1 Kings 6:38
New International Version
In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.

New Living Translation
The entire building was completed in every detail by midautumn, in the month of Bul, during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple.

English Standard Version
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

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

King James Bible
And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

New King James Version
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

New American Standard Bible
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, that is, the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts and in accordance with all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

NASB 1995
In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

NASB 1977
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was completed throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he built it in seven years.

Amplified Bible
In the eleventh year [of King Solomon’s reign] in the month of Bul (October-November), that is, the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and in accordance with all its specifications. So he built it in seven years.

Christian Standard Bible
In his eleventh year in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the temple was completed in every detail and according to every specification. So he built it in seven years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In his eleventh year in the eighth month, in the month of Bul, the temple was completed in every detail and according to every specification. So he built it in seven years.

American Standard Version
And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

Contemporary English Version
Seven years later the workers finished building it during Bul, the eighth month of the year. It was built exactly as it had been planned.

English Revised Version
And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In the month of Bul (the eighth month) of the eleventh year [of his reign], the temple was finished according to all its plans and specifications. He spent seven years building it.

Good News Translation
In the eighth month, the month of Bul, in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, the Temple was completely finished exactly as it had been planned. It had taken Solomon seven years to build it.

International Standard Version
and the Temple was completely finished according to its plans and specifications in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, that is, during the month of Bul. It took about seven years to build.

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

NET Bible
In the eleventh year, in the month Bul (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build.

New Heart English 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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 the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

World English Bible
In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its specifications. So he spent seven years building it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (the eighth month), the house has been finished in all its matters, and in all its ordinances, and he builds it [in] seven years.

Young's Literal Translation
and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul -- that is the eighth month -- hath the house been finished in all its matters, and in all its ordinances, and he buildeth it seven years.

Smith's Literal Translation
And in the eleventh year in the month of rain (this the eighth month) was the house finished to all its words and according to all its judgment And he will build it seven years.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And in the eleventh year in the month Bul (which is the eighth month) the house was finished in all the works thereof, and in all the appurtenances thereof: and he was seven years in building it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was perfected in all its works and in all its equipment. And he built it for seven years.

New American Bible
and it was finished, in all particulars, exactly according to plan, in the month of Bul, the eighth month, in the eleventh year. Thus Solomon built it in seven years.

New Revised Standard Version
In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And in the eleventh year, in the month Tishrin, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all its parts, and according to all the fashion of it. So he was seven years in building it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And in year eleven in the month Teshrithe latter half, which is the eighth month, he finished the house with all its possessions and with all its works, and he built it in seven years.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Courtyard
37The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month of Ziv. 38In 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.

Cross References
2 Chronicles 3:1-2
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. / Solomon began construction on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

2 Chronicles 8:1
Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own palace,

1 Kings 7:51
So all the work that King Solomon had performed for the house of the LORD was completed. Then Solomon brought in the items his father David had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

1 Kings 9:10
Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon built these two houses, the house of the LORD and the royal palace,

2 Samuel 7:13
He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

1 Kings 8:2
And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim.

1 Kings 5:18
So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.

1 Kings 9:3
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.

1 Chronicles 22:10
He is the one who will build a house for My Name. He will be My son, and I will be his Father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

1 Chronicles 28:10
Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”

2 Chronicles 2:1
Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the Name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

2 Chronicles 5:1
So all the work that Solomon had performed for the house of the LORD was completed. Then Solomon brought in the items his father David had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of the house of God.

2 Chronicles 7:11
When Solomon had finished the house of the LORD and the royal palace, successfully carrying out all that was in his heart to do for the house of the LORD and for his own palace,

John 2:20
“This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”

Acts 7:47
But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.


