I Kings 6:10 · Bible study
1 Kings 6:10 Commentary: Cedar Beams and the Side Chambers
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How the side chambers were attached to Solomon's temple with cedar timbers, examining the Hebrew verb אָחַז (achaz) and the structural ledges.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The side chambers were built against the temple, each story five cubits high, and the cedar beams took hold of the house by resting on ledges cut into the wall.
- Key words: יָּצִיעַ (yatsia, extension/side chamber), אָחַז (achaz, to grasp, take hold), קוֹמָה (qomah, height), אֲרָזִים (arazim, cedars).
- Main debate: Whether the cedar beams rested on the temple’s ledges (Cambridge, Keil) or on the roof timbers of the main house (Gill).
- Theological theme: God’s dwelling requires careful, reverent construction; subsidiary structures support the sanctuary without violating its holiness.
- Best use: A case study in how architectural details in Scripture carry weight for understanding God’s order, the function of His house, and the nature of our attachment to Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He built chambers all along the temple, each five cubits high and attached to the temple with beams of cedar.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He built the floors all along the house, each five cubits high; and they rested on the house with timbers of cedar.
KJV King James Version 1769
And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he buildeth the couch against all the house, five cubits is its height, and it taketh hold of the house by cedar-wood.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he built the floors against all the house, five cubits high; and they held to the house by the timbers of cedar.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he built a floor over all the house, five cubits in height, and he covered the house with timber of cedar.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y edificó asimismo el aposento en derredor de toda la casa, de altura de cinco codos, el cual se apoyaba en la casa con maderas de cedro.
E edificou também o aposento em derredor de toda a casa, de altura de cinco côvados, o qual se apoiava na casa com madeiras de cedro.
Il donna cinq coudées de hauteur à chacun des étages qui entouraient toute la maison, et il les lia à la maison par des bois de cèdre.
Und er baute die Gänge um das ganze Haus herum, je fünf Ellen hoch, und verband sie mit dem Hause durch Balken von Zedernholz.
Hij bouwde ook de kameren aan het ganse huis, van vijf ellen in haar hoogte; en hij voegde ze vast aan dat huis met cederenhout.
Fece i piani addossati a tutta la casa dando ad ognuno cinque cubiti d’altezza, e li collegò con la casa con delle travi di cedro.
Przybudował też ganki około całego domu na pięć łokci wzwyż, a przypojone były do domu balkami cedrowymi.
И пристроил ко всему храму боковые комнаты вышиною в пять локтей; они прикреплены были к храму посредством кедровых бревен.
靠著 殿 所造 的旁屋，每層高 五 肘，香柏 木 的棟樑擱 在殿牆坎上。
And he put up the line of side rooms against the walls of the house, fifteen cubits high, resting against the house on boards of cedar-wood.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 6:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that verse 10 describes an additional layer of side chambers built against the temple, each story five cubits high. The Cambridge Bible notes that the height likely refers to the interior clearance, with floor thickness adding to a total much greater than fifteen cubits. The key phrase, “they rested on the house with timbers of cedar”, translates the Hebrew verb אָחַז (achaz), “to grasp” or “take hold of.” The Cambridge, Keil, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all connect this to the “offsets” (rebatements) mentioned in verse 6: the cedar beams from the chambers rested on ledges projecting from the temple wall, so that no beam was driven into the sanctuary masonry. The chambers were thus structurally attached without violating the sacred fabric. Gill notes an alternative possibility: that the chambers rested on the beams and boards of cedar that roofed the main building (as in v.9), making them a kind of upper story. Despite this minor uncertainty, the unanimous point is that the cedar timbers ensured the chambers were fastened securely to the house while preserving the sanctity of the temple walls.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Ledge rest (Cambridge/Keil): The ‘narrowed rests’ of v.6 prevent beams entering the walls; the chambers rested on these ledges, and the cedar timbers ‘took hold’ of the house by being laid upon them.
