Poole on 1 Kings 6:19-22: The Holy of Holies

Verse 19:[1]  And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

[In the midst of the house, etc., ‎וּדְבִ֧יר בְּתוֹךְ־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה הֵכִ֑ין]  Thus the innermost sanctuary (the oracle [Montanus], the house of the oracle [Jonathan]) within the house (in the midst of the house [Montanus, Pagnine]) inwardly he prepared (Junius and Tremellius, similarly Munster, Tigurinus, Syriac, etc.), that is, in the most removed part of the house (Vatablus); that is, this sanctuary was the innermost.  Tacitus, The Temple was closed off in its innermost parts[2] (Grotius).  In the midst often signifies only to be within a place:  Thus Tyre is said to be in the midst of the sea,[3] although it was only a short distance from the shore (Sanchez).

He prepared, that is, adorned and fitted it for the receipt of the ark.  In the house; Hebrew, in the middle of the house, or building; not the middle mathematically or exactly, but in general within the house, as that phrase, in the middle, oft signifies; as Deuteronomy 4:11; Joshua 7:21; Daniel 3:26.  Within, or, in the uttermost part of the house; for so this was, the entrance into the house being at the other end.

Verse 20:[4]  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.

[Moreover, the oracle was having twenty cubits of length, etc.,וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֙ה אֹ֜רֶךְ]  The internal (but in the inward part [Vatablus], or, in the former part [Munster]) was the oracle (Pagnine); or, but what was at the anterior part of the inner sanctuary (Junius and Tremellius), of twenty cubits was its length, etc. (Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius, similarly Munster).  And before the house of the oracle, the length was of twenty cubits, etc. (Jonathan).  Which inner sanctuary had in itself twenty cubits, etc. (Tigurinus).  And at the faces (namely, of the house, as it is in the Chaldean), or, over against, the oracle, the length was twenty cubits, etc. (Mariana).  The oracle (or, the place or space of the oracle, or the faces of the place of the Oracle [Dutch]) in the anterior part (that is, which to the one entering from the East was lying anterior toward the West, at the end of the Holy Place [Dutch]) was twenty cubits, etc. (English, Dutch).  [Others suspend the sense until the end of the verse, in this manner, And before the oracle, which was twenty cubits long, etc., he covered the altar with cedar (Strigelius).]

In the forepart, or rather, which was in the inner part, to wit, of the house; called here in Hebrew, the forepart, not because a man first enters there, but because when a man is entering, or newly entered, into the house, it is still before him.  Thus the same, or the like word proceeding from the same root, is oft used, as Leviticus 10:18;[5] 1 Kings 6:19,[6] 29,[7] 30,[8] 36;[9] 1 Chronicles 28:11.[10]

[And twenty cubits of height]  You will say, that the whole house was thirty cubits tall.  Response 1:  Twenty cubits were covered with gold alone; ten cubits were covered with precious stones (Vatablus out of Munster).  Response 2:  Understand the twenty cubits without the priestly chambers built one upon another.  See 2 Chronicles 3:4 (Grotius).  Response 3:  The oracle is not treated here, but the wall, which divided the oracle from the Temple, in which the space of ten cubits was left empty (Lyra, Richard[11] and Bede in Sanchez, similarly Martyr) [which was previously mentioned].  This does not satisfy:  1.  For the oracle would not be said to be twenty cubits tall because of that middle wall, which pertains no more to the interior house than the exterior.  2.  The oracle has its own proper height, concerning which, no less than concerning the length and the breadth, is this speech (Sanchez).  Response 4:  The innermost chamber was ten cubits lower-lying than the Basilica of the Temple.  See Response 2 above (Grotius, similarly Sanchez).  Neither is this without symmetry, since the length is also less by the same proportion.  Perhaps the chamber was narrower, because lower-lying:  and, just as the vestibule, much loftier than the remaining parts, had less holiness; so the Holy Place, which was less confined than the Innermost Sanctuary, was able to be taller.  Moreover, the Pavement of the Temple was not uniform, which is evident concerning Ezekiel’s Temple.  For in Ezekiel 40, from the external wall to the first court, and from the atrium of the priests to the vestibule, there was an ascent by steps; therefore, since the area of the Temple became more and more sloping the further it went toward the West, it is likely that there was an ascent by multiple steps from the exterior shrine to the inner one:  Wherefore from that pavement to the roof, which to both houses was level, the height appears to be far less (Sanchez).

