John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And he made a porch of pillars , etc.] 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, ( 1 Kings 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. Ver. 7 . Then he made a porch for the throne , etc.] The ivory throne on which he sat to hear and try causes, ( 1 Kings 10:18), where he might judge, even the porch of judgment : which had its name from thence; this was either in his house in the forest of Lebanon, or in his palace at Jerusalem; the former seems best: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor unto the other ; that is, the whole floor.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - All Solomon's buildings, though beautiful, were intended for use Solomon began with the temple; he built for God first, and then his other buildings. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are lai in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he buil the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact but less eager in building his own house, than in building God's. We ought to prefer God's honour before our own ease and satisfaction.
Original Hebrew ואת853 אולם197 העמודים5982 עשׂה6213 חמשׁים2572 אמה520 ארכו753 ושׁלשׁים7970 אמה520 רחבו7341 ואולם197 על5921 פניהם6440 ועמדים5982 ועב5646 על5921 פניהם׃6440
