Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 7:6
And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch [was] before them: and the [other] pillars and the thick beam [were] before them.
6. And he made a (R.V. the) porch of pillars ] This would seem to have been a separate building not connected with the house of the forest. In the same manner the porch for the throne in the next verse was unconnected with any other building. What was the purpose of the porch of pillars is not stated.
and the porch was before them ] It is better to make this clause dependent on the first verb. Thus ‘he made the porch of pillars and a porch before them,’ i.e. before the pillars.
and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them ] The word translated ‘thick beam’ seems most likely to have been a threshold or step work by which the porch was entered. The twice repeated ‘before them’ must refer to the same thing, viz. to the pillars of the first named porch, of which they formed the striking feature. So the sense of the verse would be ‘he made the porch of pillars and in front of them also another porch with its pillars and a staircase or set of steps to approach it by.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Probably the porch of the House of the Forest. Porches of columns immediately in front of columnar chambers were a favorite feature of Persian architecture. The whole verse should be translated, And he made the porch of the pillars in length 50 cubits, and in breadth 30 cubits, and a porch before them (i. e., the pillars), and pillars, and a base (or step) before them. Most of the Persepolitan porches had small pillared chambers at some little distance in front of them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Ki 7:6
And he made a porch of pillars.
The porch
Since this porch was the common place of reception for all worshippers, and the place also where they laid the beggars, it looks as if it were to be a type of the churchs bosom for charity. Here the proselytes were entertained, here the beggars were relieved, and received alms. These gates were seldom shut; and the houses of Christian compassion should be always open. This therefore beautified this gate, as charity beautifies any of the churches. Largeness of heart, and tender compassion at the church door, is excellent; it is the bond of perfectness (1Co 12:31; 1Co 13:1-4; Joh 5:5; Joh 5:7; Col 3:14). (John Bunyan.)
The pillars of the house of Lebanon
(1Ki 7:6-22):–These pillars were sweet-scented pillars, for they were made of cedar; but what cared the enemy for that, they were offensive to him, for that they were placed for a fortification against him. Nor is it any allurement to Satan to favour the mighty ones in the church in the wilderness for the fragrant smell of their sweet graces; nay, both he and his angels are the more beset to oppose them because they are so sweet scented. The cedars, therefore, got nothing because they were cedars at the hands of the barbarous Gentiles–for they would burn the cedars–as the angels or pillars get nothing of favour at the hands of Antichrist, because they are pillars and angels for the truth, yea, they so much the more by her are abhorred. Well, but they are pillars for all that, yea, pillars to the church in the wilderness, as the others were in the house of the forest of Lebanon. The glory of the temple lay in one thing, and the glory of this house lay in another; the glory of the temple lay in that she contained the true form and modes of worship, and the glory of the house of Lebanon lay in her many pillars and thick beams, by which she was made capable, through good management, to give check to those of Damascus when they should attempt to throw down her worship. (John Bunyan.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
A porch of pillars, i.e. supported by divers pillars, for the more magnificent entrance into the house; upon which also it is thought there were other rooms built, as in the house.
The porch, now mentioned, which is said to be
before them, i.e. before the pillars on which the house of Lebanon stood, or before the doors and posts mentioned 1Ki 7:5; or, a porch, i.e. another and a lesser porch, which was before them, i.e. before the pillars of the greater porch now mentioned.
And the other pillars, or, and pillars, i.e. fewer and lesser pillars for the support of the lesser porch.
The thick beam; which was laid upon these pillars, as the others were, 1Ki 7:2.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he made a porch of pillars,…. At the west end of the house:
and the length thereof was fifty cubits; answerable to the breadth of the house:
and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: which, added to the length of the house, made it one hundred and thirty:
and the porch was before them; the four rows of cedar pillars of the house, 1Ki 7:2 this porch was either for his guards to keep watch in; or for his courtiers to walk in, sheltered from rain or the like; or perhaps only for grandeur and magnificence:
and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them; the pillars of the porch, on which were laid beams of cedar for a storey over them, and so on; these were before and right against, and answered to the pillars of the house.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) A porch of pillars, although by some authorities it is held to be a separate building, seems by the exact agreement of dimensionsits length being just the breadth of the hallto have been a propylon, or entrance vestibule, to the hall of state (like the porch, or vestibule, of the Temple), probably corresponding in the general arrangement of its pillars, and perhaps also in height. It had also a porch of its own, with a threshold (for the last clause of the verse should be rendered, and a porch before it with pillars, and a threshold before them,) forming a kind of plinth, or, possibly, a flight of steps.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. A porch of pillars The exact position of this porch is not stated, but as the description of the palace began with the house of the forest of Lebanon, we naturally suppose, in the absence of any thing that appears to the contrary, that it follows the order of the successive buildings, and accordingly this porch was situated between the house of the forest of Lebanon and the porch of judgment described in the next verse. (B in plan.) It served as a majestic colonnade leading to the throne-chamber.
The porch was before them Rather, a porch. A portico of lesser dimensions was built before the pillars. (a in plan.)
Pillars and the thick beam The pillars here mentioned were probably a sort of peristyle to the great porch of pillars; that is, a range of noticeable pillars running round the outside of the porch. The , thick beam, is to be understood of the threshold, or rather the ascent by steps into the porch, which was, of course, before or in front of the pillars, and probably ran around the entire porch.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(6) And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them. (7) Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. (8) And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch. (9) All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court. (10) And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. (11) And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars. (12) And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.
I do not hesitate to say, that notwithstanding the particularity with which these things are marked, I cannot more than in generals, discover their resemblance to divine things. The porch of Solomon’s temple was certainly held in high esteem, for in the second temple, built after the return of the church from Babylon, the fathers thought proper to preserve the same name, and this was rendered remarkable by the healing of the cripple. See Act 3:11Act 3:11 . And here it was we find the apostles particularly assembled. Act 5:12-13 . The apostle Paul, after describing some interesting things concerning the shadowy ordinances of the law, when speaking of the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat, adds a similar thought, and saith, of which we cannot now speak particularly. See Heb 9:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 7:6 And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch [was] before them: and the [other] pillars and the thick beam [were] before them.
Ver. 6. Were before them. ] Or, According to them: all was suitable, and sightly.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
before them: or, according to them
before them: or, according to them. 1Ki 7:6
Reciprocal: Pro 9:1 – pillars
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 7:6. And he made a porch of pillars That is, supported by divers pillars: this was for his guard, and for people to walk in who came upon business, as well as for the more magnificent entrance into the house. Upon this also it is probable there were other rooms built as in the house. The porch was before them That is, before the pillars of the great house before spoken of. And the other pillars, &c. Or, and pillars, that is, fewer and lesser pillars for the support of the porch. Were before them Or, according to them; (see the margin;) that is, they were directly opposite one to another.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:6 And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch [was] before {d} them: and the [other] pillars and the thick beam [were] before them.
(d) Before the pillars of the house.