Twenty cubits in the height thereof.  Objection:  The great house was thirty cubits high, above, 1 Kings 6:2.  Answer:  It is probably affirmed by divers, that the most holy place was not so high as the holy place by ten cubits; which was no way inconvenient, nor against the rules of proportion observed in buildings.  And as the second part of the building was far lower than the first, which was the porch; so the third part might be considerably lower than the second.  And it might be lower either, 1.  Outwardly, or in respect of the walls of it, which might be only twenty cubits high, and at that height covered with a flat roof; it being but decent that that eminently holy place should be distinguished from the less holy, even by its outward and visible shape.  Or, 2.  Inwardly, or within the walls of that part.  For although this part might be vaulted at the top, as the holy place was, which vaulted roof some think was ten cubits high; yet here might be the difference, that the vaulted roof of the holy place lay open to view, whereas that of the most holy was covered with a flat roof from wall to wall, at the height of twenty cubits.

[He clothed with the most pure gold, ‎וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר]  And he covered that (that is, the whole which was mention above [Vatablus]) with the best gold (Munster, Tigurinus, Arabic), or most pure (Syriac, Pagnine), most refined (Vatablus), shut up[12] (Montanus).  It was thus called because it was shut up and kept from the avaricious (Vatablus).  With gold kept, by David unto this end, 1 Chronicles 28:14.  See 2 Chronicles 3:6 (Junius, Piscator).

[But also the altar he clothed with cedar (thus Dieu, similarly Montanus, Pagnine, Syriac, Arabic, Munster, Tigurinus, Jonathan), ‎וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃]  And so he covered the altar which was of cedar (English).  He also covered the altar of cedar, namely, with gold.  Thus Junius, the Dutch, and the Genevan.  But then it should have been called מִזְבַח אָרֶז, altar of cedar, in the construct form[13] (Dieu).  This was the altar of fragrant smoke, or incense, which was before the Oracle (Munster, similarly Lapide, Menochius, Malvenda).  This does not satisfy:  1.  The altar of incense was made of Shittim wood, Exodus 30:1.  But this altar of stone; otherwise why was it covered with cedar and gold?  2.  This altar is said to have been in the oracle, of which only does he here treat; of the exterior house in what follows.  Therefore, it was another altar, upon which the ark would be placed, since I do not think that it was placed upon the bare pavement (Sanchez).

So covered, that is, with gold, 1 Kings 7:48; 1 Chronicles 28:18.  The altar, to wit, the altar of incense, which was put next to the most high place, 1 Kings 6:22.  Which was of cedar.  Objection:  This altar was made of shittim wood, Exodus 30:1.  Answer:  Either that was covered with cedar, that it might be agreeable to the rest; all being cedar, as was said, 1 Kings 6:18.  Or this was a new altar which Solomon made by Divine command and direction, delivered to him, either immediately, or by his father; of which see 1 Chronicles 28:12, etc.  But this place may seem to be better translated thus, and he covered the altar with cedar; either to make it like the rest; or because this was a new altar made of stone, and therefore fit to be covered with cedar, that it might better receive and retain the gold wherewith this cedar was overlaid, 1 Kings 6:22.

Verse 21:[14]  So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold:  and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

[The house]  That is, that part of the house, namely, the Oracle (Vatablus).

The house, or, that house, to wit, the oracle.  With pure gold: compare 2 Chronicles 3:8.

[He fastened the plates with nails of gold,‎וַיְעַבֵּ֞ר בְּרַתִּיק֤וֹת [בְּרַתּוּקוֹת[15]] זָהָב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֔יר וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָֽב׃]  They vary to a marvelous extent (Malvenda).  Verbatim:  And he made to cross over (he transported [Montanus]) on chains of gold to the faces of the oracle, etc. (Vatablus, thus Montanus), understanding, bars (Vatablus out of the Hebrews), that is, in the place of a bolt, because they were wont to shut up doors with levers and bars; he shut up the doors of the Oracle with chains of gold (Vatablus).  And he spanned with chains of gold the house of the oracle (Jonathan).  And he closed with chains of gold the wall that was before the oracle and covered it with gold (Pagnine); it, that is, the wall separating the oracle from the house; he covered it internally and externally with gold (Vatablus).  Spanning the bars overlaid with gold before the innermost sanctuary, and he covered that wall with gold (Tigurinus).  And he caused to pass the golden bars before the oracle, and he covered that place with gold (Munster).  There was a certain wall between the Oracle and the Temple, where the veil was to be placed, and to this were those bars applied.  Some think that they were chains (Munster).  He drew across the bars, or chains, of gold, etc.; that is, he shut up the oracle with chains or bars (Mariana).  And he made the intervening (Hebrew:  he spanned) wall, besides the chains of gold (that is, upon which the veil was hanging before the wall and door to the Holy of Holies; a Synecdoche [Junius]) before the innermost sanctuary, etc. (Junius and Tremellius).  With with bars of gold he fortified the oracle, which he had covered with gold (Strigelius).  And he led across the veil along that (namely, the Holy of Holies) with golden chains, etc.; the sense is, he had a veil made, which was hanging from golden chains (Dutch).  And he made a partition by chains of gold, etc. (English).  He was closing the inner shrine with a partition of gold, etc. (Castalio).  עִבֵּר, properly to cause to pass across, the Hebrews explain as to convey, to bar; that is, he transfixed bars, shut with a bar or bolt, from the Chaldean usage, and from the sense of the word:  For, in the place of ‎בְרִיחִם/bars in Exodus 26:26, the Chaldean has ‎עֲבָרִין; and the signification is the same; for בְרִיחִם/BERICHIM properly are transverse bars, cross-bars; and עֲבָרִין/ GHABBERIN, crossing bars, spanning bars; becase the bars pass from one extremity to the other (Malvenda).  Ornamental chains, bolts, and bars of gold were affixed to the door of the Inner Sanctuary, on the exterior part (I think) (Martyr).

