I Kings 6:36 · Bible study
1 Kings 6:36 Commentary: The Inner Court Wall
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Solomon build the inner court with three courses of stone and one of cedar?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The inner court was built with three courses of hewn stone and one of cedar beams, creating a low wall that allowed the people to see the priests.
- Key words: “inner” (penimi), “rows” (tur), “hewn [stone]” (gazit), “cedar beams” (kerutot arazim).
- Main debate: Whether the cedar course was a coping on top or a palisade/ lining for visibility.
- Theological theme: Sacred space is ordered and invites participation while maintaining holiness.
- Best use: Teaching the significance of the temple’s architecture for understanding worship, access, and community.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Solomon built the inner courtyard with three rows of dressed stone and one row of trimmed cedar beams.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and a course of cedar beams.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he built the inner court with three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he buildeth the inner court, three rows of hewn work, and a row of beams of cedar.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he built the inner court of three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cedar-beams.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he built the inner court with three rows of polished stones, and one row of beams of cedar.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y edificó el atrio interior de tres órdenes de piedras labradas, y de un orden de vigas de cedro.
E edificou o átrio interior de três ordens de pedras lavradas, e de uma ordem de vigas de cedro.
Il bâtit le parvis intérieur de trois rangées de pierres de taille et d’ une rangée de poutres de cèdre.
Und er baute auch den inneren Hof von drei Reihen behauener Steine und von einer Reihe zederner Balken.
Daarna bouwde hij het binnenste voorhof van drie rijen gehouwen stenen, en een rij cederen balken.
E costruì il muro di cinta del cortile interno con tre ordini di pietre lavorate e un ordine di travatura di cedro.
Przytem zbudował sień wnętrzną we trzy rzędy z kamienia ciosanego, a jednym rzędem z heblowanego drzewa cedrowego.
И построил внутренний двор из трех рядов обтесанного камня и из ряда кедровых брусьев.
他又用鑿成的石頭 三 層、香柏木 一層 建築 內 院。
And the inner space was walled with three lines of squared stones and a line of cedar-wood boards.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 6:36
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the inner court was the court of the priests, as confirmed by 2 Chronicles 4:9. It sat on a higher level than the outer court, Jeremiah calls it “the higher court” (Jer 36:10), and was enclosed by a low wall. The construction described in this verse, three courses of hewn stone with one course of cedar beams, was designed to let the people in the outer court see the priests ministering. Gill specifies the wall was about three cubits high, citing Maimonides. Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch concur that the elevation was artificial, and the cedar likely topped the stone or formed a palisade. The same design appears in the great court (1 Kings 7:12).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The inner court was the priests' court, elevated above the outer court, and its wall was constructed with layers of stone and cedar to allow the people to see the worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identification of the inner court | It is the court of the priests (2 Chr 4:9). | Its exact dimensions are not given; some commentators speculate based on the tabernacle (e.g., 100 × 200 cubits), but others caution against overprecision. |
| Construction method | The wall comprised three rows of hewn stone and one row of cedar beams. | Some (Barnes, Gill) see the cedar as a top coping; others (Keil & Delitzsch) view it as a palisade or a lining to allow the people to see through. |
| Height of the wall | It was low enough for the people in the outer court to see over. | Gill, citing Maimonides, suggests about three cubits; others leave the height unspecified, emphasizing function over measurement. |
| Function of the wall | It enabled the congregation to observe the priests serving. | Whether it also served as an elevation platform for the inner court (Barnes) or was simply a fence (Cambridge Bible) is discussed. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The temple courts reflected a graded hierarchy of holiness. The tabernacle had a single court (Ex 27:9); the temple expanded this into two: the inner (priests’) court and the outer (great) court (2 Chr 4:9). The inner court is called “the higher court” in Jeremiah because it was raised above the outer one, a feature also seen in Assyrian palace platforms, as Barnes notes. This elevation physically separated the priests from the congregation while still allowing visual connection.
The wall’s materials, cut stone and cedar, matched the temple’s interior paneling (1 Kgs 6:15, 18). The three courses of stone provided a solid base; the single course of cedar beams likely formed a coping or lattice. Commentators debate whether the cedar was laid horizontally across the top (Keil & Delitzsch favors a palisade) or used as a lining (Gill). Either way, the wall was low enough that the people could see over it and possibly converse with the priests (Gill). The absence of gates in this wall suggests it was not a complete barrier but an enclosure that invited the congregation’s participation in worship.
The outer court, by contrast, had bronze gates and a high wall (2 Chr 4:9). Around it were chambers for the priests and Levites (1 Kgs 6:5, 6; 2 Kgs 23:11). The temple’s courts thus created a concentric movement from common space to increasingly sacred space, culminating in the Holy of Holies. This architecture taught Israel that God dwells among his people but must be approached with reverence and order.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexica note no significant textual variants for 1 Kings 6:36. The verse is consistent across the Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions used by the translators of the KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby, Douay, and WEB.
