The Meaning of 1 Kings 6:16 Explained

1 Kings 6:16

KJV: And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

YLT: And he buildeth the twenty cubits on the sides of the house with ribs of cedar, from the floor unto the walls; and he buildeth for it within, for the oracle, for the holy of holies.

Darby: And he built twenty cubits of the innermost part of the house, both floor and walls, with boards of cedar; and he built them for it within, to be the oracle, the most holy place.

ASV: And he built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor unto the walls of the ceiling : he built them for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he built  twenty  cubits  on the sides  of the house,  both  the floor  and the walls  with boards  of cedar:  he even built  [them] for it within,  [even] for the oracle,  [even] for the most  holy  [place]. 

What does 1 Kings 6:16 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 6:14-28 - The Oracle In The Midst
In the Temple the general design of the Tabernacle was perpetuated by the division between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, but there were several additions. For instance, there was a lofty porch in front of the Temple, beneath which the priests passed to the entrance. Also, on the other three sides were rooms, built one above the other in three stories. They were needed for storage purposes.
Inside no stones were visible-all was of gilded cedar, olive, and cypress wood, variously carved and tapestried by embroidered hangings. It was "exceeding magnificent." The Holy of Holies was plunged in darkness, save as the Shekinah shone from the mercy-seat over the Ark and between the cherubim. Over this venerable relic of the Wilderness pilgrimage, Solomon set up two cherubim. Each was ten cubits high, and their outstretched wings, which touched each other above the Ark, also touched the walls on either side. These symbolized the highest forms of creature-life, reverently attendant upon their Creator.
1 Kings 6:1-38 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 6

1  The building of Solomon's temple
5  The chambers thereof
11  God's promise unto it
15  The ceiling and adorning of it
23  The cherubim
31  The doors
36  The court
37  The time of building it

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 6:16 mean?

And he built - the twenty cubit [room] - at the rear of the temple with boards cedar from floor to ceiling and he built [it] inside as the inner sanctuary as Most the Holy [Place]
וַיִּבֶן֩ אֶת־ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים אַמָּ֜ה [מירכותי] (מִֽיַּרְכְּתֵ֤י) הַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִן־ הַקַּרְקַ֖ע עַד־ הַקִּיר֑וֹת וַיִּ֤בֶן לוֹ֙ מִבַּ֣יִת לִדְבִ֔יר לְקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים

וַיִּבֶן֩  And  he  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֶשְׂרִ֨ים  the  twenty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
אַמָּ֜ה  cubit  [room] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
[מירכותי]  - 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, fdc
(מִֽיַּרְכְּתֵ֤י)  at  the  rear  of 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, fdc
Root: יְרֵכָה  
Sense: flank, side, extreme parts, recesses.
הַבַּ֙יִת֙  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
בְּצַלְע֣וֹת  with  boards 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: צֵלָע  
Sense: side, rib, beam.
אֲרָזִ֔ים  cedar 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֶרֶז  
Sense: cedar.
הַקַּרְקַ֖ע  floor 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: קַרְקַע  
Sense: floor, bottom.
הַקִּיר֑וֹת  ceiling 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: קִיר  
Sense: wall, side.
וַיִּ֤בֶן  and  he  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
מִבַּ֣יִת  inside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
לִדְבִ֔יר  as  the  inner  sanctuary 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּבִיר  
Sense: the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle.
לְקֹ֖דֶשׁ  as  Most 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים  the  Holy  [Place] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.