Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Windows of narrow lights - The Vulgate says, fenestras obliquas, oblique windows; but what sort of windows could such be?

The Hebrew is אטמים שקפים חלוני challoney shekuphim atumim, windows to look through, which shut. Probably latticed windows: windows through which a person within could see well; but a person without, nothing. Windows, says the Targum, which were open within and shut without. Does he mean windows with shutters; or, are we to understand, with the Arabic, windows opening wide within, and narrow on the outside; such as we still see in ancient castles? This sense our margin expresses. We hear nothing of glass or any other diaphanous substance. Windows, perhaps originally windore, a door to let the wind in, in order to ventilate the building, and through which external objects might be discerned.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Windows of narrow lights - Either (as in the margin) windows, externally mere slits in the wall, but opening wide within, like the windows of old castles: or, more probably, “windows with fixed lattices.” The windows seem to have been placed high in the walls, above the chambers spoken of in 1 Kings 6:5-8.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. Or "open, shut"^F15אטמים שקפים "apertas clausas", Vatablus; "perspectui accommodas, clausas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , which could be both, having shutters to them, to open or shut at pleasure; windows which they could open, and look through at them, or shut when they pleased; the Targum is,

"open within, and shut without;'

or, as others understand it, they were wide within, and narrow without; by being narrow without, the house was preserved from bad weather, as well as could not so easily be looked into by those without; and by being broader within, the light that was let in spread itself within the house; which some interpret only of the holy place, the most holy place having, as they suppose, no windows in it, which yet is not certain: now these windows may denote the word and ordinances of the church of God, whereby light is communicated to men; which in the present state is but narrow or small, in comparison of the new Jerusalem church state, and the ultimate glory; and especially so it was under the legal dispensation, which was very obscure; see Song of Solomon 2:9 Isaiah 55:8.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

windows of narrow lights — that is, windows with lattices, capable of being shut and opened at pleasure, partly to let out the vapor of the lamps, the smoke of the frankincense, and partly to give light [Keil].

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

Narrow — Narrow outward, to prevent the inconveniences of the weather; widening by degrees inward, that so the house might better receive, and more disperse the light.

Scofield's Reference Notes

windows of narrow lights

Cf. 2 Chronicles 4:20. In the holy of holies in the tabernacle no light but the shekinah glory was provided. In many ways Solomon's temple manifests the spiritual deterioration of the people, and Jehovah's condescension to it in grace.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 6:4 And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

Ver. 4. And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.] Or, Broad within and narrow without. Or, Skewed and closed, that is, glazed, as R. Jehudah interpreteth it. Bright the temple was, as being full of windows (a) so Christ came "a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on him should not abide in darkness." [John 12:46] The first thing the Spirit doth in a sanctified soul, is to beat out new windows there, and to diffuse a marvellous light. [Acts 26:19]

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Narrow outward, to prevent the inconveniences of the weather; widening by degrees inward, that so the house might better receive and more disperse the light. Or, for prospect, i.e. to give light; yet shut, i.e. so far closed as to keep out weather, and let in light.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

4.Windows of narrow lights — Septuagint, holes of concealed network. Vulgate, slanting windows. The Hebrew is, windows of closed bars; that is, of lattice work. They served both for ventilation and for light. The position of these windows is not stated, and we are left to infer that they were set wherever needed, and wherever they would help to enhance the architectural finish and beauty of the building. Hence they were probably both in the upper part of the main building and also in the side-chambers. Compare Ezekiel 40:16.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 6:4. Windows of narrow lights — Narrow without, to prevent the inconveniences of the weather, and widening by degrees inwardly, that the house might better receive, and more disperse, the light. The tabernacle had no light from without, and it appears by this the temple had not much.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Oblique windows. Which were made slanting, that the light might be more easily communicated within. (Haydock) --- On the outside they were not so large. (Worthington) (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "windows to see through, shut," with lattices, (Calmet) or blinds. Protestants, "he made windows of narrow lights." (Haydock) --- Curtains might be hung before them, as no glass was yet used. (Calmet) --- These windows occupied the five cubits above the chambers, which were built on the west end, and on the sides of the temple, 15 cubits high. (Calmet) --- No windows were permitted in the holy of holies. (Menochius)

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

Windows of narrow lights, [ chalowneey (Hebrew #2474) sh

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Windows of narrow lights.—The marginal reading, “windows broad within and narrow without”—splayed as in ordinary Gothic architecture—is supported by very good authorities; but the most probable meaning is “windows with fixed beams”—that is, with fixed lattices, like jalousies, useful for ventilation, but immovable, so that no one could look out or in.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

windows of narrow lights

or, windows broad within, and narrow without; or, skewed and closed.

4; Song of Solomon 2:9; Ezekiel 40:16; 41:26