1 Kings 6:36

“And he built the inner court, etc.] The court of the priests, (<140409>2 Chronicles 4:9); so called to distinguish it from the outer court, where the people assembled: this was built with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams; the rows of stones were one upon another, topped with a row of cedar beams; or rather the cedar was a lining to the stones; and the whole is supposed to be about three cubits high, and was so low, that the people in the outward court might see priests ministering for them, and could converse with them; under the second temple, as Maimonides f108 says, the court of the priests was higher than that of the court of Israel two cubits and an half, called the…”

“the inner court--was for the priests. Its wall, which had a coping of cedar, is said to have been so low that the people could see over it.”

“The inner court - An outer court is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 4:9. The inner court is probably identical with the “higher court” of Jeremiah Jeremiah 36:10, being raised above the outer, as were sometimes the inner courts of Assyrian palaces. The court seems to have surrounded the temple. Its dimensions may be reasonably presumed to have been double those of the court of the tabernacle, i. e., 100 cubits on each side of the temple, and 200 cubits at the ends; or, about 720 feet long by 360 broad. With three rows of hewed stone - Either a fence enclosing the court, or the area of the court, which was possibly formed by three layers of hewn stone placed one above the other, and was then…”

“Inner court - The priests court, Ch2 4:9, so called, because it was next to the temple which it compassed. Cedar beams - Which is understood, of so many galleries, one on each side of the temple, whereof the three first were of stone, and the fourth of cedar, all supported with rows of pillars: upon which there were many chambers for the uses of the temple, and of the priests. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 6:38”

“6:36-38 The inner courtyard surrounding the Temple was restricted to the priests (2 Chr 4:9) and contained the bronze altar (2 Chr 4:1), the bronze Sea (1 Kgs 7:23-26; 2 Chr 4:2-5), and ten carts that could hold ten basins of water for purification (1 Kgs 7:27-40; 2 Chr 4:6).”

“the inner: Exo 27:9-19, Exo 38:9-20; Ch2 4:9, Ch2 7:7; Rev 11:2 3 Kings (1 Kings) 6:37”

“The courts. - "He built the inner court three rows of hewn stones and one row of hewn cedar beams." The epithet inner court applied to the "court of the priests" ( Ch2 4:9) presupposes an outer one, which is also mentioned in Ch2 4:9, and called "the great court." The inner one is called the upper (higher) court in Jer 36:10, from which it follows that it was situated on a higher level than the outer one, which surrounded it on all sides. It was enclosed by a low wall, consisting of three rows of hewn stones, or square stones, laid one upon another, and a row of hewn cedar beams, which were either laid horizontally upon the stones, after the analogy of the panelling of the temple walls on…”