I Kings 6:3 · Bible study
1 Kings 6:3 Commentary: The Porch of Solomon's Temple, Dimensions
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover the dimensions of Solomon's temple porch in 1 Kings 6:3 and its significance as the entrance to God's dwelling place.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The porch of Solomon's temple was 20 cubits wide (across the front of the temple) and 10 cubits deep.
- Key words: אולם (porch/hall), פני (face/front), היכל (temple), אורך (length), רחב (width).
- Main debate: The height of the porch is not given here; 2 Chronicles 3:4 says 120 cubits, which some scholars consider a composite measurement.
- Theological theme: God's dwelling place, the temple as a pledge of His permanent presence among Israel.
- Best use: Understanding the temple's structure as a backdrop for New Testament fulfillment in Christ and the church.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple was twenty cubits long, extending across the width of the temple and projecting out ten cubits in front of the temple.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The porch in front of the temple of the house had a length of twenty cubits, which was along the width of the house. Ten cubits was its width in front of the house.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
As to the porch on the front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits is its length on the front of the breadth of the house; ten by the cubit is its breadth on the front of the house;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the porch, in front of the temple of the house, was twenty cubits in length, in front of the house broadways, [and] ten cubits was its breadth, in front of the house.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And there was a porch before the temple, of twenty cubits in length, according to the measure of the breadth of the temple: and it was ten cubits in breadth, before the face of the temple.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el pórtico delante del templo de la casa, de veinte codos de largo, según la anchura de la casa, y su ancho era de diez codos delante de la casa.
E o pórtico diante do templo da casa, de vinte côvados de comprimento, segundo a largura da casa, e sua largura era de dez côvados diante da casa.
Le portique devant le temple de la maison avait vingt coudées de longueur répondant à la largeur de la maison, et dix coudées de profondeur sur la face de la maison.
Und er baute eine Halle vor dem Tempel, zwanzig Ellen lang nach der Breite des Hauses und zehn Ellen breit vor dem Hause her.
En het voorhuis, vooraan den tempel van dat huis, was in zijn lengte van twintig ellen, naar de breedte van het huis, tien ellen in zijn breedte, vooraan het huis.
Il portico sul davanti del luogo santo della casa avea venti cubiti di lunghezza rispondenti alla larghezza della casa, e dieci cubiti di larghezza sulla fronte della casa.
Przysionek zasię przed kościołem był na dwadzieścia łokci wdłuż, jako był szeroki dom, a wszerz był na dziesięć łokci przed domem.
и притвор пред храмом в двадцать локтей длины, соответственно ширине храма, и в десять локтей ширины пред храмом.
殿 前 的廊子 長 二十 肘，與殿 的 寬窄一樣， 闊 十 肘；
The covered way before the Temple of the house was twenty cubits long, as wide as the house, and ten cubits wide in front of the house.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 6:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The porch, called ulam in Hebrew, extended across the entire front of the temple. Commentators from diverse traditions agree on its dimensions: twenty cubits in length (matching the width of the main house) and ten cubits in depth. The Cambridge Bible for Schools notes that the porch projected ten cubits forward, making the total length of the structure seventy cubits. Gill adds that the porch stood at the east end, its length corresponding exactly to the breadth of the house. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown describes it simply as a portico across the whole front. Keil and Delitzsch, focusing on the temple's significance, see the building as a substantial pledge of God's permanent presence among His people. While the height of the porch is not given here, a point of debate when compared to 2 Chronicles 3:4, the basic measurements are uncontested. The consensus is that these dimensions are factual and carry theological weight: the temple, including its porch, was designed by God as a dwelling place for His name.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The porch measured twenty cubits across the front of the temple and ten cubits deep, serving as the entrance portico.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions of the porch | The porch was twenty cubits long (across the front of the temple) and ten cubits deep. | Some interpreters see these numbers as purely architectural; others find symbolic meaning (e.g., 20 as completeness, 10 as divine order). |
| Height of the porch | 1 Kings 6:3 does not give the porch's height. | 2 Chronicles 3:4 gives a height of 120 cubits. Some commentators (e.g., Robins) view this as a cumulative total of multiple measurements; others accept it as literal, noting the porch may have been a tall tower-like structure. |
| Typological significance | The temple, including its porch, served as God's dwelling place and a type of greater realities. | Christians differ on whether the porch primarily points to Christ (as the door), the church (as the spiritual temple), or the heavenly sanctuary. Those emphasizing Christ note John 10:23; those emphasizing the church point to 1 Corinthians 3:16 and the gathering of believers in Acts 3:11. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The building of the temple marks a major epoch in Israel's history. First Kings 6:1 dates it to the 480th year after the exodus, a number Keil and Delitzsch defend as historically accurate. The porch, or portico, was a common feature of ancient Near Eastern temples, providing a covered entrance. In Solomon's temple, it stood at the east end, twenty cubits (roughly 30 feet) across the front and ten cubits (15 feet) deep. The Hebrew word ulam (porch) appears also in Ezekiel's visionary temple. The height is not stated in Kings, but 2 Chronicles 3:4 gives it as 120 cubits, a figure some scholars, like Robins cited by the Cambridge Bible, think may be a composite of multiple measurements. The temple's construction was marked by silence: no hammer or iron tool was heard at the site (v. 7), signifying reverence. The porch itself becomes significant in the New Testament: Jesus walked in Solomon's porch (John 10:23), and the early church gathered there (Acts 3:11). For Israel, the temple was the place where God's glory dwelt. The porch was the threshold, a space of transition from the outer court into the holy place. Every measurement proclaimed that this house was built according to a divine pattern, a theme David had passed to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Kings 6:3. The parallel account in 2 Chronicles 3:4 records a height of 120 cubits, which has prompted discussion about possible scribal or compositional differences, but the text of 1 Kings 6:3 is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Throughout church history, the temple dimensions have been interpreted as pointing to deeper spiritual truths. Early Jewish tradition viewed the porch as a place of teaching and judgment. In the New Testament, Solomon's porch is where Jesus taught (John 10:23) and where the apostles gathered with the early church (Acts 3:11). Christian writers from the patristic era onward saw the temple as a type of Christ and the church; the porch represented the entrance to faith. Later commentators such as Matthew Henry (1710) and John Gill (1748) emphasized the porch as a transition space, symbolizing the believer's approach to God. The measurements themselves were often seen as evidence of divine order, reflecting God's nature as a God of precision and peace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The porch as threshold. The porch was the first thing worshippers saw. It marked the transition from the outside world into God's presence. In our lives, we need thresholds, moments of preparation before we meet God.
