Besides serving as quarters for the priests and the Levites, these chambers were also used to preserve the archives, the public treasure, the accessories of worship, and the priestly garments (1 Kings 8:4; 2 Chronicles 5:1).

The Bible seems to make a distinction between the "upper rooms" and the "surrounding rooms" in 1 Chronicles 28:11-12. Also in 2 Chronicles 3:9, while describing the temple structure itself, not the side chambers, the upper rooms was described as being overlaid with gold. This has led many to conclude that the third story was not the same as the upper rooms.   More...