1 Kings 6:1
New International Version
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.

New Living Translation
It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, that he began to construct the Temple of the LORD. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt.

English Standard Version
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.

King James Bible
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

New King James Version
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, that is, the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

NASB 1995
Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

NASB 1977
Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (April-May) which is the second month, that he began to build the Lord’s house (temple).

Christian Standard Bible
Solomon began to build the temple for the LORD in the four hundred eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Solomon began to build the temple for the LORD in the four hundred eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the second month, in the month of Ziv.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Solomon's workers started building the temple during Ziv, the second month of the year. It had been 4 years since Solomon became king of Israel, and 480 years since the people of Israel left Egypt.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Solomon began to build the LORD's temple 480 years after Israel left Egypt. He began building in the month of Ziv (the second month) of the fourth year of his reign over Israel.

Good News Translation
Four hundred and eighty years after the people of Israel left Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the second month, the month of Ziv, Solomon began work on the Temple.

International Standard Version
During the month of Ziv, which was the second month of the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, 480 years after the Israelis left the land of Egypt, Solomon began to build the LORD's Temple.

Majority Standard Bible
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon?s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.

NET Bible
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, during the month Ziv (the second month), he began building the LORD's temple.

New Heart English Bible
It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

World English Bible
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build Yahweh’s house.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year—in the month of Ziv, it [is] the second month—of the reigning of Solomon over Israel, that he builds the house for YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year -- in the month of Zif, it is the second month -- of the reigning of Solomon over Israel, that he buildeth the house for Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be in the eightieth year and four hundredth year after the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year, in the month of brightness, it the second month to king Solomon over Israel, and he will build the house to Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then it happened that, in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel departed from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, the house of the Lord began to be built.

New American Bible
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites went forth from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (the second month), he began to build the house of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
In the four hundred eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of May, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And it was in the four hundred and eightieth year after the Exodus of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year in the month Eyar, which is the second month that Solomon reigned over Israel, he began to build the house of LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass in the four hundred and fortieth year after the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt, in the fourth year and second month of the reign of king Solomon over Israel, that the king commanded that they should take great and costly stones for the foundation of the house, and hewn stones. And the men of Solomon, and the men of Chiram hewed the stones, and laid them for a foundation. In the fourth year he laid the foundation of the house of the Lord, in the month Ziu, even in the second month. In the eleventh year, in the month Baal, this is the eighth month, the house was completed according to all its plan, and according to all its arrangement.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Temple Construction Begins
1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv, the second month of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, he began to build the house of the LORD. 2The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.…

Cross References
Exodus 12:40-41
Now the duration of the Israelites’ stay in Egypt was 430 years. / At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt.

Acts 7:47
But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.

2 Chronicles 3:1-2
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. / Solomon began construction on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

2 Samuel 7:13
He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 5:5
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

1 Kings 8:2
And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim.

1 Kings 8:65
So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.

1 Kings 9:10
Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon built these two houses, the house of the LORD and the royal palace,

1 Kings 5:5
So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’

1 Kings 9:1
Now when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and had achieved all that he had desired to do,

2 Chronicles 6:1-2
Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud. / But I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

2 Chronicles 8:1
Now at the end of the twenty years during which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own palace,

1 Chronicles 17:12
He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever.

1 Chronicles 28:2
Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build it,

1 Chronicles 22:6-10
Then David called for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. / “My son,” said David to Solomon, “it was in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, / but this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My Name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before Me. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

A.

Judges 11:26
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

2 Chronicles 3:1,2
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite…

in the month Zif

1 Kings 6:37
In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:

Numbers 1:1
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

began [heb] built

Acts 7:47
But Solomon built him an house.

build

1 Chronicles 29:19
And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

Zechariah 6:12,13,15
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: …

John 2:19-21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up…

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Build Children Egypt Four Fourth House Hundred Israel Month Reign Second Solomon's Zif Ziv
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1 Kings 6
1. The building of Solomon's temple
5. The chambers thereof
11. God's promise unto it
15. The ceiling and adorning of it
23. The cherubim
31. The doors
36. The court
37. The time of building it














In the four hundred and eightieth year
This phrase marks a significant chronological anchor in biblical history. The Hebrew word for "year" is "שָׁנָה" (shanah), which is used throughout the Old Testament to denote a complete cycle of seasons. The specific mention of "four hundred and eightieth" year underscores the importance of God's timing and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. This period signifies the time elapsed since the Exodus, highlighting God's enduring covenant with Israel and His patience in preparing them for this monumental event.

after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt
The Exodus is a pivotal event in Israel's history, symbolizing deliverance and the birth of a nation under God's guidance. The Hebrew term for "come out" is "יָצָא" (yatsa), which conveys the idea of going forth or emerging. This phrase reminds us of God's mighty hand in liberating His people from bondage, a foundational act that shapes their identity and relationship with Him. It serves as a reminder of God's power and faithfulness to His promises.

in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel
Solomon, the son of David, is a central figure in Israel's history, known for his wisdom and the building of the Temple. The Hebrew word for "reign" is "מָלַךְ" (malak), meaning to rule or have dominion. The fourth year of Solomon's reign marks a period of stability and prosperity, allowing for the commencement of the Temple's construction. This timing reflects God's perfect plan and the fulfillment of His promise to David regarding his son building a house for the Lord.

