The Meaning of 1 Kings 6:5 Explained

1 Kings 6:5

KJV: And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

YLT: And he buildeth against the wall of the house a couch round about, even the walls of the house round about, of the temple and of the oracle, and maketh sides round about.

Darby: And against the wall of the house he built floors round about, against the walls of the house, round about the temple and the oracle; and he made side-chambers round about.

ASV: And against the wall of the house he built stories round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side-chambers round about.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And against the wall  of the house  he built  chambers  round about,  [against] the walls  of the house  round about,  [both] of the temple  and of the oracle:  and he made  chambers  round about: 

What does 1 Kings 6:5 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 6:1-13 - The Plan Of The Lord's House
The Temple was twice the size of the Tabernacle-ninety feet long by thirty feet broad, and forty-five feet high. The plan had been given to David by revelation, 1 Chronicles 28:11-12. Seven years and a half were consumed in its erection. It was completed in sacred silence, 1 Kings 6:7. The awful sanctity of the shrine would have been violated if its construction had been marred by the harsh and violent sounds that generally accompany the mason's toil. "Like some tall palm the noiseless fabric sprang." In nature, God works so silently that we do not realize His activities.
The central motive was to provide a place worthy to be called the house of God. Israel was now ruled by a king, but he was viewed as the organ and instrument of Jehovah. It was fitting, therefore, that the King of kings should have a dwelling-place among the people of Israel. The tabernacle of God was with men. He dwelled with them on the earth. The Temple was, moreover, the type, first of the body of Jesus, John 2:21; then of each believer, 1 Corinthians 3:16; and lastly of the whole Church, Ephesians 2:21-22. Each of these is the dwelling-place of God, and the innermost chamber-the Holy of Holies-is meant to be the throne-room of the Shekinah of His presence, Leviticus 16:2.
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 6:5 mean?

And he built Against the wall of the temple - chambers all around - [against] the walls of the temple the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary thus he made side chambers all around it
וַיִּבֶן֩ עַל־ קִ֨יר הַבַּ֤יִת [יצוע] (יָצִ֙יעַ֙) סָבִ֔יב אֶת־ קִיר֤וֹת הַבַּ֙יִת֙ לַֽהֵיכָ֖ל וְלַדְּבִ֑יר וַיַּ֥עַשׂ צְלָע֖וֹת סָבִֽיב

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.
עַל־  Against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
קִ֨יר  the  wall 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קִיר  
Sense: wall, side.
הַבַּ֤יִת  of  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
[יצוע]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
(יָצִ֙יעַ֙)  chambers 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָצוּעַ 
Sense: couch, bed.
סָבִ֔יב  all  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
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.
קִיר֤וֹת  [against]  the  walls 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: קִיר  
Sense: wall, side.
הַבַּ֙יִת֙  of  the  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
לַֽהֵיכָ֖ל  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
וְלַדְּבִ֑יר  and  the  inner  sanctuary 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּבִיר  
Sense: the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  thus  he  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
צְלָע֖וֹת  side  chambers 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: צֵלָע  
Sense: side, rib, beam.
סָבִֽיב  all  around  it 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.