5 He built side rooms around the temple. They were built against the walls of the main hall and the Most Holy Room.
6 On the first floor the side rooms were seven and a half feet wide. On the second floor they were nine feet wide. And on the third floor they were ten and a half feet wide. Solomon made the walls of the temple thinner as they went up floor by floor. The result was ledges along the walls. So the floor beams of the side rooms rested on the ledges. The beams didn't go into the temple walls.
7 All of the stones that were used for building the temple were shaped where they were cut. So hammers, chisels and other iron tools couldn't be heard where the temple was being built.
8 The entrance to the first floor was on the south side of the temple. A stairway led up to the second floor. From there it went on up to the third floor.
9 So Solomon built the temple and finished it. He made its roof out of beams and cedar boards.
10 He built side rooms all along the temple. Each room was seven and a half feet high. They were joined to the temple by cedar beams.
11 A message came to Solomon from the Lord. The Lord said,