1 Kings 6:20

Verse

The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.

American Standard Version (1901)

And within the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.

Bible in Basic English

And the inmost room was twenty cubits square and twenty cubits high, plated over with clear gold, and he made an altar of cedar-wood, plating it with gold.

Free Bible Version

The inner sanctuary measured twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He had the interior covered with a coating with pure gold, as well as the altar of cedar.

Geneva Bible 1599

And the place of the oracle within was twentie cubites long, and twentie cubites broad, and twentie cubites hie, and hee couered it with pure golde, and couered the altar with cedar.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

Translation for Translators

That room was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. They covered the walls with very thin sheets of pure gold. For burning incense they also made an altar of cedar boards.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The inner room was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height. Solomon overlaid the walls with pure gold and covered the altar with cedar wood.

Noah Webster Bible

And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the hight of it, and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

World English Bible

Within the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in its height. He overlaid it with pure gold. He covered the altar with cedar.

Young's Literal Translation

And before the oracle [is] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits [is] its height; and he overlayeth it with gold refined, and overlayeth the altar with cedar.

Context

The Temple’s Interior

¹⁹Solomon also prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. ²⁰The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.

Summary

In this verse, we see the description of the inner sanctuary of Solomon's temple, known as the Most Holy Place. The room was overlaid with pure gold, symbolizing the holiness and glory of God's presence. The verse highlights the meticulous detail and grandeur of the temple, reflecting the reverence and honor given to God through the construction. This sacred space served as a focal point for worship and a reminder of God's dwelling among His people.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold,.... The inside of the holy of holies with fine gold, which gold amounted to six hundred talents, Ch2 3:8; and these to 7,332,000 ducats of gold, or 3,045,000 pounds sterling: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; between the holy and the most holy, and were instead of a vail in the tabernacle of Moses between them; here was also a vail beside the partition made by chains of gold across the oracle; for the partition was a wall of the thickness of a cubit, as Maimonides (b) says; and in Ch2 3:14 express mention is made of a vail of blue, &c. and in imitation of this had the Heathens their deities within vails (c): and he overlaid it with gold; the partition wall. (b) Hilchot Beth Habechirah, c. 4. sect. 2. (c) Apulei Metamorph. l. xi. p. 176.