Solomon’s Palace Complex

Solomon completed his entire palace complex after thirteen years of construction.(A) He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.(B) It was one hundred fifty feet[a] long, seventy-five feet[b] wide, and forty-five feet[c] high on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars. It was paneled above with cedar at the top of the chambers that rested on forty-five pillars, fifteen per row. There were three rows of window frames, facing each other[d] in three tiers.[e](C) All the doors and doorposts had rectangular frames, the openings facing each other[f] in three tiers. He made the hall of pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. A portico was in front of the pillars, and a canopy with pillars[g] was in front of them. He made the Hall of the Throne where he would judge(D)—the Hall of Judgment. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters.[h] Solomon’s own palace where he would live, in the other courtyard behind the hall, was of similar construction. And he made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, his wife.[i](E)

All of these buildings were of costly stones, cut to size and sawed with saws on the inner and outer surfaces, from foundation to coping and from the outside to the great courtyard. 10 The foundation was made of large, costly stones twelve and fifteen feet[j] long. 11 Above were also costly stones, cut to size, as well as cedar wood. 12 Around the great courtyard, as well as the inner courtyard of the Lord’s temple and the portico of the temple, were three rows of dressed stone and a row of trimmed cedar beams.(F)

13 King Solomon had Hiram[k](G) brought from Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze craftsman. Hiram had great skill,(H) understanding, and knowledge to do every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.(I)

The Bronze Pillars

15 He cast two bronze pillars,(J) each 27 feet[l] high and 18 feet[m] in circumference.[n](K) 16 He also made two capitals(L) of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars; 7½ feet[o] was the height of the first capital, and 7½ feet was also the height of the second capital. 17 The capitals on top of the pillars had gratings of latticework, wreaths[p] made of chainwork—seven for the first capital and seven for the second.

18 He made the pillars with two encircling rows of pomegranates on the one grating to cover the capital on top; he did the same for the second capital. 19 And the capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were shaped like lilies, six feet[q] high. 20 The capitals on the two pillars were also immediately above the rounded surface next to the grating, and two hundred pomegranates(M) were in rows encircling each[r] capital. 21 He set up the pillars at the portico(N) of the sanctuary: he set up the right pillar and named it Jachin;[s] then he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz.[t](O) 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. Then the work of the pillars was completed.(P)

The Basin

23 He made the cast metal basin,[u](Q) 15 feet[v] from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7½ feet high and 45 feet in circumference. 24 Ornamental gourds(R) encircled it below the brim, ten every half yard,[w] completely encircling the basin.(S) The gourds were cast in two rows when the basin was cast. 25 It stood on twelve oxen,(T) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The basin was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 The basin was three inches[x] thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. It held eleven thousand gallons.[y]

The Bronze Water Carts

27 Then he made ten bronze water carts.[z](U) Each water cart was 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4½ feet[aa] high. 28 This was the design of the carts: They had frames; the frames were between the cross-pieces, 29 and on the frames between the cross-pieces were lions, oxen, and cherubim.(V) On the cross-pieces there was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging[ab] work. 30 Each cart(W) had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. Underneath the four corners of the basin were cast supports, each next to a wreath. 31 And the water cart’s opening inside the crown on top was eighteen inches[ac] wide. The opening was round, made as a pedestal twenty-seven inches[ad] wide. On it were carvings, but their frames were square, not round. 32 There were four wheels under the frames, and the wheel axles were part of the water cart; each wheel was twenty-seven inches[ae] tall. 33 The wheels’ design was similar to that of chariot wheels: their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal. 34 Four supports were at the four corners of each water cart; each support was one piece with the water cart. 35 At the top of the cart was a band nine inches[af] high encircling it; also, at the top of the cart, its braces and its frames were one piece with it. 36 He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees(X) on the plates of its braces and on its frames, wherever each had space, with encircling wreaths. 37 In this way he made the ten water carts using the same casting, dimensions, and shape for all of them.

Bronze Basins and Other Utensils

38 Then he made ten bronze basins(Y)—each basin held 220 gallons[ag] and each was six feet wide—one basin for each of the ten water carts. 39 He set five water carts on the right side of the temple and five on the left side. He put the basin near the right side of the temple toward the southeast.(Z) 40 Then Hiram made(AA) the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling basins.