Reception History
Early Jewish tradition, as reflected in the Mishnah (Middot 2:6), describes the Court of the Priests with a low wall, possibly echoing this verse. Christian exegetes from the Reformation onward have read the detail typologically: the inner court prefigures the priesthood of believers, and the visibility from the outer court points to Christ’s open invitation to all people. Geneva Bible notes (1599) simply gloss the verse, while Matthew Henry (1710) focuses on the temple’s splendor as a picture of the church. Modern commentators emphasize archaeological parallels with Assyrian and Egyptian platforms, as Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch do, to understand the construction technique. The verse continues to be cited in discussions of sacred architecture and the ordering of worship space.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Sacred space is ordered. The inner court was not an afterthought; it was built with precision, three courses of stone, one of cedar. God’s dwelling requires intentional structure.
- The wall separates, but also connects. The low height allowed the people to see the priests at work. The barrier was a boundary, not a complete separation. Worship involved the whole community, even from a distance.
- Materials proclaim God’s glory. Hewn stone and cedar were costly and enduring. They testified to the majesty of the God who meets with his people. The temple’s construction itself was an act of worship.
Five-point outline
- The inner court is the court of the priests, a place of ministry and sacrifice.
- It was elevated above the outer court, reminding Israel that God is “high and lifted up.”
- The three courses of stone and one of cedar created a wall that was protective yet permeable.
- This design gave the people a view of the altar and the priests, teaching that worship is both individual and communal.
- The same pattern was used for the great court (1 Kings 7:12), unifying the whole temple complex.
Illustration hooks
- A church with a glass wall. Many modern sanctuaries have large windows so passersby can see inside. The inner court wall was like that, transparent enough to remind people that they belong to the worship even when they cannot enter.
- An office with a low partition. Coworkers can see each other but maintain separate spaces. The wall created a holy workspace visible to everyone.
- A garden fence with a gate. It marks the boundary but also invites you to look in. The inner court wall drew the congregation’s eyes toward the altar.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God care about the materials of a courtyard wall?
- Does the Old Testament temple still matter for Christians today?
- How can we create spaces that honor God’s holiness while also welcoming people?
Leading a Discussion
This verse describes a single detail of Solomon’s temple: the construction of the inner court wall. Yet that detail reveals how God designed worship to be both holy and accessible. As you discuss, consider how physical space can shape our encounter with God.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Kings 6:36 in context of the whole chapter. What other building details stand out to you?
- The inner court is also called “the court of the priests” (2 Chr 4:9). Why do you think a separate court was needed?
- The wall had three courses of stone and one of cedar. Commentators suggest it was low enough to see over. How does that change your picture of temple worship?
- Compare this wall to the outer court, which had bronze gates (2 Chr 4:9). What do these differences say about access to God?
- How does the temple’s design, from outer court to inner court to the Most Holy Place, teach us about approaching God today?
- The materials (cut stone, cedar) were expensive and carefully chosen. What does that tell us about offering our best to God?
- In Revelation 11:2, John is told not to measure the outer court. How might the temple courts foreshadow the new creation?
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)
| Exodus 27:9 | “You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side. |
| Exodus 27:19 | All the instruments of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its pins, and all the pins of the court, shall be of bronze. |
| Exodus 38:9 | He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits; |
| Exodus 38:20 | All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze. |
| I Kings 7:12 | The great court around had three courses of cut stone with a course of cedar beams, like the inner court of Yahweh’s house and the porch of the house. |
| II Chronicles 4:9 | Furthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze. |
| II Chronicles 7:7 | Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court that was before Yahweh’s house holy; for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the fat. |
| Revelation of John 11:2 | Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that alternating layers of stone and cedar beams was the standard method for the finest buildings of that era. He observes that this inner court construction kept the timber sheltered from weather, and suggests the prophet Habakkuk alludes to this same building technique.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes connects the temple's inner court to Assyrian palace design, noting it was probably an elevated platform built with three rows of hewn stone and cedar. He estimates the court's size at roughly double the tabernacle's court, creating a raised sacred enclosure around the temple.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues the three rows of stone and one row of cedar did not form a raised floor but a low boundary wall around the inner court. This wall, built at eye level, allowed people standing in the outer court to see the priests ministering inside.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And hee built the court within with three rowes of hewed stone, and one rowe of beames of cedar.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the inner court wall was deliberately low, about three cubits high, so the people in the outer court could see the priests ministering and even speak with them. This design contrasts with the later temple, where the priests' court was raised higher.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the inner court was reserved for priests and had a cedar-coped wall low enough for the people to see over it. The commentary also draws attention to the specific time taken to build the temple.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes the inner court wall was built with three rows of square stones and one row of cedar beams, likely arranged so people could see through into the priests' court. They estimate the priests' court was 200 by 100 cubits, and the outer court twice that size, based on the tabernacle's pattern.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the temple's true significance lies not in its architecture but in what it represents: a divinely designed dwelling where Jehovah's holy presence meets Israel. Every detail, from the cube-shaped holy of holies to the gold and cherubim, deliberately symbolizes heaven, life, and the covenant relationship, not heathen copies.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the total covering of cedar and gold, with no stone visible, symbolizes the inward spiritual glory of the church, hidden from worldly eyes. The cherubim, with wings touching both walls and each other, represent the perfect unity of all believers in heaven and earth gathered around God's presence.