- God's attention to detail. The precise dimensions, twenty cubits, ten cubits, show that God cares about order and intentionality in worship. Nothing about approaching Him was left to chance.
- Foreshadowing Christ. Solomon's porch is where Jesus taught (John 10:23). The porch, as the entrance to the temple, points to Christ who said, “I am the door.” Every worshipper who entered the temple passed through a space that ultimately finds its fulfillment in Him.
Five-point outline
- The porch is part of a larger story. The temple was built after 480 years of God's faithfulness to Israel.
- The dimensions teach proportion. The porch's length matched the temple's width, unity and harmony in God's house.
- The porch was a place of gathering. The early church met there (Acts 3:11). It was a space for prayer, teaching, and witness.
- The porch had pillars. Though mentioned later (1 Kings 7:15-22), the two pillars Jachin and Boaz stood at the porch, declaring “He establishes” and “In Him is strength.”
- The porch leads deeper. From the porch, one entered the holy place and then the Most Holy. Our walk with God moves from the threshold to intimacy.
Illustration hooks
- The front door of a home, its design says something about the family inside. The temple porch invited people into the presence of the King.
- A church lobby or narthex, a space of transition, where people move from the world to worship. How does that space prepare hearts?
- The porch of an old building where people gather to talk, a place of meeting. The temple porch was the place where Jesus and the apostles taught.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible spend so much time describing a building?
- What does the temple teach us about meeting God today?
- Does this porch still matter, or is it just ancient architecture?
Leading a Discussion
This verse may feel like a technical detail, but it opens a window into God's heart. The temple was His idea, given to David and built by Solomon. The porch was the entrance, a space that welcomed people into the presence of God. As you discuss, think about how architecture can shape our experience of worship.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice first about the description of the porch? Why do you think the dimensions are recorded?
- How does the porch relate to the rest of the temple? What does its placement tell you about moving toward God?
- Read 2 Chronicles 3:4. Why is the height of the porch different there? What does this teach about how the Bible gives information?
- The porch was a place where Jesus taught (John 10:23) and where the early church gathered (Acts 3:11). How does that connect the Old Testament temple to the New Testament community?
- Isaiah 56:7 says God's house will be called a house of prayer. The porch was where people entered to pray. How can our church buildings (or gathering spaces) reflect that purpose?
- What does the silence of the temple construction (v. 7) say about reverent preparation? How can we apply that to our own lives?
- If the temple is a type of God's dwelling, what might the porch represent in our relationship with God today?
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.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Chronicles 28:11 | Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat; |
| II Chronicles 3:3 | Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house: the length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. |
| II Chronicles 3:4 | The porch that was in front, its length, across the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. |
| Ezekiel 41:15 | He measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at its back, and its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits from the inner temple, and the porches of the court, |
| Matthew 4:5 | Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, |
| John 10:23 | It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. |
| Acts 3:10 | They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. |
| Acts 3:11 | As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (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 Cambridge Bible notes that apparent discrepancies in dimensions between Kings and Chronicles likely come from the Chronicler's habit of adding together measurements from different sides or pillars. For the porch height, 120 cubits may be the sum of four sides, with a true height of 30 cubits. Similarly, the two pillars given as 35 cubits total the individual heights from Kings.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the porch before the Temple of the house was twentie cubites long according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubites broade before the house.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the temple was twice as long and broad and three times as high as the tabernacle, showing its greater glory. He also sees the whole building, including the porch, as an emblem of the church, which Paul calls God's temple.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the porch as a portico that ran the full width of the temple's front. The term points to an open colonnade or entrance hall, not a room enclosed on all sides. They direct readers to the parallel description in 2 Chronicles for more detail on this structure.
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 argues that the temple's design, especially the Holy of Holies as a perfect cube, deliberately symbolizes heaven, Gods true dwelling, not the earthly kingdom of Israel. He insists the temple is uniquely Israelite, not copied from pagan models, and that its forms, materials, and measurements all express the holy, life-giving presence of God among His people.
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.