Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 7:9
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.
9. All these ] i.e. The whole of the buildings described in the previous verses.
according to the measures of hewed stones ] Better not to be taken as in construction, but with R.V. even hewn stones according to measure. The word is literally ‘according to measures,’ and this the R.V. explains on the margin as ‘after divers measures.’ But this is what is meant by their text.
within and without ] Though the inside face of the walls was to be covered with cedar, and so put out of sight, the same care was taken with the dressing of that part of the stone work, as with all that was to remain uncovered.
toward the great court ] Better, unto. What appears to be meant in the verse is a strong expression of the excellency of the stone work. This is said to have been of the same character from the base to the coping of all the walls, and then is added, that it was the same from the front part of the buildings to the back. The front part, which was the house of the forest, is not mentioned, but it said that the good work extended unto the great court, which lay farthest back of all the buildings.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The stones were uniform – all cut to certain fixed measures of length, breadth, and thickness. They were not squared only on the face which showed, but also on the sides which fell within the wall and were not seen. Saws appear in Assyrian sculptures of the age of Sennacherib; and fragments of an iron saw have been found at Nimrud.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
All these buildings described here and in the former chapter.
According to the measures of hewed stones; either first, which were hewed in such measure and proportion, as exact workmen used to hew ordinary stones; or, secondly, as large as common hewed stones, which are oft very great.
Within and without; both on the inside of the buildings which were covered with cedar, and on the outside also.
From the foundation unto the coping; from the bottom to the top of the building.
On the outside toward the great court; not only on the outside of the front of the house, which being most visible, men are more careful to adorn; but also of the other side of the house, which looked towards the great court belonging to the kings house.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
All these were of costly stones,…. Marble, porphyry, c.
according to the measure of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without they were all hewed, and squared, and polished, and so they appeared both on the inside of the building, and without:
even from the foundation unto the coping; from the bottom to the top:
and so on the outside toward the great court: where the people used to assemble when they had causes to be tried, and was adjoining to the king’s house.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. All these were of costly stones That is, the exterior walls of all these buildings were built of costly stones.
According to the measures of hewed stones Rather, according to the measure of hewing; that is, according to the amount of skill and labour required in sawing and hewing them. They were costly on account of this vast amount of labour and expense in preparing them for use.
Sawed with saws Here is evidence of the ancient use of saws in cutting stone. “Saws appear in Assyrian sculptures of the age of Sennacherib; and fragments of an iron saw were found at Nimrud.” Rawlinson.
Within and without That is, on both sides of the wall the sawn surface of the stones appeared. But the inside of most of the buildings was covered with cedar, and so only the outside, towards the great court, continued to reveal from foundation to coping the smoothly sawn faces of the costly stones.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 7:9 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.
Ver. 9. According to the measure of hewed stones. ] Though costly, yet as great as other hewed stones.
Unto the coping,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sawed with saws. Figure of speech Ployptoton. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
costly stones: 1Ki 7:10, 1Ki 7:11, 1Ki 5:17
Reciprocal: 1Ch 22:2 – masons Isa 9:10 – bricks Eze 10:5 – outer
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 7:9. All these were of costly stones Namely, the buildings described here, and in the former chapter. According to the measures of hewed stones Either, 1st, Which were hewed in such measure and proportion, as exact workmen use in hewing ordinary stones: or, 2d, As large as hewed stones commonly are, which are often very great. Sawed them with saws, within and without Both on the inside of the buildings, which were covered with cedar, and on the outside also. From the foundation unto the coping From the bottom to the top of the building. So on the outside toward the great court Not only on the outside of the front of the house, which, being most visible, men are more careful to adorn, but also of the other side of the house, which looked toward the great court belonging to the kings house.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:9 All these [were of] costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto {f} the coping, and [so] on the outside toward the great court.
(f) Which were rests and stays for the beams to lie on.