Wesley Corpus

Winding stairs - Without the wall, leading up to the gallery out of which they went into the several chambers. Middle chamber - Or rather, into the middle story, or row of chambers; and so in the following words, out of the middle story: for these stair's could not lead up into each of the chambers; nor was it needful, but only into the story, which was sufficient for the use of all the chambers. Built chambers - The Hebrew words may be properly rendered, He built a roof, a flat and plain roof, over all the house, according to the manner of the Israelitish buildings. The inner roof was arched, ver.9, that it might be the more beautiful, but the outward roof was flat. Five cubits - Above the walls of the temple: that it might be a little higher than the arched roof, which it was designed to cover and secure. They rested - Heb. it rested, namely, the roof. Timber of cedar - Which rested upon the top of the wall, as the chambers, ver.5, rested upon the sides of the wall. If - God expresses the condition upon which his promise and favour is suspended; and by assuring him thereof in case of obedience, he plainly intimates the contrary upon his disobedience. Thus he was taught, that all the charge he and the people were at, in erecting this temple, would neither excuse them from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter them from his judgments in case of disobedience. Walls - The name of a wall is not appropriated to stone or brick, because we read of a brazen wall, Jer 15:20, and a wall of iron, Ezek 4:3. And that wall into which Saul smote his javelin, 1Sam 19:10, seems more probably to be understood of wood, than of stone; especially, considering that it was the room where the king used to dine. By this periphrasis, from the floor of the house, unto the walls of the ceiling, he designs all the side - walls of the house. Them - The side - walls of the house. Wood - With other kind of wood, even with fir; as appears from 2Chron 3:5, wherewith the floor is here said to be covered.