in the month of Ziv, the second month
Ziv, known today as Iyar, corresponds to April-May in the Gregorian calendar. The Hebrew word "זִו" (Ziv) means brightness or splendor, reflecting the beauty and renewal of spring. This timing is significant as it symbolizes new beginnings and the flourishing of God's plans. The second month also aligns with the agricultural cycle, a time of growth and preparation, mirroring the spiritual and communal growth of Israel as they prepare to build the Temple.

he began to build the house of the LORD
The construction of the Temple is a monumental event in Israel's history, representing God's dwelling among His people. The Hebrew word for "build" is "בָּנָה" (banah), which implies establishing or constructing something of significance. The "house of the LORD" signifies a sacred space for worship and communion with God, fulfilling His promise to dwell among His people. This act of building is not just physical but spiritual, symbolizing the establishment of a deeper relationship with God and a center for His presence on earth.

(1) In the fourth year.--This date, given with marked precision, forms a most important epoch in the history of Israel, on which, indeed, much of the received chronology is based. In the LXX., 440 is read for 480, possibly by an interchange of two similar Hebrew letters, or, perhaps, by reckoning from the completion of Exodus at the death of Moses instead of its beginning. The Vulgate agrees with the Hebrew text. Josephus, on the other hand, without any hint of any other reckoning in the Scriptural record, gives 592 years. The date itself, involving some apparent chronological difficulties, has been supposed to be an interpolation; but without any sufficient ground, except Josephus's seeming ignorance of its existence, and some early quotations of the passage by Origen and others without it; and in neglect of the important fact that, disagreeing prima facie with earlier chronological indications in Scripture, it is infinitely unlikely to have been thus interpolated by any mere scribe.

These indications are, however, vague. The period includes the conquest and rule of Joshua, the era of the Judges down to Samuel, the reigns of Saul and David, and the three years of Solomon's reign already elapsed. Now, of these divisions, only the last three can be ascertained with any definiteness, at about 83 years. The time occupied by the conquest and rule of Joshua, cannot be gathered with any certainty from Scripture. The same is the case with the duration of some of the subsequent Judgeships. Even the numerous chronological notices given in the Book of Judges are inconclusive. We cannot tell whether they are literally accurate, or, as the recurrence of round numbers may seem to suggest, indefinite expressions for long periods; nor can we determine how far the various Judgeships were contemporaneous or successive. The tradition followed by St. Paul (Acts 13:19-21), assigning to the whole a period of 450 years, agrees generally with the latter idea. The genealogies given (as, for example, of David, in Ruth 4:18-22; 1Chronicles 2:3-15, and elsewhere) agree with the former. Hence, these vague chronological statistics cannot constitute a sufficient ground for setting aside a date so formally and unhesitatingly given at an important epoch of the history, corresponding to the equally formal determination of the date of the Exodus in Exodus 12:40-41. The omission of the date in quotations, again, proves little. The different date given by Josephus, without any notice of that which we now have, presents the only real difficulty. But it is possible that he may have been inclined tacitly to harmonise his chronology with some other reckoning known in his time among the heathen; and in any case it is doubtful whether his authority can outweigh that of our present text and the ancient versions. On the whole, therefore, the grounds assigned for rejection of the chronological notice of this verse, are insufficient.

Verse 1. - And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt [This date has been the subject of much controversy, which cannot even now be considered (pace Keil: "The correctness of the number 480 is now pretty generally admitted") as closed. Grave doubts are entertained as to its genuineness. Lord A. Hervey (Dict. Bib. vol. 2. p. 22) says it is "manifestly erroneous." Rawlinson considers it to be "an interpolation into the sacred text" (p. 515). And it is to he observed,

1. that the LXX. reads 440 instead of 480 years - a discrepancy which is suspicious, and argues some amount of incertitude.

2. Origen quotes this verse without these words (Comm. in S. Johann 2:20).

3. They would seem to have been unknown to Josephus, Clem. Alex., and others. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In the four
וְאַרְבַּ֣ע (wə·’ar·ba‘)
Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 702: Four

hundred
מֵא֣וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

and eightieth
בִשְׁמוֹנִ֣ים (ḇiš·mō·w·nîm)
Preposition-b | Number - common plural
Strong's 8084: Eighty, eightieth

year
שָׁנָ֣ה (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

after the Israelites
בְּנֵֽי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

had come
לְצֵ֣את (lə·ṣêṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

out of the land
מֵאֶֽרֶץ־ (mê·’e·reṣ-)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt,
מִצְרַיִם֩ (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

in the month
הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ (ha·ḥō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

of Ziv,
זִ֗ו (ziw)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2099: The second month of the Jewish calendar

the second
הַשֵּׁנִ֔י (haš·šê·nî)
Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular
Strong's 8145: Second (an ordinal number)

month
בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (bə·ḥō·ḏeš)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

of the fourth
הָרְבִיעִ֜ית (hā·rə·ḇî·‘îṯ)
Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 7243: Fourth, a fourth

year
שָׁנָ֡ה (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

of [Solomon's] reign
לִמְלֹ֥ךְ (lim·lōḵ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

[he]
שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne

began to build
וַיִּ֥בֶן (way·yi·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

the house
הַבַּ֖יִת (hab·ba·yiṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

of the LORD.
לַיהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: 1 Kings 6:1 It happened in the four hundred (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 5:18
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