1 Kings 6:30 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶת־ קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת צִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃
BSAAndʼêth he overlaidtsâphâh■ [covered with a layer of] the templebayith floorqarqaʻ [the foundation, the base] with goldzâhâb [a valuable, brilliant metal] in both the innerpᵉnîymâh [within, inside] and outer sanctuarieschîytsôwn [external, secular, holy places, areas set apart]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| קַרְקַ֥ע | [the] floor of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| הַבַּ֖יִת | the house | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| צִפָּ֣ה | he overlaid | Verb, Piel, perfect third person masculine singular |
| זָהָ֑ב | gold | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לִפְנִ֖ימָה | to within | Preposition, adverb |
| וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃ | and to the outer | Conjunction, preposition |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries. |
| KJV | And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. |
| ASV | And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. |
| YLT | And the floor of the house he hath overlaid with gold, within and without; |
| WEB | He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and outside. |
| BBE | And the floor of the house was covered with gold, inside and out. |
The translations agree on the key terms and concepts in this verse.
The sentence has one main clause with supporting phrases that clarify the action and its context.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָפָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Kings 6:30
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Construction of Solomon's Templegenerated
1 Kings 6:30 describes how Solomon adorned the temple, emphasizing the significance of gold in the construction of this holy place. The surrounding verses detail the meticulous craftsmanship involved in the temple's design, showcasing the importance of beauty and reverence in worship. This reflects the dedication to creating a space for God's presence, as seen in the broader context of the temple's construction in 1 Kings 6:29 and 1 Kings 6:31.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 54:11–12 | “O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires. |
| 2 | Isaiah 60:17 | Instead of bronze I will bring you gold; I will bring silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler. |
| 3 | Revelation 21:18–21 | The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צִפָּה, tzi.Pahgenerated
The verb צָפָה (tsaphah) means to overlay or cover, particularly with a material like gold. It is a Piel verb in the perfect tense, indicating that Solomon completed the action of overlaying the temple floor.
This word emphasizes the act of adorning the temple, which was a significant aspect of its construction. The use of gold conveys both value and beauty, aligning with the temple's purpose as a sacred space.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term overlaid.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is צִפָּה, he overlaid, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a noun phrase for the object הַבַּ֖יִת (the house), followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the material used, זָהָב (gold), and two prepositional phrases describing the locations: לִפְנִ֖ימָה (to within) and וְלַחִיצֽוֹן (and to the outer).
The sentence's structure highlights the action of overlaying, with a clear focus on the materials and the specific areas of the temple being adorned.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the verb צָפָה is rendered as περιέσξεν (periesken), which also means to cover or overlay. This choice maintains the original meaning while adapting it to the Greek context.
The translation reflects a similar emphasis on the act of covering, suggesting that the significance of the temple's adornment was understood in both Hebrew and Greek traditions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Kings 6:30 tells us that Solomon covered the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries. This act of overlaying with gold emphasizes the beauty and holiness of the temple, as it was a place dedicated to God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This signifies that the temple was a place of great value and beauty, reflecting its importance as a dwelling place for God's presence.
Gold represents purity, value, and glory, making it a fitting material for a sacred space dedicated to worship.
The inner sanctuary refers to the most holy place within the temple, while the outer sanctuary is the area accessible to the priests and worshippers.
This verse highlights the meticulous care and reverence with which Solomon approached the construction of the temple, underscoring its significance as a holy place.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the use of gold in the temple teach us about the value of sacred spaces in our lives?
- How can we apply the idea of 'overlaying' to our own lives in terms of beautifying our worship and devotion?
- What aspects of the temple's construction reflect God's character and holiness?
- In what ways can we ensure that our own lives are dedicated to God, much like the temple was?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Bede, reflect on the significance of the temple's design, interpreting the inner and outer sanctuaries in the context of worship and community.
Inside and outside mean in the oracle and in the temple itself. Now we have said above that the evenness of the floor denoted the humble harmony of the holy brotherhood where, though there are Jews and Gentiles, barbarians and Scythians,Early Church Fathers on 1 Kings 6 →
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 6:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the floor of the house he overlaid with gold within and without.
Read John Gill on 1 Kings 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Kings 6:30 And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.Ver. 30. And the floor he overlaid with gold.] The pavement of marble covered with fir, did set forth faith in the heart, and holiness in the life - the fir tree is straight and tall - and the gold upon all these, love.
Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 6 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and outside.
And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
He plated the floor of the temple with gold, inside and out.
Tyndale line
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
And the floore of the house hee couered with golde within and without.
Strictly literal
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
And the floor of the house he hath overlaid with gold, within and without;
And he has overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and outside;
And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold for the debir and for the temple.
Solomon overlaid the floor of the house with gold, in both the outer and inner rooms.
From the Latin
And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within and without.
Simplified
He also had the floor of the Temple covered with gold, both the inner and outer sanctuaries.
And the floor of the house was covered with gold, inside and out.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states: וְאֶת־ קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת צִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃. The Septuagint matches six of the seven words closely, indicating a strong agreement in the core message of the verse.
וְאֶת־ קַרְקַ֥ע הַבַּ֖יִת צִפָּ֣ה זָהָ֑ב לִפְנִ֖ימָה וְלַחִיצֽוֹן׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Kings 6:30
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Conj | DirObjM — Conjunction · particleHC/To
קַרְקַע (qarqa`) refers to a floor or base, often described as a pavement-like surface. It can denote the bottom of a building or the sea. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to flooring or foundational surfaces.