Treasury of Scripture

And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

finished

Ezra 6:14,15
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia…

Zechariah 4:9
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

Zechariah 6:13-15
Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both…

throughout, etc.

seven years

1 Kings 6:1,9
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD…

1 Kings 7:1
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.

Ezra 3:8-13
Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD…

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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














In the eleventh year
This phrase marks a significant point in the timeline of Solomon's reign and the construction of the temple. The eleventh year refers to the eleventh year of Solomon's reign as king of Israel. This chronological marker emphasizes the dedication and commitment required to complete such a monumental task. The number eleven in biblical numerology can symbolize disorder or incompleteness, yet here it signifies the completion of a divine task, showing God's order and purpose fulfilled through human effort.

and in the month of Bul, the eighth month
The month of Bul corresponds to the modern months of October-November. The name "Bul" is derived from a root meaning "produce" or "rain," indicating the agricultural cycle and the beginning of the rainy season in Israel. This timing is significant as it symbolizes a season of harvest and abundance, reflecting the spiritual fruitfulness and blessing that the temple would bring to the nation of Israel.

the house was finished
The completion of the temple, referred to as "the house," signifies the fulfillment of God's promise to David that his son would build a house for the Lord (2 Samuel 7:13). The Hebrew word for "finished" (כָּלָה, kalah) implies not just completion but perfection and fulfillment. This completion represents the culmination of divine planning and human obedience, a sacred space where God would dwell among His people.

in all its details and according to all its specifications
This phrase underscores the meticulous care and precision with which the temple was constructed. The adherence to "all its details" and "specifications" highlights the importance of following God's instructions exactly as given. It reflects the biblical principle that God is a God of order and detail, and that His instructions are to be followed with reverence and precision. This obedience to divine instruction is a model for believers in their walk with God.

So he spent seven years building it
The number seven in the Bible often symbolizes completeness and perfection, as seen in the seven days of creation. Solomon's seven years of labor on the temple reflect a period of divine completion and fulfillment. This duration signifies not only the physical construction but also the spiritual preparation and dedication required to create a dwelling place for the Almighty. It serves as a reminder of the importance of perseverance and dedication in fulfilling God's purposes.

(38) Bul (the month of "rain") to about November. The whole time occupied was, therefore, seven years and a half.

Verse 38. - And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul [בּוּל = rain. Hence Bul would be the month of rain (Gesen.) Keil understands it to signify produce (prowntus), and sees in it the month of fruits. It extended from the November to the December full moon], which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof [Heb. דִּבָרָיו], and according to all the fashion of it [Heb. מִשְׁפָטָיו]. So was he seven years in building it. [As Bul was the eighth month, and Zif the second, the house was precisely seven and a half years in building - a short period, if we consider the magnitude of the undertaking, but long enough, if we remember the enormous number of hands employed upon it, the preparations made by David, and the modest dimensions of the edifice (ver. 2). The commentators all cite Pliny's statement that all Asia was building the temple of Diana at Ephesus 200 years, but the cases are not at all parallel. We learn from 2 Chronicles 3:2, that it was on the second day of the month that the building was commenced. Bishop Wordsworth, who assigns seven years and seven months as the time occupied in this work, sees in this hebdomatie period an analogy to the seven days of the creation.]



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In his eleventh
הָאַחַ֨ת (hā·’a·ḥaṯ)
Article | Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 259: United, one, first

year
וּבַשָּׁנָה֩ (ū·ḇaš·šā·nāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

and eighth
הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י (haš·šə·mî·nî)
Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular
Strong's 8066: Eighth (an ordinal number)

month,
הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ (ha·ḥō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

the month
בְּיֶ֣רַח (bə·ye·raḥ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3391: A lunation, month

of Bul,
בּ֗וּל (būl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 945: The eighth month of the Jewish calendar

the temple
הַבַּ֔יִת (hab·ba·yiṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

was finished
כָּלָ֣ה (kā·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

in every
וּלְכָל־ (ū·lə·ḵāl-)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

detail
דְּבָרָ֖יו (də·ḇā·rāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

and according to every
לְכָל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

specification.
מִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו (miš·pā·ṭāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

So he built [the temple]
וַיִּבְנֵ֖הוּ (way·yiḇ·nê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

in seven
שֶׁ֥בַע (še·ḇa‘)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

years.
שָׁנִֽים׃ (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT History: 1 Kings 6:38 In the eleventh year in the month (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 6:37
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