- Roof beam rest (Gill): The chambers rested on the cedar beams and boards that covered the main building (v.9), making them an upper story rather than a side attachment.
- Embedded beam (older view, implied by some translations): The verb achaz might suggest the beams were fixed into the walls; rejected by most because of v.6’s clear prohibition.
What is clear: Side chambers were built against the temple, each story five cubits high, and they were structurally joined to the house using cedar timbers without marring the sanctuary walls.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Height of the chambers | Each story was five cubits in interior height; three stories total produced at least fifteen cubits, plus floor thickness. | Some commentators (e.g., Cambridge) allow for floors making the total closer to twenty cubits; others treat the five cubits as the full structural height. |
| How the chambers attached | The cedar timbers were used as the connecting material, and the attachment did not involve inserting beams into the temple walls (see v.6). | The dominant view (Cambridge, Keil, JFB) says beams rested on ledges. Gill proposes they rested on the roof beams of the main building (the cedar covering of v.9). |
| Purpose of the chambers | They surrounded the temple and oracle, providing additional space. | The precise function is not stated; suggestions include storage rooms, living quarters for priests, or rooms for temple administration. |
| The verb אָחַז (achaz) | It means to grasp or take hold; the chambers were firmly connected to the temple. | Some translations prefer “rested on” (WEB, KJV) implying the beam’s weight simply sat on a support; others choose “attached to” (BSB) or “held to” (Darby), emphasizing the grip. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The temple built by Solomon in the tenth century BC stood as the permanent dwelling place of Yahweh among Israel. Chapter 6 describes its construction in exacting detail, beginning with the date, the 480th year after the Exodus, to mark a new epoch in redemptive history (Keil). The surrounding side chambers (ו/יָּצִיעַ) are first mentioned in verses 5, 6, where they are built in three stories against the outer walls of the temple and the oracle (the Most Holy Place). Each story was wider than the one below (five, six, and seven cubits) because the temple walls had stepped ledges cut into them so that the chamber beams could rest without being inserted into the stonework. Verse 10 reiterates the construction of these chambers, focusing on their height (five cubits) and how they were fastened: the cedar beams “took hold of” the house.
This architectural method protected the sanctuary from damage. The raw stone was prepared at the quarry, and no iron tool was heard at the building site (v.7), a detail that impressed later readers with the reverence shown to God’s house. The cedar used for the beams came from Lebanon via Hiram of Tyre; cedar was prized for its durability and fragrance. The chambers themselves likely served as storage for temple equipment, vestments, and offerings, and possibly as accommodation for priests on duty. Their design demonstrates a careful integration of function and sacred space: the subsidiary structure surrounded and supported the main building without compromising its integrity. In the surrounding context (vv. 11, 13), God’s word comes to Solomon with a conditional promise, linking the physical construction to the nation’s covenant faithfulness.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across the Masoretic tradition, and the renderings in the ancient versions (Greek Septuagint, Latin Vulgate) align with the preserved reading.
Reception History
Throughout church history, the detailed temple architecture has often been read allegorically or typologically. Early and medieval interpreters saw the side chambers as symbols of the saints or of the Church clinging to Christ. The quiet construction (no hammer heard) was applied spiritually to the building of the inner life, growth without strife. Matthew Henry (1710) reflects a typical Protestant use: the chambers attached by cedar beams represent believers joined to Christ by faith, held without being forced. Renaissance-era commentators like Poole focused on the historical reconstruction, seeking to reconcile the biblical dimensions with archaeology. In more recent interpretation, the focus has shifted to the covenant context (vv. 11, 13): the finished building is only a stage for God’s conditional promise, reminding readers that physical structures serve the relationship between God and His people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Order in building God’s house. The precise measurements and attachment methods show that God cares about the details of worship and the integrity of His dwelling. Every beam and ledge had its purpose.
