹמֵד ב֌ְנֵס.
It was ten amohs from one end of its wings to the [other] end of its wings. When they are spread, the wings of both [cherubs], which touched one another, filled the entire space of twenty amohs; and the bodies of the cherubim are not included in the measurement, and stood miraculously.37See Maseches Bava Basra 99a. Alternatively, the wings were attached to the cherubs in such a way that the two wings of each cherub touched each other without any space between them. Thus a miracle was not necessary.—Radak.

׀סוק כ׮ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וְעֶ֙שֶׂך֙ ב֌֞֜אַמ֌֞֔ה הַכ֌ְך֖ו֌ב הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֑י מ֎ד֌֥֞ה אַחַ֛ת וְקֶ֥׊ֶב אֶח֖֞ד ל֎שְׁנֵ֥י הַכ֌ְךֻב֎֜ים׃

English:

and the wingspread of the other cherub was also 10 cubits. The two cherubim had the same measurements and proportions:

The second cherub mirrored the first exactly — same 10-cubit wingspan. Together their four 5-cubit wings spanned the entire 20-cubit width of the Holy of Holies. Metzudat David: an astonishing geometric perfection, as the room's dimensions are exactly fitted to the wing-arrangement.

׀סוק כ׮ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

קוֹמַת֙ הַכ֌ְך֣ו֌ב ה֞אֶח֞֔ד עֶ֖שֶׂך ב֌֞אַמ֌֑֞ה וְכֵ֖ן הַכ֌ְך֥ו֌ב הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֜י׃

English:

the height of the one cherub was 10 cubits, and so was that of the other cherub.

Both cherubs are identical in height: 10 cubits — exactly half the Devir's 20-cubit ceiling. Metzudat David: the verse confirms the symmetry. Their towering presence, half the height of the chamber, transforms the Holy of Holies into a setting both human-scale and angelic.

׀סוק כ׮ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎ת֌ֵ֚ן אֶת֟הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֎֜ים ב֌ְת֣וֹךְ ׀ הַב֌ַ֣י֎ת הַ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֎֗י וַ֜י֌֎׀ְךְשׂו֌֮ אֶת֟כ֌ַנְ׀ֵ֣י הַכ֌ְךֻב֎ים֒ וַת֌֎ג֌ַրע כ֌ְנַף֟ה֞אֶח֞ד֙ ב֌ַק֌֎֔יך ו֌כְנַף֙ הַכ֌ְך֣ו֌ב הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֔י נֹגַ֖עַת ב֌ַק֌֎֣יך הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֑י וְכַנְ׀ֵיהֶם֙ אֶל֟ת֌֣וֹךְ הַב֌ַ֔י֎ת נֹגￜￜעֹ֖ת כ֌֞נ֥֞ף אֶל֟כ֌֞נ֞֜ף׃

English:

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.

The cherubs are installed in the Devir with wings outstretched: one cherub's outer wingtip touches the north wall, the other cherub's outer wingtip touches the south wall, and their inner wings meet in the center of the room — perfectly spanning all 20 cubits. Rashi: their wings cover the Aron and its poles below them. Radak: their faces look toward the Heichal (per Divrei Hayomim II 3:13: 'their faces toward the House').
ךש׎יRashi
וַת֌֎ג֌ַע כ֌ְנַף ה֞אֶח֞ד ב֌ַק֌֎יך. ׊֞׀וֹן. ו֌כְנַף הַכ֌ְךו֌ב הַש֌ֵׁנ֎י נֹגַעַת ב֌ַק֌֎יך. הַד֌֞ךוֹם, סוֹכְכ֎ים עַל ה֞א֞ךוֹן וְעַל ב֌ַד֌֞יו. וְכַנְ׀ֵיהֶם אֶל ת֌וֹךְ הַב֌ַי֎ת. וְך֞אשֵׁי הַכ֌ְנ֞׀ַי֎ם אֲשֶׁך ב֌ְאֶמְ׊ַע הַב֌ַי֎ת. נֹגְעֹת כ֌֞נ֞ף אֶל כ֌֞נ֞ף. שֶׁכ֌֞ל חֲלַל הַב֌ַי֎ת עֶשְׂך֎ים.
The wing of one touched the wall. The north[ern wall]. And the wing of the second cherub touched the other wall. The southern [wall]; they covered the Ark and its poles. And their wings which were inside the chamber. The tips of the wings which were [towards] the center of the room. Were touching wing to wing. Because the entire space of the room [i.e., the Holy of Holies] was twenty [amohs].