He made a partition by the chains of gold, that is, he made a veil, which was upon or before the partition; or which was a further partition between the holy and the most holy; which veil did hang upon these golden chains.  Others render it thus, he closed or shut (as the word signifies in the Chaldee dialect, from which divers Hebrew words borrow their signification) it (that is, the house now mentioned, to wit, the door of it) with chains or bars of gold.  Before the oracle, that is, in the outward part of the wall, or partition, which was erected between the oracle and the holy place; which is properly said to be before the oracle, which was the space within, and beyond that partition; for there the veil was hung, and there the chains or bars, or whatsoever it was which fastened the doors of the oracle, were placed.  He overlaid it, to wit, the partition; which he here distinguisheth from the house, or the main walls of the house, which he had in the former part of this verse told us were overlaid with gold; and now he affirms as much of the partition.

Verse 22:[16]  And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house:  also (Exod. 30:1, 3, 6) the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

The whole house; not only the oracle, but all the holy place; and, as some add, even the chambers belonging to it.

[The altar of the oracle, ‎אֲשֶׁר־לַדְּבִיר]  Which was before the Oracle (Pagnine, Menochius), that is before the entrance of the oracle (Malvenda out of Vatablus).  Which to the oracle, understanding, was pertaining (Vatablus); which was near the Oracle (Munster), or in the Oracle (Jonathan), or behind the inner sanctuary (Tigurinus), or within the house (Arabic); the altar of the Sanctuary (Syriac).

The whole altar that was by the oracle, that is, the altar of incense, which was set in the holy place close by the doors of the oracle.  He overlaid with gold, as before he overlaid it with cedar; of which see on verse 20.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וּדְבִ֧יר בְּתוֹךְ־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה הֵכִ֑ין לְתִתֵּ֣ן שָׁ֔ם אֶת־אֲר֖וֹן בְּרִ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

[2] Histories 5:8.

[3] Ezekiel 26:5; 27:32.

[4] Hebrew: ‎וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֙ה אֹ֜רֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים אַמָּ֣ה רֹ֗חַב וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ קֽוֹמָת֔וֹ וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃

[5] Leviticus 10:18:  “Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within (‎פְּנִימָה) the holy place:  ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.”

[6] 1 Kings 6:19:  “And the oracle he prepared in the house within (‎מִפְּנִימָה), to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.”

[7] 1 Kings 6:29:  “And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without (‎מִלִּפְנִ֖ים וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃).”

[8] 1 Kings 6:30:  “And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without (‎לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃).”

[9] 1 Kings 6:36:  “And he built the inner court (‎אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַפְּנִימִ֔ית) with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.”

[10] 1 Chronicles 28:11:  “Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof (‎וַחֲדָרָ֥יו הַפְּנִימִ֖ים), and of the place of the mercy seat…”

[11] Richard (died 1173) was a student of Hugh of Saint Victor, and a philosopher and mystical theologian. He served as prior of the Abbey of Saint Victor (1162-1173).  Among Richard’s works are De Templo Salomonis, and In Visionem Ezechielis.

[12] סָגַר signifies to shut, to close.

[13] Note that מִזְבַח is in the construct form.

[14] Hebrew:  ‎וַיְצַ֙ף שְׁלֹמֹ֧ה אֶת־הַבַּ֛יִת מִפְּנִ֖ימָה זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְעַבֵּ֞ר בְּרַתִּיק֤וֹת זָהָב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֔יר וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָֽב׃

[15] The Qere.  רָתַק signifies to bind, or to close up.

[16] Hebrew:  ‎וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבַּ֛יִת צִפָּ֥ה זָהָ֖ב עַד־תֹּ֣ם כָּל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְכָל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ אֲֽשֶׁר־לַדְּבִ֖יר צִפָּ֥ה זָהָֽב׃