- Supporting structures without intrusion. The chambers were attached to the temple through ledges, not by piercing the holy walls. This pictures how believers are joined to Christ, supported by Him without violating His holiness, yet truly connected.
- A dwelling prepared with silence. The temple was built with stones shaped off-site and no hammer heard at the location (v.7). God’s work often proceeds quietly, and His house is built reverently, not with clamor.
Five-point outline
- The height of one story (five cubits), we each have a place in God’s house, humble and measured.
- Cedar beams as the bond, Christ is the timber that holds us to God.
- Resting on the house, our faith rests on Christ, not on our own insertion.
- Chambers surrounding the oracle, the ministries of the church surround the presence of God.
- The quietness of stone, God builds His people in hidden ways, preparing them beforehand.
Illustration hooks
- A porch addition to a house: you don’t drive nails into the load-bearing wall; you bolt on a ledger board that rests on the foundation. The chamber beams were like a ledger, attached securely but not invasive.
- A library with floor-to-ceiling shelves that have a hidden bracket system: the structure holds weight without damaging the walls.
- A child holding a parent’s hand, a firm grip (achaz) without breaking the skin.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible give so much space to building descriptions, do these details matter for my faith today?
- What does it mean that God’s house was built without tools being heard? Does that apply to our church building or our hearts?
- How are we attached to Christ, are we just leaning on Him, or are we structurally joined?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is a small piece of a large building plan, but it raises big questions about how we relate to God and His dwelling. The chambers were attached to the temple without marring the sacred walls, a picture of intimacy without violation. As you read 1 Kings 6:10 in its context (especially vv. 5, 6 and 11, 13), consider what this teaches about God’s presence and our place in it.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 5, 6 first. What did the “narrowed rests” (ledges) accomplish structurally and symbolically?
- Verse 10 says the chambers were five cubits high. Why do you think the height is mentioned? What might it say about the scale of the whole temple?
- The Hebrew verb achaz means “to grasp” or “take hold.” The WEB translates it as “rested on.” Which image do you find more vivid, and why?
- How does the quiet construction of the temple (v.7) relate to the careful attachment of these beams? What might that say about how God builds His people?
- In verses 11, 13, God attaches a word of promise to the finished house. How does the physical structure become a stage for covenant relationship?
- If the chambers represent our service or daily life (attached to Christ), what keeps us from “embedding” ourselves where we don’t belong? How do the ledges of grace and truth hold us?
- What is one way this passage invites you to trust God’s architectural plan for your life, even the details that seem small?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator clarifies that the side chambers were built in three stories, each five cubits high inside, but with floors and roof included they likely reached twenty to twenty-one cubits to match the level of the Holy of Holies. The cedar beams rested on ledges built into the temple wall.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes observe that these side chambers were built five cubits high and ran all around the temple walls. They were not free-standing but securely fastened to the main structure with cedar beams, forming an integral part of the building.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies these chambers as the ones built on top of the house itself, not just against its wall. He notes they consisted of three stories totaling ninety cubits, raising the entire structure to match the porch's height, and that they rested on cedar beams.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the side chambers were built with beams resting on ledges of the temple wall, not cut into it, so the sanctuary remained unharmed. The chambers' five-cubit height per story gave a total of about fifteen cubits for the three levels.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see the temple as a decisive turning point in Israel's history, ending the provisional stage of their possession of Canaan. They insist the 480-year date given for its construction is not a symbolic round number but a reliable historical figure, carefully calculated from the exodus onward.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the temple's interior forms and measurements, especially the cube-shaped holy of holies and the recurring numbers ten and three, are not architectural accident but deliberate symbols of heaven, completeness, and divine presence. This sets it utterly apart from all heathen temples, which housed idols; the temple housed the invisible covenant God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that the temple was called the house of the Lord because God himself directed and designed every detail. The stones were cut and shaped away from the site so that no sound of hammer or tool was heard during construction, showing that God's house is built in quiet reverence and not by human noise or effort.