׀סוק כ׮ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וַיְ׊ַ֥ף אֶת֟הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֎֖ים ז֞ה֞֜ב׃

English:

He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

׀סוק כ׮ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

וְאֵת֩ כ֌ׇל֟ק֎יך֚וֹת הַב֌ַ֜י֎ת מֵסַ֣ב ׀ ק֞לַ֗ע ׀֌֎ת֌ו֌חֵי֙ מ֎קְלְעוֹת֙ כ֌ְךו֌ב֎֣ים וְת֎מֹךֹ֔ת ו֌׀ְטו֌ךֵ֖י ׊֎׊֌֎֑ים מ֎ל֌֎׀ְנ֎֖ים וְלַח֎י׊֜וֹן׃

English:

All over the walls of the House, of both the inner area and the outer area, he carved reliefs of cherubim, palms, and calyxes,

The walls of both the Devir (inner) and the Heichal (outer) are surrounded with carved reliefs in three motifs: **keruvim** (cherubs), **timorot** (palms), and **peturei tzitzim** (open-flower calyxes). Rashi: engraved (not raised) figures of cherubs, palm-trees, cords, and flowers. The decorative vocabulary — angelic, paradisal-vegetal, blooming — adorns every interior wall.
ךש׎יRashi
וְאֵת כ֌֞ל ק֎יךוֹת הַב֌ַי֎ת. ק֎יךוֹת ×”Öž×¢Öµ×¥. מֵסַב ק֞לַע. מֻק֌ֶ׀ֶת ׊֎י֌ו֌ך֎ין. ׀֌֎ת֌ו֌חֵי מ֎קְלְעוֹת כ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים. חֲקו֌קֵי ׊ו֌ךַת כ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים ו֌דְק֞ל֎ים וַחֲב֞ל֎ים ו֌׀ְך֞ח֎ים. מ֎ל֌֎׀ְנ֎ים וְלַח֎י׊וֹן. לְבֵית הַכ֌ַ׀֌ֹךֶת הַ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֎י, וְלַהֵיכ֞ל הַח֎י׊וֹן.
And all the walls of the Beis Hamikdosh. The wooden walls. He encircled with figures. Surrounded with drawings. Carved figures of cherubim. Engraved forms of cherubim, and [palm] trees, cords, and flowers. From within and without. [I.e.,] for the inner room of the Ark cover [i.e., the Holy of Holies], and for the Sanctuary, the "one without."38Even though the Sanctuary was also located "within" the Beis Hamikdosh, however, relative to the Holy of Holies it is the "one without."

׀סוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

וְאֶת֟קַךְקַ֥ע הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת ׊֎׀֌֣֞ה ז־ה־֑ב ל֎׀ְנ֎֖ימ֞ה וְלַח֎י׊֜וֹן׃

English:

and he overlaid the floor of the House with gold, both the inner and the outer areas.

The cypress floor — both the Devir's and the Heichal's — is overlaid with gold. Metzudat David: gold over the cypress floorboards. Walls and floor and ceiling: the entire interior is gold-clad.
ךש׎יRashi
וְאֶת קַךְקַע הַב֌ַי֎ת. כ֌֞ל ה֞ך֎׊ְ׀֌֞ה. ל֎׀ְנ֎ימ֞ה וְלַח֎י׊וֹן. לְבֵית הַכ֌ַ׀֌ֹךֶת וְלַהֵיכ֞ל.
And the floor of the Beis Hamikdosh. The entire floor. In the inner and outer [chambers]. For the room of the Ark cover [i.e., the Holy of Holies] and for the Sanctuary.

׀סוק ל׮א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

וְאֵת֙ ׀֌ֶ֣תַח הַד֌ְב֎֔יך ע֞שׂ֖֞ה ד֌ַלְת֣וֹת עֲ׊ֵי֟שׁ֑֞מֶן ה֞אַ֥י֎ל מְזו֌ז֖וֹת חֲמ֎שׁ֎֜ית׃

English:

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.

