1 Kings 6:11

Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Solomon immediately after the narrative describes the construction of the temple's upper chambers. The divine speech interrupts the building account to establish a conditional framework for the project's completion.

The words — דְּבַר יְהוָה (de.var Yah.weh) literally translates to "word of Yahweh," denoting an authoritative divine utterance. The verb וַיְהִי (va/y.Hi) functions as "came," marking the formal arrival of this message rather than a spontaneous thought.

The thread — This introduction formula recurs throughout the historical and prophetic books, such as 1 Kings 12:24 and Jeremiah 1:4. It consistently signals that the following statement carries binding covenant authority rather than human advice.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to treat architectural progress as secondary to covenant obedience. It demands that temple building and national stability be measured by keeping commandments rather than by structural achievement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.