Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
Parallel translations
- WEB He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inside and outside.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
- NASB Then he carved all the surrounding walls of the house with engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, for the inner and outer sanctuaries.
- NLT He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
All the temple walls were carved with cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inside and out. Rich carvings adorned the whole sanctuary.
Overview
The carved cherubim, palms, and blossoms covered the walls with garden-like imagery, perhaps evoking Eden restored. The motifs combined God's holy attendants with symbols of life and beauty. This artistry portrayed the temple as a place of God's life-giving presence, anticipating the paradise of God's eternal dwelling.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Kgs 6:32The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.
- 2 Chr 4:2–5He also made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim, five cubits in height, and thirty cubits in circumference.
- 1 Kgs 6:18The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; not a stone could be seen.
- Rev 7:9After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- Rev 5:11–14Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.
- Luke 2:13–14And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
- Ps 92:12–15The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- Ps 103:20Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
- Eph 3:10His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
- Exod 36:8All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
- Ps 148:2Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.
- 2 Chr 3:14He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 6:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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