The doors of the Devir (entering the Holy of Holies) are made of atzei shemen (olive wood). The phrase **ha-ayil mezuzot chamishit** is famously obscure. Rashi gives two readings: (1) the doorframe had five components — threshold + two side-posts + a two-piece lintel; (2) the doorposts (mezuzot) themselves had five sides, not the standard four — pentagonal cross-section. Metzudat David follows reading (2): pentagonal mezuzot, an unusual and ornate detail.
ךש׎יRashi
עֲ׊ֵי שׁ֞מֶן. עֲ׊ֵי זַי֎ת. ה֞אַי֎ל. אֵילֵי הַ׀֌ֶתַח, הֵם הַמ֌ְזו֌זוֹת שֶׁמ֌֎כ֌֞אן ו֌מ֎כ֌֞אן, עֲשׂו֌יוֹת עֲגֻל֌וֹת, כ֌ְמ֎ין אֵיל֎ים אֵיל֞יו וְאֵילַמ֌֞יו (נֻסְח֞ה אַחֶךֶת: אֵל֞ה וְאַל֌וֹן) וְכֵן ב֌ְכ֞ל ב֌֎נְיַן יְחֶזְקֵאל, ס֎׀֌וֹת הַ׀֌ְת֞ח֎ים קְךו֌י֎ים אֵיל֎ים. מְזו֌זוֹת חֲמ֎שׁ֎ית. הַמ֌֎׀ְת֌֞ן ה֞אֶח֞ד, וְהַמ֌ְזו֌זוֹת מ֎כ֌֞אן ו֌מ֎כ֌֞אן שְׁת֌ַי֎ם, הֲךֵי שׁ֞לשׁ, וְהַמ֌ַשְׁקוֹף שֶׁע֞ל֞יו ע֞שׂו֌י כ֌֎שְׁת֌ַי֎ם כ֌֞זֶה כ֌֞ךְ שׁ֞מַעְת֌֎י. וַאֲנ֎י אוֹמֵך, מְזו֌זוֹת חֲמ֎ישׁ֎ית, חֲמ֎ש֌ׁ֞ה ׊ְל֞עוֹת ה֞יו֌ ל֎מְזו֌זוֹת, וְלֹא ה֞יְת֞ה מְךֻב֌ַעַת, וְאֵינוֹ מְדַב֌ֵך לֹא ב֌ַמ֌֎׀ְת֌֞ן וְלֹא ב֌ַמ֌ַשְׁקוֹף, שֶׁל֌ֹא מ֞׊֎ינו֌ מ֎׀ְת֌֞ן ו֌מַשְׁקוֹף קְךו֌י֎ין אֵיל֎ים.
Olive wood. Olive wood. The lintel. These are the lintels [=אילי] of the entrance, these are the doorposts from each side that were made round, similar to אילים,39Yechezkeil 40:21. איליו,40Ibid. 40:9. ואילמיו41Ibid. 40:10. (other texts: אלה' ואלון), and similarly in all of Yechezkeil's structure[s],42See Ibid. 40. the doorposts at the entrance are called אילים.43See Rashi Ibid. 40:9. The door-posts. [The door frame consisted of five parts.] The threshold is one, and the side posts on each side are two, totaling three, and the lintel which is on it was made in two, like this. Thus have I heard.44Alternatively, it was the fifth of a series of doorways of the Beis Hamikdosh encountered by one entering from the outside.—Ralbag. But I say, מזוזות חמישית [refers to the] five sides that each of the door posts had, and it was not four-sided; and [the verse] is speaking neither about the threshold nor about the lintel, because we find neither the threshold nor the lintel called "אילים."

׀סוק ל׮ב · Verse 32

Hebrew:

ו֌שְׁת֌ֵי֮ ד֌ַלְת֣וֹת עֲ׊ֵי֟שֶׁ֒מֶן֒ וְק֞לַ֣ע עֲ֠לֵיהֶ֠ם מ֎קְלְע֞וֹת כ֌ְךו֌ב֎֧ים וְת֎מֹךֹ֛ת ו֌׀ְטו֌ךֵ֥י ׊֎׊֌֎֖ים וְ׊֎׀֌֣֞ה ז־ה־֑ב וַי֌֛֞ךֶד עַל֟הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֎֥ים וְעַל֟הַת֌֎מֹך֖וֹת אֶת֟הַז֌֞ה֞֜ב׃

English:

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.

