The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought (A)Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And (B)he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 (C)He cast (D)two pillars of bronze. (E)Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.[a] 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and (F)the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice[b] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates[c] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were (G)two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 (H)He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (I)Then he made (J)the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were (K)gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on (L)twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth,[d] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.[e]

27 He also made the (M)ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames,

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:15 Targum, Syriac (compare Septuagint and Jeremiah 52:21); Hebrew and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second pillar
  2. 1 Kings 7:17 Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse
  3. 1 Kings 7:18 Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars
  4. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  5. 1 Kings 7:26 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters

The Temple’s Furnishings(A)(B)

13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram,[a](C) 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom,(D) with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all(E) the work assigned to him.

15 He cast two bronze pillars,(F) each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.[b] 16 He also made two capitals(G) of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits[c] high. 17 A network of interwoven chains adorned the capitals on top of the pillars, seven for each capital. 18 He made pomegranates in two rows[d] encircling each network to decorate the capitals on top of the pillars.[e] He did the same for each capital. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits[f] high. 20 On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates(H) in rows all around. 21 He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin[g] and the one to the north Boaz.[h](I) 22 The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars(J) was completed.

23 He made the Sea(K) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line(L) of thirty cubits[i] to measure around it. 24 Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

25 The Sea stood on twelve bulls,(M) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 It was a handbreadth[j] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.[k]

27 He also made ten movable stands(N) of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high.[l] 28 This is how the stands were made: They had side panels attached to uprights.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:13 Hebrew Hiram, a variant of Huram; also in verses 40 and 45
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
  3. 1 Kings 7:16 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters; also in verse 23
  4. 1 Kings 7:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts made the pillars, and there were two rows
  5. 1 Kings 7:18 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts pomegranates
  6. 1 Kings 7:19 That is, about 6 feet or about 1.8 meters; also in verse 38
  7. 1 Kings 7:21 Jakin probably means he establishes.
  8. 1 Kings 7:21 Boaz probably means in him is strength.
  9. 1 Kings 7:23 That is, about 45 feet or about 14 meters
  10. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  11. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 12,000 gallons or about 44,000 liters; the Septuagint does not have this sentence.
  12. 1 Kings 7:27 That is, about 6 feet long and wide and about 4 1/2 feet high or about 1.8 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high