18 There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Knops and open flowers - Rather, "gourds and opening flower-buds." Imitations of the vegetable world are among the earliest of architectural ornaments. They abound in the architecture of Egypt and Persia. In that of Assyria they occur more sparingly.
And the cedar of the house within,.... With which the inside of the place was lined:
was carved with knops; of an oval form; so the Targum says, they had the appearance of eggs; and Ben Gersom likewise, that they were in the form of eggs:
and open flowers; not in the figure of buds, but flowers blown, and open, as lilies and others; so the Targum:
all was cedar; the wainscotting of the house, the sides of it at least, if not the floor, and the carved work of it; and this was done, that the gold might be laid upon it, which could not be done on stone as on wood: and all was so covered, that
there was no stone seen; of which the outward walls were built: all this denotes the inward beauty of the church, and the curious workmanship of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people, whereby they become all glorious within, adorned with the graces of the blessed Spirit, their stony hearts being kept out of sight, yea, taken away.
Cedar - Cedar is here named, not to exclude all other wood, but stone only; as the following words shew.
*More commentary available at chapter level.