The Meaning of 1 Kings 6:20 Explained

1 Kings 6:20

KJV: And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

YLT: And before the oracle is twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits is its height; and he overlayeth it with gold refined, and overlayeth the altar with cedar.

Darby: And the oracle within was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold; and he overlaid the cedar-wood altar --

ASV: And within the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the oracle  in the forepart  [was] twenty  cubits  in length,  and twenty  cubits  in breadth,  and twenty  cubits  in the height  thereof: and he overlaid  it with pure  gold;  and [so] covered  the altar  [which was of] cedar. 

What does 1 Kings 6:20 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 6:20 mean?

And inner the sanctuary [was] twenty cubits long and twenty wide cubits high and He overlaid it with gold pure and overlaid the altar of cedar
וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֨ה אֹ֜רֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים רֹ֗חַב אַמָּה֙ קֽוֹמָת֔וֹ וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז

וְלִפְנֵ֣י  And  inner 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַדְּבִ֡יר  the  sanctuary  [was] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּבִיר  
Sense: the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle.
עֶשְׂרִים֩  twenty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
אַמָּ֨ה  cubits 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
אֹ֜רֶךְ  long 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹרֶךְ  
Sense: length.
וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים  and  twenty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
רֹ֗חַב  wide 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹחַב  
Sense: breadth, width, expanse.
אַמָּה֙  cubits 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַמָּה 
Sense: cubit—a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 8 in (.
קֽוֹמָת֔וֹ  high 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹומָה  
Sense: height.
וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ  and  He  overlaid  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover.
זָהָ֣ב  with  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
סָג֑וּר  pure 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: סָגוּר 
Sense: to shut, close.
וַיְצַ֥ף  and  overlaid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover.
מִזְבֵּ֖חַ  the  altar  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
אָֽרֶז  cedar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶז  
Sense: cedar.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Kings 6:20?

Loading Information...