Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
The winter-house - (Amos 3:15, "I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house").
In the ninth month - namely, of the religious year - i:e., November or December.
There was a fire on the hearth - rather, 'the stove х haa'aach (H254)] was burning before him.' In the East neither chimneys nor ovens are used, but in cold weather a brasen vessel containing burning charcoal; when the wood has burned to embers a cover is placed over the pot, to make it retain the heat.