קַרְקַע n.[m.] floor
base
H7172 קַרְקַע
7172 qarqa` kar-kah'
from 7167; floor (as if a pavement of pieces or tesseroe), of
a building or the sea:--bottom, (X one side of the) floor.
see HEBREW for 07167
קַרְקַע (qar.qa) — floor.
floor, bottom
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
base
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
house
place
receptacle
of house as containing a family
household, family (592 t.)
house, including household affairs
lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
מִבַּיִת
adv. on the inside
prep. within
base
H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house
1004 bayith bah'-yith
probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest
variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,
daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as
would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),
inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,
temple, web, + within(-out).
see HEBREW for 01129
בֵּית (bet) — place.
nm
place, origin, between
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.
: home/temple/building
nm
1) house
1a) house, dwelling habitation
1b) shelter or abode of animals
1c) human bodies (fig.)
1d) of Sheol
1e) of abode of light and darkness
1f) of land of Ephraim
2) place
3) receptacle
4) home, house as containing a family
5) household, family
5a) those belonging to the same household
5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body
6) household affairs
7) inwards (metaph.)
8) (TWOT) temple
adv
9) on the inside
prep
10) within
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Ac 12:1, "prison"):
I. CAVE DWELLINGS
II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES
1. Details of Plan and Construction
(1) Corner-Stone
(2) Floor
(3) Gutter
(4) Door
(5) Hinge
(6) Lock and Key
(7) Threshold
(8) Hearth
(9) Window
(10) Roof
2. Houses of More than One Story
(1) Upper Chambers and Stairs
(2) Palaces and Castles
3. Internal Appearance
III. OTHER MEANINGS
LITERATURE
I. Cave Dwellings.
The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Palestine were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having…
House
Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (
The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or…
Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.
The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d’ eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot…
צָפָה (tsaphah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lay out, overlay, or cover. It can refer to actions like plating or laying over materials, particularly metals. The entries suggest a focus on the physical act of covering or overlaying, with examples including pillars overlaid with gold. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[צָפָה] 47 vb. lay out, lay over
Qal they lay out the rug!
Pi. overlay, plate
Pu. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.
base
H6823 [צָפָה] lay out, lay over .they lay out the rug!
. overlay, plate
. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.
6823 tsaphah tsaw-faw'
a primitive root (probably identical with 6822 through the
idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action); to
sheet over (especially with metal):--cover, overlay.
see HEBREW for 06822
צָפָה (tsa.phah) — to overlay.
1) to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover
1a) (Piel) to overlay, plate, stud
1b) (Pual) to be laid over
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singularHVpp3ms
זָהָב (zahab) means gold and is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of shimmering. It encompasses various aspects of gold, including its value as a precious metal, its use as a measure of weight, and its figurative brilliance. The term appears in contexts related to wealth, merchandise, and gifts.
זָהָב 385 n.m. gold
= gold-ore, gold in raw state
gold as wealth
gold as spoil of war
gold as merchandise
gold as costly gift
gold as material
gold described by its source
gold defined by var. adj. and pts.
as measure of weight and value
= golden oil, from colour
often named with
the chief vbs. used
base
H2091 זָהָב gold
2091 zahab zaw-hawb'
from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively,
something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:--
gold(-en), fair weather.
זָהָב (za.hav) — gold.
1) gold
1a) as precious metal
1b) as a measure of weight
1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gold (zahabh; chrusos):
1. Terms:
No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).
Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;
Gold
(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).
(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).
Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…
A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…
פְּנִ֫ימָה (pniymah) means 'within' or 'faceward,' indicating a direction toward the inside. It is derived from the root word פָּנָה (panah), which relates to facing or turning. The term emphasizes an inward orientation, often used to describe locations or directions in a physical or metaphorical sense.
פְּנִ֫ימָה adv.
toward the (in-) side
within (lit. faceward, fr. the point of view of one entering by opposite door)
base
H6441 פְּנִ֫ימָה
6441 pniymah pen-ee'-maw
from 6440 with directive enclitic; faceward, i.e.
indoors:--(with-)in(-ner part, -ward).
see HEBREW for 06440
פְּנִ֫ימָה (pe.ni.mah) — within.
toward the inside, within, faceward
Prep | Adv — Preposition · adverbHR/D
חִיצוֹן (chiytsown) refers to something that is outer or external, derived from the root word for 'wall side.' It covers meanings related to the exterior or outward aspects, often in a secular context as opposed to sacred. The entries consistently emphasize its use in describing outer or external qualities.
חִיצוֹן adj. outer, external
base
H2435 חִיצוֹן
2435 chiytsown khee-tsone'
from 2434; properly, the (outer) wall side; hence, exterior;
figuratively, secular (as opposed to sacred):--outer, outward,
utter, without.
see HEBREW for 02434
חִיצוֹן (chi.tson) — outer.
outer, external, outward
Conj | Prep | Adj — Conjunction · prepositionHC/Rd/Aamsa
out'-er: This adjective is used 12 times by Ezekiel of the outside court of the temple. In Matthew we find it 3 times (8:12; 22:13; 25:30) in "outer darkness" (to skotos to exoteron), which typifies the utter darkness of the doom of the lost.