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1 Kings 7:13-8:21
New King James Version

Hiram the Craftsman

13 Now King Solomon sent and brought [a]Huram from Tyre. 14 (A)He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and (B)his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; (C)he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.

The Bronze Pillars for the Temple(D)

15 And he [b]cast (E)two pillars of bronze, each one eighteen cubits high, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of each. 16 Then he made two capitals of cast bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 He made a lattice network, with wreaths of chainwork, for the capitals which were on top of the pillars: seven chains for one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars, and two rows of pomegranates above the network all around to cover the capitals that were on top; and thus he did for the other capital.

19 The capitals which were on top of the pillars in the hall were in the shape of lilies, four cubits. 20 The capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, by the convex surface which was next to the network; and there were (F)two hundred such pomegranates in rows on each of the capitals all around.

21 (G)Then he set up the pillars by the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the right and called its name [c]Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and called its name [d]Boaz. 22 The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. So the work of the pillars was finished.

The Sea and the Oxen

23 And he made (H)the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.

24 Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, (I)all the way around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast in two rows when it was cast. 25 It stood on (J)twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward. 26 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained [e]two thousand baths.

The Carts and the Lavers

27 He also made ten [f]carts of bronze; four cubits was the length of each cart, four cubits its width, and three cubits its height. 28 And this was the design of the carts: They had panels, and the panels were between frames; 29 on the panels that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And on the frames was a pedestal on top. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of plaited work. 30 Every cart had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and its four feet had supports. Under the laver were supports of cast bronze beside each wreath. 31 Its opening inside the crown at the top was one cubit in diameter; and the opening was round, shaped like a pedestal, one and a half cubits in outside diameter; and also on the opening were engravings, but the panels were square, not round. 32 Under the panels were the four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the cart. The height of a wheel was one and a half cubits. 33 The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel; their axle pins, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all of cast bronze. 34 And there were four supports at the four corners of each cart; its supports were part of the cart itself. 35 On the top of the cart, at the height of half a cubit, it was perfectly round. And on the top of the cart, its flanges and its panels were of the same casting. 36 On the plates of its flanges and on its panels he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was a clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 Thus he made the ten carts. All of them were of [g]the same mold, one measure, and one shape.

38 Then (K)he made ten lavers of bronze; each laver contained [h]forty baths, and each laver was four cubits. On each of the ten carts was a laver. 39 And he put five carts on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.

Furnishings of the Temple(L)

40 (M)Huram[i] made the lavers and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing all the work that he was to do for King Solomon for the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two (N)networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals which were on top of the pillars; 42 (O)four hundred pomegranates for the two networks (two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars); 43 the ten carts, and ten lavers on the carts; 44 one Sea, and twelve oxen under the Sea; 45 (P)the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.

All these articles which [j]Huram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46 (Q)In the plain of Jordan the king had them cast in clay molds, between (R)Succoth and (S)Zaretan. 47 And Solomon did not weigh all the articles, because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not (T)determined.

48 Thus Solomon had all the furnishings made for the house of the Lord: (U)the altar of gold, and (V)the table of gold on which was (W)the showbread; 49 the lampstands of pure gold, five on the right side and five on the left in front of the inner sanctuary, with the flowers and the lamps and the wick-trimmers of gold; 50 the basins, the trimmers, the bowls, the ladles, and the [k]censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner room (the Most Holy Place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

51 So all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things (X)which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

The Ark Brought into the Temple(Y)

8 Now (Z)Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, (AA)that they might bring (AB)up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the (AC)feast in the month of [l]Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, (AD)and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, (AE)the [m]tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, (AF)sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests (AG)brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to (AH)its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, (AI)under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles (AJ)extended so that the [n]ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 (AK)Nothing was in the ark (AL)except the two tablets of stone which Moses (AM)put there at Horeb, (AN)when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud (AO)filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the (AP)glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

12 (AQ)Then Solomon spoke:

“The Lord said He would dwell (AR)in the dark cloud.
13 (AS)I have surely built You an exalted house,
(AT)And a place for You to dwell in forever.”

