The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
Parallel translations
- WEB The house, when it was under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and no hammer or ax or any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was under construction.
- KJV And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
- NKJV And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
- NASB The house, while it was being built, was built of stone finished at the quarry, and neither hammer, nor axe, nor any iron tool was heard in the house while it was being built.
- NLT The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.
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
The temple was built of stone finished at the quarry, so no iron tools were heard at the site. The construction proceeded in reverent silence.
Overview
Preparing the stones offsite kept the holy ground free from the noise of hammers and axes. This may echo the principle that no iron tool was to be used on God's altar (Exodus 20:25), honoring the sacredness of the place. The quiet, reverent building reflects the holiness of the house being raised for the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 27:5–6Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.
- 1 Pet 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Exod 20:25Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.
- Prov 24:27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
- 1 Kgs 5:17–18And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
- Acts 9:31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
- Rom 9:23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- 2 Cor 5:5And God has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.
- Isa 42:2He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.
- Jas 3:17–18But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Jas 1:20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
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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 6:7 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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