1 Kings 5:17The king commanded, and they cut out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~966 BC. Quarries outside the city echo with hammering as workers cut massive limestone blocks. Each stone costs a fortune and must be perfect for God's house foundation.
The emotion here: awe at recording the magnitude of this sacred undertaking
The original word
yāqār (יקר) — precious, costly, honored; these weren't just big stones but expensive ones
Why it matters
Archaeological evidence shows temple stones were cut with bronze tools and weighed up to 15 tons each
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Kings 5:17
The stones were cut AWAY from the temple site to maintain sacred silence during construction
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about Solomon's wealth, but it's about honoring God with the most precious materials available, not showing off
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Kings 5:17
Bible Genome reading
1 Kings 5:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Kings 5:17 comes from the book of 1 Kings, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include foundation, excellence. Notable phrases: great stones; costly stones; foundation.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same starting
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1
“God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.”
— Genesis 1:3
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and t…”
— Acts 1:8
“Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receiv…”
— Acts 2:38
Your reflection
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