The lowest floor was five cubits[a] wide, the middle floor six cubits[b] and the third floor seven.[c] He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.

In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.

The entrance to the lowest[d] floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 2.3 metres; also in verses 10 and 24
  2. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 2.7 metres
  3. 1 Kings 6:6 That is, about 3.2 metres
  4. 1 Kings 6:8 Septuagint; Hebrew middle