5 Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary ; thus he made side chambers all around . 6 The lowest story was five cubits wide , and the middle was six cubits wide , and the third was seven cubits wide ; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house . 7 The house , while it was being built , was built of stone prepared at the quarry , and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built . 8 The doorway for the lowest side chamber was on the right side of the house ; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third . 9 So he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar . 10 He also built the stories against the whole house , each five cubits high ; and they were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 6:5-10
Commentary on 1 Kings 6:1-10
(Read 1 Kings 6:1-10)
The temple is called the house of the Lord, because it was directed and modelled by him, and was to be employed in his service. This gave it the beauty of holiness, that it was the house of the Lord, which was far beyond all other beauties. It was to be the temple of the God of peace, therefore no iron tool must be heard; quietness and silence suit and help religious exercises. God's work should be done with much care and little noise. Clamour and violence often hinder, but never further the work of God. Thus the kingdom of God in the heart of man grows up in silence, Mark 5:27.