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1 Kings 7:13-47
New American Standard Bible

Hiram’s Work in the Temple

13 Now (A)King Solomon sent word and had Hiram brought from Tyre. 14 (B)He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, an artisan in bronze; and (C)he was filled with wisdom, skill, and knowledge for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and (D)performed all his work.

15 He fashioned (E)the two pillars of bronze; [a](F)eighteen cubits was the height of [b]each pillar, and a line of [c]twelve cubits [d]measured the circumference of both. 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to put on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was [e]five cubits and the height of the other capital was [f]five cubits. 17 There were lattices of latticework and wreaths of chainwork for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars, and two rows around on the one lattice to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. 19 The capitals which were on the tops of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. 20 So there were capitals on the two pillars, also above and close to the [g]rounded projection which was beside the lattice; and (G)the pomegranates totaled two hundred in rows around [h]both capitals. 21 (H)And he set up the pillars at the (I)porch of the [i]main room: he set up the right pillar and named it [j]Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it [k]Boaz. 22 On the top of the pillars was the lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (J)He also he made the [l]Sea of (K)cast metal [m]ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in shape, and its height was five cubits, and [n]it was [o]thirty cubits in circumference. 24 Under its brim (L)gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, (M)completely surrounding the Sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast [p]with the rest. 25 (N)It was standing on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the Sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward. 26 And it was a [q]hand width thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it could hold [r]two thousand baths.

27 Then (O)he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was [s]four cubits, its width four cubits, and its height was three cubits. 28 This was the design of the stands: they had borders, that is, borders between the crossbars, 29 and on the borders which were between the crossbars were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the crossbars there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. 30 Now each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four feet had supports; beneath the basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side. 31 And its opening inside the crown at the top was a [t]cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and on its opening also there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were underneath the borders, and the axles of the wheels were on the stand. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 Now there were four supports at the four corners of each stand; its supports were part of the stand itself. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a circular form [u]half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand its [v]stays and its borders were part of it. 36 And he engraved on the plates of its stays and on its borders cherubim, lions, and palm trees, as there was clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 (P)He made the ten stands like this: all of them had the [w]same casting, [x]same measure, and [y]same form.

38 (Q)And he made ten basins of bronze, [z]each holding [aa]forty baths; each basin was [ab]four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin. 39 Then he placed the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the [ac]Sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south.

40 Now Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the (R)two pillars, and the two lattices to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; 42 and the (S)four hundred pomegranates for the two lattices, two rows of pomegranates for each lattice to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars; 43 and the ten stands with the ten basins on the stands; 44 and (T)the one [ad]Sea and the twelve oxen under the Sea; 45 and (U)the buckets, the shovels, and the bowls; indeed, all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of the Lord were of polished bronze. 46 (V)The king had them cast in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between (W)Succoth and (X)Zarethan. 47 However, Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; (Y)the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:15 About 27 ft. or 8 m
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit the one
  3. 1 Kings 7:15 About 18 ft. or 5.5 m
  4. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit went around the other pillar
  5. 1 Kings 7:16 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  6. 1 Kings 7:16 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  7. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit belly
  8. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit on the other capital
  9. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit sanctuary
  10. 1 Kings 7:21 I.e., he shall establish
  11. 1 Kings 7:21 I.e., in it is strength
  12. 1 Kings 7:23 I.e., large basin
  13. 1 Kings 7:23 About 15 ft. in diameter and 7.5 ft. high or 4.6 m and 2.3 m high
  14. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit a line of 30 cubits went around it all around;
  15. 1 Kings 7:23 About 45 ft. or 14 m
  16. 1 Kings 7:24 Lit in its casting
  17. 1 Kings 7:26 About 3 in. or 7.6 cm
  18. 1 Kings 7:26 About 12,000 gallons or 45,424 liters
  19. 1 Kings 7:27 About 6 ft. long and wide and 4.5 ft. high or 1.8 m and 1.4 m
  20. 1 Kings 7:31 About 18 in. or 45 cm
  21. 1 Kings 7:35 About 9 in. or 23 cm
  22. 1 Kings 7:35 Lit hands
  23. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  24. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  25. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  26. 1 Kings 7:38 Lit the one basin held
  27. 1 Kings 7:38 About 240 gallons or 908 liters
  28. 1 Kings 7:38 About 6 ft. or 1.8 m
  29. 1 Kings 7:39 I.e., large basin
  30. 1 Kings 7:44 I.e., large basin
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1 Kings 7:13-47
New Living Translation

Furnishings for the Temple

13 King Solomon then asked for a man named Huram[a] to come from Tyre. 14 He was half Israelite, since his mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. Huram was extremely skillful and talented in any work in bronze, and he came to do all the metal work for King Solomon.

