Reading for August 7th

 Read 1 Kings 7.1-12. In 7.1-12: Solomon's palace complex. In verse 1: Solomon spent thirteen years on his palace and only seven on the Temple (7.18). But the writer of 1 Kings stresses the Temple by spending much more time on it. Also, in the Hebrew (Masoretic) text the material about Solomon's palace is sandwiched between accounts dealing with the Temple (6.1-38 and 7.13-51). The order of the Greek or Septuagint (LXX) text is different. Whichever placement is original, both Hebrew and Greek versions show that, for the author of 1 Kings, the Temple was of greater importance. In verses 2-5: The House of the Forest of the Lebanon may have derived its name from its rows of cedar pillars. Comments or Questions..