The Devir's olive-wood doors are carved with the same triple motif (cherubs, palms, calyxes) and gilded. Rashi: the gold is hammered into the carvings ('vayared al ha-keruvim') so the figures remain recessed where the wood is recessed and protrude where the wood protrudes — preserving the carved relief beneath the gold. Radak (Yoma 54a): there were actually four doors (two outer, two inner), with a separating Parochet still maintained per Divrei Hayomim, since the doors couldn't fully close (the Aron's poles protruded against them).
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌֞ךֶד עַל הַכ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים. ה־י־ה מְךַד֌ֵד הַז֌֞ה֞ב טַס֌֎ין ד֌ַק֌֎ין לְשׁ֞קְע֞ן ב֌ְ׀֎ת֌ו֌חֵי הַ׊֌ו֌ךוֹת, ל֎הְיוֹת שׁוֹקֵעַ ב֌וֹ ב֌֎מְקוֹם הַחֲק֞ק, ו֌בוֹלֵט עַל הַב֌ְל֎יט֞ה, שֶׁל֌ֹא יְהֵא הַז֌֞ה֞ב מְבַט֌ֵל אֶת הַ׊֌ו֌ךוֹת, וְי֎הְיו֌ ׊ו֌ךוֹת ×”Öž×¢Öµ×¥ נ֎כ֌֞ךוֹת ב֌ַז֌֞ה֞ב.
He hammered upon the cherubim. He spread the gold in thin sheets [in order] to sink them into the engraved forms, so that it be recessed into the engraved places and protrude on the protrusions, so that the gold does not ruin the figures, and so that the figures in the wood are distinguishable under the gold.

׀סוק ל׮ג · Verse 33

Hebrew:

וְכֵ֥ן ע֞שׂ֛֞ה לְ׀ֶ֥תַח הַהֵיכ֖֞ל מְזו֌ז֣וֹת עֲ׊ֵי֟שׁ֑֞מֶן מֵאֵ֖ת ךְב֎ע֎֜ית׃

English:

For the entrance of the Great Hall, too, he made doorposts of oleaster wood, having four sides,khaving four sides Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

The Heichal's entrance also has olive-wood doorposts, but **rivi'it** rather than chamishit — four-sided rather than five-sided. Rashi: the Heichal's doorposts were square (four-sided), Targum: 'from their four sides squared.' Metzudat David: a parallel-and-contrast with the Devir's pentagonal mezuzot (verse 31) — the Holy of Holies more ornate, the Heichal more conventional.
ךש׎יRashi
מֵאֵת ךְב֎ע֎ית. מְזו֌זוֹת הַהֵיכ֞ל ה֞יו֌ ךְבו֌עוֹת, וְכֵן ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: מ֮ן אַךְב֌֞ע֞ה ס֎יטְךֵיהוֹן מְךַב֌ְע֎ין.
Consisting of four parts. The side posts [i.e., the entire door frames] of the Sanctuary were square, and so did [Targum] Yonoson translate, "from their four sides squared."

׀סוק ל׮ד · Verse 34

Hebrew:

ו֌שְׁת֌ֵ֥י דַלְת֖וֹת עֲ׊ֵ֣י בְךוֹשׁ֎֑ים שְׁנֵ֚י ׊ְל֞ע֎֜ים הַד֌ֶրלֶת ה֞ￜￜַחַת֙ ג֌ְל֎יל֎֔ים ו֌שְׁנֵ֧י קְל֞ע֎֛ים הַד֌ֶ֥לֶת הַשׁ֌ֵנ֎֖ית ג֌ְל֎יל֎֜ים׃

English:

and the double doors of cypress wood, each door consisting of two rounded planks.