15 Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference.[b] 16 For the tops of the pillars he cast bronze capitals, each 7 1⁄2 feet[c] tall. 17 Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. 18 He also encircled the latticework with two rows of pomegranates to decorate the capitals over the pillars. 19 The capitals on the columns inside the entry room were shaped like water lilies, and they were six feet[d] tall. 20 The capitals on the two pillars had 200 pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. 21 Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz.[e] 22 The capitals on the pillars were shaped like water lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished.

23 Then Huram cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7 1⁄2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.[f] 24 It was encircled just below its rim by two rows of decorative gourds. There were about six gourds per foot[g] all the way around, and they were cast as part of the basin.

25 The Sea was placed on a base of twelve bronze oxen,[h] all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east, and the Sea rested on them. 26 The walls of the Sea were about three inches[i] thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 11,000 gallons[j] of water.

27 Huram also made ten bronze water carts, each 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4 1⁄2 feet tall.[k] 28 They were constructed with side panels braced with crossbars. 29 Both the panels and the crossbars were decorated with carved lions, oxen, and cherubim. Above and below the lions and oxen were wreath decorations. 30 Each of these carts had four bronze wheels and bronze axles. There were supporting posts for the bronze basins at the corners of the carts; these supports were decorated on each side with carvings of wreaths. 31 The top of each cart had a rounded frame for the basin. It projected 1 1⁄2 feet[l] above the cart’s top like a round pedestal, and its opening was 2 1⁄4 feet[m] across; it was decorated on the outside with carvings of wreaths. The panels of the carts were square, not round. 32 Under the panels were four wheels that were connected to axles that had been cast as one unit with the cart. The wheels were 2 1⁄4 feet in diameter 33 and were similar to chariot wheels. The axles, spokes, rims, and hubs were all cast from molten bronze.

34 There were handles at each of the four corners of the carts, and these, too, were cast as one unit with the cart. 35 Around the top of each cart was a rim nine inches wide.[n] The corner supports and side panels were cast as one unit with the cart. 36 Carvings of cherubim, lions, and palm trees decorated the panels and corner supports wherever there was room, and there were wreaths all around. 37 All ten water carts were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold.

38 Huram also made ten smaller bronze basins, one for each cart. Each basin was six feet across and could hold 220 gallons[o] of water. 39 He set five water carts on the south side of the Temple and five on the north side. The great bronze basin called the Sea was placed near the southeast corner of the Temple. 40 He also made the necessary washbasins, shovels, and bowls.

So at last Huram completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of the Lord:

41 the two pillars;
the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;
the two networks of interwoven chains that decorated the capitals;
42 the 400 pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that decorated the capitals on top of the pillars);
43 the ten water carts holding the ten basins;
44 the Sea and the twelve oxen under it;
45 the ash buckets, the shovels, and the bowls.

Huram made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of the Lord, just as King Solomon had directed. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon did not weigh all these things because there were so many; the weight of the bronze could not be measured.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:13 Hebrew Hiram (also in 7:40, 45); compare 2 Chr 2:13. This is not the same person mentioned in 5:1.
  2. 7:15 Hebrew 18 cubits [8.3 meters] tall and 12 cubits [5.5 meters] in circumference.
  3. 7:16 Hebrew 5 cubits [2.3 meters].
  4. 7:19 Hebrew 4 cubits [1.8 meters]; also in 7:38.
  5. 7:21 Jakin probably means “he establishes”; Boaz probably means “in him is strength.”
  6. 7:23 Hebrew 10 cubits [4.6 meters] across. . . . 5 cubits [2.3 meters] deep and 30 cubits [13.8 meters] in circumference.
  7. 7:24 Or 20 gourds per meter; Hebrew reads 10 per cubit.
  8. 7:25 Hebrew 12 oxen; compare 2 Kgs 16:17, which specifies bronze oxen.
  9. 7:26a Hebrew a handbreadth [8 centimeters].
  10. 7:26b Hebrew 2,000 baths [42 kiloliters].
  11. 7:27 Hebrew 4 cubits [1.8 meters] long, 4 cubits wide, and 3 cubits [1.4 meters] high.
  12. 7:31a Hebrew a cubit [46 centimeters].
  13. 7:31b Hebrew 1 1⁄2 cubits [69 centimeters]; also in 7:32.
  14. 7:35 Hebrew half a cubit wide [23 centimeters].
  15. 7:38 Hebrew 40 baths [840 liters].
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.