Solomon’s Speech at Completion of the Work(AU)

14 Then the king turned around and (AV)blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said: (AW)“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who (AX)spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that (AY)My name might be there; but I chose (AZ)David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 Now (BA)it was in the heart of my father David to build a [o]temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 (BB)But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless (BC)you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’ 20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have [p]filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, (BD)as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 21 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is (BE)the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:13 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 fashioned
  3. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit. He Shall Establish
  4. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit. In It Is Strength
  5. 1 Kings 7:26 About 12,000 gallons; three thousand, 2 Chr. 4:5
  6. 1 Kings 7:27 Or stands
  7. 1 Kings 7:37 one
  8. 1 Kings 7:38 About 240 gallons
  9. 1 Kings 7:40 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14
  10. 1 Kings 7:45 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14
  11. 1 Kings 7:50 firepans
  12. 1 Kings 8:2 Or Tishri, September or October
  13. 1 Kings 8:4 tent
  14. 1 Kings 8:8 heads
  15. 1 Kings 8:17 Lit. house, and so in vv. 18–20
  16. 1 Kings 8:20 risen in the place of
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1 Kings 7:13-8:21
New International Version

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. 29 On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim—and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work. 30 Each stand(O) had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side. 31 On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit[m] deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half.[n] Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all of cast metal.

34 Each stand had four handles, one on each corner, projecting from the stand. 35 At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit[o] deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand. 36 He engraved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around. 37 This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same molds and were identical in size and shape.

38 He then made ten bronze basins,(P) each holding forty baths[p] and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands. 39 He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple. 40 He also made the pots[q] and shovels and sprinkling bowls.(Q)

So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the Lord:

41 the two pillars;

the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network decorating the bowl-shaped capitals(R) on top of the pillars);

43 the ten stands with their ten basins;

44 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it;

45 the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls.(S)

All these objects that Huram(T) made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain(U) of the Jordan between Sukkoth(V) and Zarethan.(W) 47 Solomon left all these things unweighed,(X) because there were so many;(Y) the weight of the bronze(Z) was not determined.

48 Solomon also made all(AA) the furnishings that were in the Lord’s temple:

the golden altar;

the golden table(AB) on which was the bread of the Presence;(AC)

49 the lampstands(AD) of pure gold (five on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary);

the gold floral work and lamps and tongs;

50 the pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes(AE) and censers;(AF)

and the gold sockets for the doors of the innermost room, the Most Holy Place, and also for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

51 When all the work King Solomon had done for the temple of the Lord was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated(AG)—the silver and gold and the furnishings(AH)—and he placed them in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.

The Ark Brought to the Temple(AI)

8 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs(AJ) of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark(AK) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.(AL) 2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival(AM) in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.(AN)

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests(AO) took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting(AP) and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites(AQ) carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing(AR) so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

6 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant(AS) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,(AT) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.(AU) 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed(AV) the ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.(AW) 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets(AX) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud(AY) filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And the priests could not perform their service(AZ) because of the cloud, for the glory(BA) of the Lord filled his temple.

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;(BB) 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell(BC) forever.”

14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed(BD) them. 15 Then he said:

“Praise be to the Lord,(BE) the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt,(BF) I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name(BG) might be there, but I have chosen(BH) David(BI) to rule my people Israel.’

17 “My father David had it in his heart(BJ) to build a temple(BK) for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 19 Nevertheless, you(BL) are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’(BM)

20 “The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded(BN) David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built(BO) the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

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
  13. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  14. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 2 1/4 feet or about 68 centimeters; also in verse 32
  15. 1 Kings 7:35 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  16. 1 Kings 7:38 That is, about 240 gallons or about 880 liters
  17. 1 Kings 7:40 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Vulgate (see also verse 45 and 2 Chron. 4:11); many other Hebrew manuscripts basins
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