1 Kings 6:38 Study Bible: In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all its parts, and according to all its fashion. So was he seven years in building it.

◄ 1 Kings 6:38 ►

In his eleventh year and eighth month, the month of Bul, the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification. So he built the temple in seven years.

Study Bible

In the eleventh year
This phrase refers to the eleventh year of King Solomon's reign. Solomon began his reign around 970 BC, so the eleventh year would be approximately 959 BC. This timing is significant as it marks the completion of a major project that began in the fourth year of his reign, demonstrating Solomon's commitment to fulfilling his father David's vision for a permanent dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant.

in the month of Bul, the eighth month
The month of Bul corresponds to the modern October-November timeframe. This was a time after the harvest, which may have allowed for more resources and labor to be available for the completion of the temple. The use of the Hebrew calendar highlights the cultural context of the Israelites and their agricultural cycles.

the temple was finished in every detail and according to every specification
This emphasizes the precision and care taken in the construction of the temple. The specifications were given by God to David, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 28:11-19, and Solomon followed these divine instructions meticulously. This reflects the importance of obedience to God's commands and the desire to honor Him with excellence.

So he built the temple in seven years
The construction of the temple took seven years, a number often associated with completion and perfection in the Bible. This period of construction signifies the fulfillment of God's promise to David that his son would build a house for the Lord (2 Samuel 7:12-13). The temple itself is a type of Christ, as it was the dwelling place of God's presence among His people, foreshadowing Jesus, who is Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23).

Persons / Places / Events

1. Solomon
The king of Israel who was responsible for building the temple. His reign is marked by wisdom and prosperity, and the construction of the temple is one of his most significant achievements.

2. The Temple
The holy place built in Jerusalem as a dwelling place for the presence of God among His people. It was a central place of worship and sacrifice for the Israelites.

3. Jerusalem
The city where the temple was constructed, serving as the political and spiritual center of Israel.

4. The Month of Bul
The eighth month of the Hebrew calendar, corresponding to October-November in the Gregorian calendar. It marks the completion of the temple.

5. Seven Years
The period it took to complete the temple, symbolizing divine perfection and completion in biblical numerology.

Teaching Points

The Importance of Obedience
Solomon followed the detailed instructions for the temple's construction, demonstrating the importance of obedience to God's commands in our lives.

God's Timing
The completion of the temple in seven years reminds us that God's timing is perfect, and we should trust His process in our own lives.

The Significance of Worship
The temple was central to Israel's worship, reminding us of the importance of prioritizing worship in our own lives.

Spiritual Construction
Just as Solomon built the temple, we are called to build our spiritual lives, ensuring that they are in accordance with God's specifications.

Symbolism of Completion
The completion of the temple signifies the fulfillment of God's promises, encouraging us to trust in His faithfulness.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Solomon's dedication to building the temple inspire us to dedicate ourselves to the tasks God has given us?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our lives are "built" according to God's specifications, similar to how the temple was constructed?

3. How does the concept of the temple as a place of worship and God's presence apply to our understanding of the church today?

4. What can we learn from the seven-year construction period about patience and trusting in God's timing for our own life projects?

5. How does the idea of believers being the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) challenge us to live holy and dedicated lives?

Connections to Other Scriptures

2 Chronicles 3-4
These chapters provide a detailed account of the temple's construction, including its dimensions, materials, and furnishings, emphasizing the grandeur and holiness of the temple.

Exodus 25-31
These chapters describe the instructions given to Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle, which served as a precursor to the temple, highlighting the continuity of God's dwelling among His people.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Paul speaks of believers as the temple of God, drawing a parallel between the physical temple and the spiritual temple of the Holy Spirit within us.

Sermons

The Glorious House of the Lord

J. Waite

1 Kings 6:37, 38

People

David, Israelites, Solomon

Places

Egypt, Jerusalem, Most Holy Place

Topics

Buildeth, Building, Bul, Complete, Designed, Detail, Details, Eighth, Eleventh, Fashion, Finished, Matters, Month, Ordinances, Plans, Seven, Specifications, Spent, Temple, Thereof, Throughout

Dictionary of Bible Themes

1 Kings 6:38

7467 temple, Solomon's

1 Kings 6:15-38

5207 architecture

1 Kings 6:37-38

4951 month

Library

Great Preparations for a Great Work
'And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3. Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"When Solomon was Old. "
"It came to pass when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other Gods." 1 KINGS xi. 4. Who could have predicted that this would come to pass? And yet it is often so, for it is still true that NO AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE WILL SAVE FROM BACKSLIDING THOSE WHO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO GOD. We learn from verse 10 that God had taken pains to save Solomon from idolatry, (see 1 Kings vi. 12, and xi. 6). But what good is it for even God to try to save a man who will have his own way? And …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon
OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon are situated, is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land, nearly adjoining the city of Damascus, on the north. This metropolitan city of Syria, and capital of the kingdom of Damascus, was strongly fortified; and during the border conflicts it served as a cover to the Assyrian army. Bunyan, with great reason, supposes that, to keep …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The First Part
Of the Apocalyptical Commentaries, according to the Rule of the Apocalyptical Key, on the First Prophecy which is contained in the Seals and Trumpets; with an Introduction concerning the Scene of the Apocalypse. As it is my design to investigate the meaning of the Apocalyptical visions, it is requisite for me to treat, in the first place, of that celestial theatre to which John was called, in order to behold them, exhibited as on a stage, and afterwards of the prophecies in succession, examined by …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse

The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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