The Heichal's double doors are made of cypress (berosh), not olive — each door covering half the entrance. Each door has 'two tzela'im' and 'two kela'im' — Rashi/Targum: two pivot-hinges (upper and lower) of *gelilim* — round/cylindrical posts that turn in sockets. Metzudat David adds: each face of each door bears its own carved decoration of round/wheel motifs (gelilim).
ךש׎יRashi
ו֌שְׁת֌ֵי דַלְתוֹת. כ֌֞ל אַחַת כ֌ְדֵי חֲ׊֎י ךֹחַב הַ׀֌ֶתַח. שְׁנֵי ׊ְל֞ע֎ים. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: ת֌ְךֵין ש֮י׹֮ין, ש֮י׹ ה֞עֶלְיוֹן, וְש֮י׹ הַת֌ַחְת֌וֹן. ג֌ְל֎יל֎ים. (ת֌ַךְג֌ו֌ם:) סְגַלְג֌ַל֌֎ין. ו֌שְׁנֵי קְל֞ע֎ים. אַף זֶה מְתֻךְג֌֞ם ש֮י׹֮ין, לְשׁוֹן קְל֞ע֎ים. אוֹמֵך אֲנ֎י, שֶׁהו֌א ל֞שׁוֹן אֲךַמ֌֎י, לְשׁוֹן כ֌ְנ֎יס֞ה, שֶׁהו֌א נ֎כְנ֞ס ב֌ְחוֹך הַמ֌֎׀ְת֌֞ן.
And two doors. Each [door] was half the width of the entrance. Two [rounded] hinges. [Targum] Yonoson rendered "two hinges," an upper hinge and a lower hinge.45Alternatively, ׊לעים means "sides," i.e., both the inner and outer sides of the doors were overlaid with carvings.—Radak. Rounded. [Targum Yonoson rendered,] oval. Two [rounded] hinges. Also this is rendered [by Targum Yonoson] "hinges." The expression קלעים, I maintain, is of Aramaic derivation, an expression meaning "entrance," because the hinge enters into the cavity of the threshold.46Alternatively, קלעים are curtains, meaning that the doors folded in the same manner a curtain does.

׀סוק ל׮ה · Verse 35

Hebrew:

וְק֞לַրע כ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים֙ וְת֎֣מֹך֔וֹת ו֌׀ְטֻךֵ֖י ׊֎׊֌֎֑ים וְ׊֎׀֌֣֞ה ז־ה־֔ב מְיֻשׁ֌֖֞ך עַל֟הַמ֌ְחֻק֌ֶ֜ה׃

English:

On them he carved cherubim, palms, and calyxes, overlaying them with gold applied evenly over the carvings.

The Heichal's cypress doors also bear the standard triple iconography: cherubs, palms, calyxes — gilded with **zahav meyushar al hamechukeh** ('gold straightened upon the engraving'). Rashi: the gold sheets were hammered to follow the precise contours of the carvings beneath — recessed where the wood was recessed, protruding where it protruded — so the relief-figures remained visible *through* the gold.
ךש׎יRashi
וְק֞לַע כ֌ְךו֌ב֎ים. עַל הַד֌ְל֞תוֹת. מְיֻש֌ׁ֞ך עַל הַמ֌ְחֻק֌ֶה. הַז֌֞ה֞ב מְכֻו֌֞ן עַל ח֎ק֌ו֌ק הַ׊֌ו֌ךוֹת, שׁוֹקֵעַ ב֌֎מְקוֹם שׁ֎ק֌ו֌עוֹ, ו֌בוֹלֵט ב֌֎מְקוֹם ב֌ְל֎יט֞תוֹ, שֶׁי֌֎הְיו֌ הַ׊֌ו֌ךוֹת נ֎כ֌֞ךוֹת ב֌וֹ.
And he carved upon them cherubim. On the doors. Fitting precisely upon the carvings. The gold was fitted onto the carved forms; recessed in the place of its engraving, and protruding in its place of protrusion so that the carved forms are [clearly] distinguishable [in the gold overlay].

׀סוק ל׮ו · Verse 36

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֙בֶן֙ אֶת֟הֶח֞׊ֵ֣ך הַ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֎֔ית שְׁלֹשׁ֖֞ה טו֌ךֵ֣י ג֞ז֎֑ית וְט֖ו֌ך כ֌ְךֻתֹ֥ת אֲך֞ז֎֜ים׃

English:

He built the inner enclosure of three courses of hewn stones and one course of cedar beams.

