Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 7:8
And his house where he dwelt [had] another court within the porch, [which] was of the like work. Solomon made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken [to wife], like unto this porch.
8. And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work ] It is better to leave out the italics of A V. and translate ‘And his house where he might dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work.’ The description has apparently been carrying us, from the front of the house of the forest, regularly more and more inward. Now we are brought to a court behind the previously mentioned porch, and in this court stood the king’s own dwelling house. It is noteworthy how little description is given to this or to the house for Pharaoh’s daughter. This probably comes to pass because the public were never admitted to these quarters.
Pharaoh’s daughter ] Cf. 1Ki 3:1. The house for her probably joined the king’s residence. Josephus ( Ant. viii. 5. 2) tells us that it was united with the porch of the throne, but his description is so vague that little reliance can be placed on it, and little help derived from it. The women’s apartments, as usual in the East, were removed as far from public view as possible.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Like unto this porch – i. e., of similar materials, hewn stone and cedar. The zenana could not have been a mere portico.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. A house for Pharaoh’s daughter] This appears to have been a third house; probably the whole three made but one building, and were in the same place, but distinguished from each other; the first as Solomon’s palace, the second as a house of judgment, a court-house; the third, the harem, or apartments for the women.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Within the porch, i.e. between the porch and the house, called therefore the middle court, 2Ki 20:4.
A house for Pharaohs daughter; of which see 1Ki 3:1; 2Ch 8:11.
Like unto this porch; not for form or quantity, but for the materials and workmanship, the rooms being covered with cedar, and furnished with like ornaments.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And his house where he dwelt,…. Which was properly his dwellingplace, that part of the house where he usually resided:
[had] another court within the porch, which [was] of the like work; a court between that and the porch, called the inner court, 2Ki 20:4.
Solomon made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife; see 1Ki 3:1,
like unto this porch: being built of the same sort of materials, though in a different form.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(8-11) The residence of the king, and the separate palace for the queen, distinct from the apartments of the inferior wives and concubines, are not described; except that they lay within the porch, that is, in the rear in another court, and were of like work. This is further explained by saying that they had costly stones of great size in the foundation, and stones above, hewn and sawn from top to bottom, carefully finished on the outside towards the great court, as well as on the inside, and were in all cases roofed with cedar. Josephus tells us that the inner court was adorned with trees and fountains, and had colonnades round it; and gives an enthusiastic description of the internal decoration of the rooms, panelled up to a certain height with polished marble, with a band of highly-wrought metal-work of foliage of all kinds above this, and the rest of the wall up to the ceiling plastered and painted in colours (ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Jer. 22:14). This description is curiously confirmed and illustrated by some of the recent discoveries at Nineveh.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. His house where he dwelt The royal residence proper. (D D in plan.) All the building’s and porches of the palace hitherto described were as so many vestibules or passage ways extending lengthwise through the midst of the great court, (1Ki 7:12,) and conducting to the immediate apartments of the king. They formed a grand approach to the throne; and a person passing through them in the order named would become more and more impressed with feelings of reverence and awe as he drew near the royal presence.
Another court within the porch Rather, the other court, in distinction from the great court round about the entire group of palatial buildings. This inner court was behind the porch of judgment, and enclosed by that porch in front, and the royal residence on the other three sides. (E in plan.)
Was of the like work Work like that of the porch of judgment; that is, the king’s house, (not the court, as the which supplied in the English version seems to indicate,) was wainscotted with cedar from floor to ceiling throughout all its apartments.
A house for Pharaoh’s daughter This probably formed the back part of the royal residence, (F in plan,) and at a later period became the royal harem, where the king kept the “many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh,” who turned his heart away from the Lord. 1Ki 11:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 7:8 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.
Ver. 8. Had another court. ] Called “the middle court.” 2Ki 20:4
Like unto this porch.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
another court: 2Ki 20:4
an house: 1Ki 3:1, 1Ki 9:24, 2Ch 8:11
Reciprocal: 1Ch 4:18 – Bithiah Ecc 2:4 – I builded
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 7:8. His house where he dwelt had another court within the porch That is, between the porch and the house, called therefore the middle court, 1Ki 20:4. Solomon made also a house for Pharaohs daughter Of which, see 2Ch 2:11. Like unto this porch Not for form or size, but for the materials and workmanship, the rooms being covered with cedar and the like ornaments.