Palace
Summary
A palace in Scripture denotes the royal residence or any grand edifice, encompassing all buildings, courts, and gardens within the outer enclosure, with Solomon's palace being the most detailed biblical example.
☩Biblical Terminology
Several Hebrew words are rendered 'palace' in English translations. Armon designates a castle or fortified residence; birah refers to a citadel (used in Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel); and heykal means a large building, often the temple itself. In the New Testament, aule (courtyard or hall) is applied to the high priest's residence, while praitorion (praetorium) designates the Roman governor's headquarters. The term 'palace' encompasses all buildings within the royal enclosure including living quarters, halls of audience, courts, and gardens.
☩Solomon's Palace Complex
Solomon's palace occupied about 150,000-160,000 square feet on the eminence of Zion, adjoining the Temple. The principal building was 'the House of the Forest of Lebanon,' a great hall of state and audience measuring 100 cubits long by 50 wide by 30 high (approximately 175 x 88 x 52 feet), supported by four rows of cedar pillars with forty-five pillars total. The 'Porch of Judgment' was a separate hall where the king dispensed justice. The 'Porch of Pillars' (50 x 30 cubits) served as the ordinary reception room for daily business. Behind these public buildings lay the inner court with gardens, fountains, and cloisters, surrounded by quarters for attendants, guards, and the royal harem. A separate palace housed Pharaoh's daughter, too important for the common harem.
☩Other Biblical Palaces
David's palace was built with cedar from Lebanon by Tyrian craftsmen (2 Samuel 5:11). The palaces of Babylon (Daniel 4:29; 5:5; 6:18) and Shushan (Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2) served as settings for major biblical narratives. Ahab's 'ivory house' (1 Kings 22:39) indicates the luxury some Israelite kings attained. Herod's palace in Jerusalem was magnificent, later serving as the Roman praetorium. Archives were kept in palaces (Ezra 6:2), and proclamations issued from them (Amos 3:9). The destruction of palaces symbolized national judgment throughout prophetic literature.
☩The Praetorium in the New Testament
In Philippians 1:13, Paul's 'bonds in Christ' became manifest 'in all the palace' (KJV) or 'throughout the whole praetorian guard' (ESV). The term praitorion originally meant the general's headquarters in a military camp, later applied to provincial governors' residences. The most probable meaning here is the Imperial bodyguard—nine cohorts of 1,000 men each, later increased to ten. Paul, under praetorian custody in Rome, would have guards rotating regularly, enabling him to spread the gospel throughout this famous military body. Some scholars interpret it as the whole body of persons connected with the Imperial Court of justice. Either way, Paul's imprisonment furthered rather than hindered the gospel.
Related Verses81 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Palace," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Palace," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Palace," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.James Hastings (ed.), "Palace," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 5.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Palace," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).