The inner courtyard (chatzer hapenimit) — Rashi identifies as Ezrat Kohanim and Ezrat Yisrael, called 'inner' relative to the women's court (Ezrat Nashim) outside it — is built in distinctive masonry: three courses of hewn stone topped by one course of cedar beams. Metzudat David: this layered pattern (3 stone + 1 cedar) repeats up the height of the wall. Radak: this method later sparked the Talmudic discussion of 'meriz hagazul' (the stolen beam built into a structure).
ךש׎יRashi
הֶח֞׊ֵך הַ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֎ית. ה֮יא עֶזְךַת הַכ֌ֹהֲנ֎ים וְעֶזְךַת י֎שְׂך֞אֵל, וְה֮יא ה֞יְת֞ה ל֎׀ְנֵי ה֞או֌ל֞ם, וְקוֹךֵא אוֹת֞ה֌ ׀֌ְנ֎ימ֎ית, לְ׀֎י שֶׁה֞יְת֞ה ל֎׀ְנ֎ים מֵעֶזְךַת נ֞שׁ֎ים (ו֌בַמ֌֎קְך֞א לֹא מ֞׊֎ינו֌ כ֌֞תו֌ב 'עֶזְךַת', כ֌֎י א֎ם ב֌ַמ֌֎שְׁנ֞ה). וְטו֌ך כ֌ְךֻתֹת אֲך֞ז֎ים. נ֎דְב֌֞ךְ שֶׁל ק֎יךוֹת (מְחֻט֌֞בוֹת) ע֞שׂ֞ה ב֌ַחוֹמ֞ה.
The inner court. This was the court of Kohanim and the court of Yisroel, and it was [located] before the entrance hall, yet he calls it "the inner one" because it was inward of the women's court. (In the Biblical text we do not find written "עזךת" except for in the Mishnah.47See Mishnayos Midos 2:5,6.) And a row of cut cedar beams. A tier of (cut) beams made [part of] the wall.

׀סוק ל׮ז · Verse 37

Hebrew:

ב֌ַשׁ֌֞נ֞ה֙ ה֞ךְב֎יע֎֔ית יֻס֌ַ֖ד ב֌ֵ֣ית יְהֹו֑֞ה ב֌ְיֶ֖ךַח ז֎֜ו׃

English:

In the fourth year, in the month of Ziv, the foundations of the House of GOD were laid;

The chronological bookend: in Shlomo's fourth year, in the month of Ziv (Iyar — verse 1), the Beit Hashem's foundation was laid. Rashi/Radak: this echoes the chapter's opening date, framing the entire construction-account between two precise temporal markers.
ךש׎יRashi
ב֌ַש֌ׁ֞נ֞ה ה֞ךְב֎יע֎ת. לַמ֌ֶלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה. יֻס֌ַד ב֌ֵית ה'. הו֌חַל יְסוֹדוֹ.
In the fourth year. Of Shlomo Hamelech['s reign]. The foundation was laid— of the Beis Hamikdosh house of Adonoy. Its foundation was begun.48I.e., construction of Beis Hamikdosh began.

׀סוק ל׮ח · Verse 38

Hebrew:

ו֌בַשׁ֌֞נ֞ה֩ ה֞אַחַ֚ת עֶשְׂךֵ֜ה ב֌ְיֶ֣ךַח ב֌֗ו֌ל ה֚ו֌א הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשׁ֌ְמ֎ינ֎֔י כ֌֞ל֣֞ה הַב֌ַ֔י֎ת לְכׇל֟ד֌ְב֞ך֖֞יו ו֌לְכׇל֟מ֎שְׁ׀֌֞ט֑֞ו וַי֌֎בְנֵ֖הו֌ שֶׁ֥בַע שׁ֞נ֎֜ים׃

English:

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.

The closing date: Shlomo's eleventh year, the month of Bul (the eighth month — later called Mar-Cheshvan). Rashi: 'Bul' from *bal* (decay) — the field-grass has decayed, and household-stored fodder must be 'bolelim' (mixed) for cattle. The Temple's construction took **seven years** total — Radak: the verse stresses 'seven years' to emphasize Shlomo never paused or grew lazy during the build. With this completion, chapter 6 closes; chapter 7 will turn to the palace and the Temple vessels.
ךש׎יRashi
ב֌ְיֶךַח ב֌ו֌ל. הו֌א מַךְחֶשְׁו֞ן, שֶׁה֞עֵשֶׂב ב֌֞ל֞ה בַש֌ׂ֞דֶה, ו֌בוֹלְל֎ין לַב֌ְהֵמ֞ה מ֮ן הַב֌ַי֎ת, מ֎ל֌ְשׁוֹן: וַי֌֞ב֞ל לַחֲמוֹך֎ים.
In the month of Bul. This is [the month of] Mar Cheshvan;49The Flood [מבול] during Noach's time began in the month of Marcheshvan. [when] the grass in the field decays, and cattle is given fodder from what is stored, from the expression "and he gave fodder [ויבל] to the donkeys."50Shoftim 19:21.

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