Bible in a Year.

On day 148, 1 Kings 6 describes the meticulous construction of Solomon's temple, emphasizing holiness and dedication. 2 Chronicles 9 recounts the visit of foreign kings, recognizing the wisdom and prosperity of the kingdom. Psalm 4 reminds us to trust in God and seek His guidance amid our worries.

1. And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel, in the month Zio (the same is the second month), he began to build a house to the Lord.

2. And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was threescore cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in height.

3. And there was a porch before the temple of twenty cubits in length, according to the measure of the breadth of the temple: and it was ten cubits in breadth before the face of the temple.

4. And he made in the temple oblique windows.

5. And upon the wall of the temple he built floors round about, in the walls of the house round about the temple and the oracle, and he made sides round about.

6. The floor that was underneath, was five cubits in breadth, and the middle floor was six cubits in breadth, and the third door was seven cubits in breadth. And he put beams in the house round about on the outside, that they might not be fastened in the walls of the temple.

7. And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building.

8. The door for the middle side was on the right hand of the house : and by winding stairs they went up to the middle room, and from the middle to the third.

9. So he built the house, and finished it: end he covered the house with roofs of cedar.

10. And he built a floor over all the house five cubits in height, and he covered the house with timber of cedar.

11. And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying:

12. This house, which thou buildest, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, walking in them, I will fulfil my word to thee which I spoke to David thy father.

13. And I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

14. So Solomon built the house and finished it.

15. And he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house to the top of the walls, and to the roots, he covered it with boards of cedar on the inside: and he covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

16. And he built up twenty cubits with boards of cedar at the hinder part of the temple, from the floor to the top: and made the inner house of the oracle to be the holy of holies.

17. And the temple itself before the doors of the oracle was forty cubits long.

18. And all the house was covered within with cedar, having the turnings, and the joints thereof artfully wrought and carvings projecting out: all was covered with boards of cedar: and no stone could be seen in the wall at all.

19. And he made the oracle in the midst of the house, in the inner part, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

20. Now the oracle was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in height. And he covered and overlaid it with most pure gold. And the altar also he covered with cedar.

21. And the house before the oracle he overlaid with most pure gold, and fastened on the plates with nails of gold.

22. And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold.

23. And he made in the oracle two cherubims of olive tree, of ten cubits in height.

24. One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of the cherub was five cubits: that is, in all ten cubits, from the extremity of one wing to the extremity of the other wing.

26. The second cherub also was ten cubits: and the measure, and the work was the same in both the cherubims:

26. That is to say, one cherub was ten cubits high, and in like manner the other cherub.

27. And he set the cherubims in the midst of the inner temple: and the cherubims stretched forth their wings, and the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall: and the other wings in the midst of the temple touched one another.

28. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

29. And all the walls of the temple round about he carved with divers figures and carvings: and he made in them cherubims and palm trees, and divers representations, as it were standing out, and coming forth from the wall.

30. And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within and without.

31. And in the entrance of the oracle he made little doors of olive tree, and posts of five corners,

32. And two doors of olive tree: and he carved upon them figures of cherubims, and figures of palm trees, and carvings very much projecting: and he overlaid them with gold: and he covered both the cherubims and the palm trees, and the other things with gold.

33. And he made in the entrance of the temple posts of olive tree foursquare:

34. And two doors of fir tree, one of each side : and each door was double, and so opened with folding leaves.

35. And he carved cherubims, and palm trees, and carved work standing very much out: and he overlaid all with golden plates in square work by rule.

36. And he built the inner court with three rows of polished stones, and one row of beams of cedar.

37. In the fourth year was the house of the Lord founded in the month Zio:

38. And in the eleventh year in the month Bul (which is the eighth month) the house was finished in all the works thereof, and in all the appurtenances thereof: and he was seven years in building it.

1. And when the queen of Saba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to try him with hard questions at Jerusalem, with great riches, and camels, which carried spices, and abundance of gold, and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she proposed to him all that was in her heart.

2. And Solomon explained to her all that she proposed: and there was not any thing that he did not make clear unto her.

3. And when she had seen these things, to wit, the wisdom of Solomon, and the house which he had built,

4. And the meats of his table, and the dwelling places of his servants, and the attendance of his officers, and their apparel, his cupbearers also, and their garments, and the victims which he offered in the house of the Lord: there was no more spirit in her, she was so astonished.

5. And she add to the king: The word is true which I heard in my country of thy virtues and wisdom.

6. I did not believe them that told it, until I came, and my eyes had seen, and I had proved that scarce one half of thy wisdom had been told me: thou hast exceeded the same with thy virtues.

7. Happy are thy men, and happy are thy servants, who stand always before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

8. Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath been pleased to set thee on his throne, king of the Lord thy God. Because God loveth Israel, and will preserve them for ever: therefore hath he made thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

9. And she gave to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and most precious stones: there were no such spices as these which the queen of Saba gave to king Solomon.

10. And the servants also of Hiram, with the servants of Solomon, brought gold from Ophir, and thyine trees, and most precious stones:

11. And the king made of the thyine trees stairs in the house of the Lord, and in the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the singing men: never were there seen such trees in the land of Juda.

12. And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she desired, and that she asked, and many more things than she brought to him: so she returned, and went to her own country with her servants.

13. And the weight of the gold, that was brought to Solomon every year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold:

14. Beside the sum which the deputies of divers nations, and the merchants were accustomed to bring, and all the kings of Arabia, and the lords of the lands, who I brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15. And king Solomon made two hundred golden spears, of the sum of six hundred pieces of gold, which went to every spear:

16. And three hundred golden shields of three hundred pieces of gold, which went to the covering of every shield: and the king put them in the armoury, which was compassed with a wood.

17. The king also made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

18. And six steps to go up to the throne, and a footstool of gold, and two arms one on either side, and two lions standing by the arms:

19. Moreover twelve other little lions standing upon the steps on both sides: there was not such a throne in any kingdom.

20. And all the vessels of the king's table were of gold, and the vessels of the house of the forest of Libanus were of the purest gold. For no account was made of silver in those days.

21. For the king's ships went to Tharsis with the servants of Hiram, once in three years: and they brought thence gold and silver, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

22. And Solomon was magnified above all the kings of the earth for riches and glory.

23. And all the kings of the earth desired to see the face of Solomon, that they might hear the wisdom which God had given in his heart.

24. And every year they brought him presents, vessels of silver and of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, and horses, and mules.

25. And Solomon had forty thousand horses in the stables, and twelve thousand chariots, and horsemen, and he placed them in the cities of the chariots, and where the king was in Jerusalem.

26. And he exercised authority over all the kings from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.

27. And he made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars as common as the sycamores, which grow in the plains.

28. And horses were brought to him out of Egypt, and out of all countries.

29. Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are written in the words of Nathan the prophet, and in the boobs of Ahias the Silonite, and in the vision of Addo the seer, against Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

30. And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

31. And he slept d with his fathers: and they buried him in the city of David: and Roboam his son reigned in his stead

1. Unto the end, in verses. A psalm of David.

2. When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.

3. O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?

4. Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.

5. Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

6. Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?

7. The light of thy countenance O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.

8. By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, they are multiplied.

9. In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest:

10. for thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.