1 Kings 6:7
in 1 Kings 6The temple was constructed using finished stones cut at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
KJV
And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
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This verse in 1 Kings 6
Commentary
9 notes on this verseChrist knocks with his hand that you may open, whereas the adversary cuts the door down with axes; and therefore it is written that hammer and axe should not enter into the house of God. Pride and deceit ought to be outdoors, not inside; conflicts indeed ought to be outside; but within, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Let not your soul be cut with the iron, but even as Joseph's soul, so may your soul pass by the iron.
This site's exposition
neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron
No hammer, axe or iron tool sounds in the house while it is being built, because every stone arrives already shaped from the quarry. The silence recalls the altar law of Exodus 20:25, which forbids a lifted tool on stone meant for the Lord, and older writers read it as a picture of a house built in peace: Henry calls it the temple of the God of peace, where no iron tool must be heard, and Wesley adds a mystical signification to the same quiet. The text itself states only the plain fact of the silence.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
How, he says, "was the hammer of the whole earth broken and crushed? How was Babylon brought to destruction?" One needs to enquire here who is the "hammer of all the earth" or in what way its brokenness is prophesied, since it was "broken" before it was "crushed," so that after bringing together what has been written elsewhere about the "hammer," when we find its name, we will also investigate the meaning of the name from these examples that we have brought forth.At one time there was constructed a "house of God," according to the third book of Kings, and it was Solomon who built and erected it; and it was said here, as if in praise, about the "house of God," that "hammer and axe were not heard in the house of God." Therefore as the "hammer is not heard in the house of God," since the "house of God" is the church, so the "hammer is not heard" in the church. Who is this "hammer" who wants to obstruct, insofar as he can, the stones for building the temple, so that, "broken," they are not suited for its foundations? See with me if the devil is not the "hammer of the whole earth."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Made ready - Hewed, and squared, and fitted exactly according to the direction of the architect. Neither hammer, &c. - So it was ordered, partly for the ease and conveniency of carriage: partly, for the magnificence of the work, and commendation of the workmen's skill and diligence: and partly, for mystical signification.
And the house, when it was in building,....
But here, it seems, the preparation was more than ordinarily full and exact, to such a degree that, when the several parts came to be put together, there was nothing defective to be added, nothing amiss to be amended. It was to be the temple of God of peace, and therefore no iron tool must be heard in it.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The house - was built of stone - It appears that every stone was hewn and squared, and its place in the building ascertained, before it came to Jerusalem: the timbers were fitted in like manner. This greatly lessened the trouble and expense of carriage. On this account, that all was prepared at Mount Lebanon, there was neither hammer, axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the building; nothing except mallets to drive the tenons into the mortises, and drive in the pins to fasten them, was necessary: therefore there was no noise.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building--A subterranean quarry has been very recently discovered near Jerusalem, where the temple stones are supposed to have been hewn.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The spirit of the command (marginal references), was followed. Thus the fabric rose without noise.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַבַּ֙יִת֙ | vehabayit | and the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| בְּהִבָּ֣נֹת֔וֹ | behibanoto | when was built it | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶֽבֶן־ | ʾeven- | stone | H68 → | 273 times |
| שְׁלֵמָ֥ה | shelemah | perfect | H8003 → | 28 times |
| מַסָּ֖ע | masa' | quarry | H4551 → | |
| נִבְנָ֑ה | nivnah | it was built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| וּמַקָּב֤וֹת | umakavot | and hammers | H4717 → | |
| וְהַגַּרְזֶן֙ | vehagarzen | and <the> axe | H1631 → | |
| כָּל־ | kol- | any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כְּלִ֣י | keli | article of | H3627 → | 325 times |
| בַרְזֶ֔ל | varzel | iron | H1270 → | 76 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִשְׁמַ֥ע | nishma' | it was heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בַּבַּ֖יִת | babayit | in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| בְּהִבָּנֹתֽוֹ׃ | behibanoto | when was built it | H1129 → | 376 times |
וְהַבַּ֙יִת֙and the house
vehabayitH1004 →2046 times
בְּהִבָּ֣נֹת֔וֹwhen was built it
behibanotoH1129 →376 times
אֶֽבֶן־stone
ʾeven-H68 →273 times
שְׁלֵמָ֥הperfect
shelemahH8003 →28 times
מַסָּ֖עquarry
masa'H4551 →
נִבְנָ֑הit was built
nivnahH1129 →376 times
וּמַקָּב֤וֹתand hammers
umakavotH4717 →
וְהַגַּרְזֶן֙and <the> axe
vehagarzenH1631 →
כָּל־any
kol-H3605 →5413 times
כְּלִ֣יarticle of
keliH3627 →325 times
בַרְזֶ֔לiron
varzelH1270 →76 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִשְׁמַ֥עit was heard
nishma'H8085 →1159 times
בַּבַּ֖יִתin the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
בְּהִבָּנֹתֽוֹ׃when was built it
behibanotoH1129 →376 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:20–22
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
- Ephesians 2:20–22
Through
Proverbs 24:27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
it leads to
- Luke 14:28–30
Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?
- 1 Kings 5:17–18
And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
- Luke 14:28–30
Through
Exodus 20:25Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it.
it leads to
- Joshua 8:31
just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on…
- Joshua 8:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Interrogation of Job and David 4.7.28; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JEREMIAH 27(50).1-2.