Completion of the Bronze Works

So Hiram finished all the work that he was doing for King Solomon on the Lord’s temple: 41 two pillars;(AB) bowls for the capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two gratings for covering both bowls of the capitals that were on top of the pillars;(AC) 42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two gratings (two rows of pomegranates for each grating covering both capitals’ bowls on top of the pillars(AD)); 43 the ten water carts;(AE) the ten basins on the water carts;(AF) 44 the basin;(AG) the twelve oxen underneath the basin;(AH) 45 and the pots, shovels, and sprinkling basins.(AI) All the utensils that Hiram made for King Solomon at the Lord’s temple were made of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth(AJ) and Zarethan.(AK) 47 Solomon left all the utensils unweighed because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not determined.(AL)

Completion of the Gold Furnishings

48 Solomon also made all the equipment in the Lord’s temple: the gold altar; the gold table that the Bread of the Presence was placed on;(AM) 49 the pure gold lampstands in front of the inner sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left;(AN) the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs; 50 the pure gold ceremonial bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, ladles,[ah] and firepans;(AO) and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner temple (that is, the most holy place) and for the doors of the temple sanctuary.

51 So all the work King Solomon did in the Lord’s temple was completed.(AP) Then Solomon brought in the consecrated things of his father David(AQ)—the silver, the gold, and the utensils—and put them in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Lit 100 cubits
  2. 7:2 Lit 50 cubits, also in v. 6
  3. 7:2 Lit 30 cubits, also in vv. 6,23
  4. 7:4 Lit frames, window to window
  5. 7:4 Lit three times; = at 3 different places, also in v. 5
  6. 7:5 Lit frames, opposing window to window
  7. 7:6 Hb obscure
  8. 7:7 Syr, Vg; MT reads floor
  9. 7:8 Lit daughter he had taken
  10. 7:10 Lit ten cubits and eight cubits
  11. 7:13 = Huram in 2Ch 4:11
  12. 7:15 Lit 18 cubits
  13. 7:15 Lit 12 cubits
  14. 7:15 LXX adds and the thickness of the pillar was four fingers hollowed and similarly the second pillar
  15. 7:16 Lit five cubits, also in v. 23
  16. 7:17 Lit tassels
  17. 7:19 Lit four cubits, also in vv. 27,38
  18. 7:20 Lit encircling the second
  19. 7:21 = He Will Establish
  20. 7:21 = In Him Is Strength
  21. 7:23 Lit sea
  22. 7:23 Lit 10 cubits
  23. 7:24 Lit 10 per cubit
  24. 7:26 Lit a handbreadth
  25. 7:26 Lit 2,000 baths
  26. 7:27 Lit bronze stands
  27. 7:27 Lit three cubits
  28. 7:29 Or hammered-down
  29. 7:31 Lit a cubit
  30. 7:31 Lit one and a half cubits
  31. 7:32 Lit was one and a half cubits
  32. 7:35 Lit half a cubit
  33. 7:38 Lit 40 baths
  34. 7:50 Or dishes, or spoons; lit palms

Shlomo built a palace for himself, taking thirteen years to finish it. For he built the House of the L’vanon Forest 175 feet long, eighty-seven-and-a-half feet wide and fifty-two-and-a-half feet high, on four rows of cedar posts, with cedar beams on the posts. It had a roof made of cedar and supported by beams lying on forty-five posts, fifteen in a row. There were three rows of window openings, placed so that the windows on facing walls were opposite each other at all three levels. All the doors and doorways were rectangular and opposite each other at all three levels.

He made the columned hall eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and fifty-two-and-a-half feet wide, with a columned, corniced porch in front of it.

He made the Hall of the Throne his place for dispensing justice, that is, the Hall of Judgment; it was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.

His own living quarters, in the other courtyard, set back from the Hall, were similarly designed. He also made a house like this Hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom Shlomo had taken as his wife.

All these buildings were made of expensive stone blocks, cut to measure and finished by saws on the inner surfaces as well as the outer ones. These stones were used from the foundation to the eaves and outward from the buildings all the way to the Great Courtyard. 10 The foundation was of expensive stone blocks, very large ones — stones fourteen to eighteen feet long. 11 Above these were costly stones, cut to measure, and cedar-wood. 12 The surrounding Great Courtyard had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams like the inner courtyard of the house of Adonai and the courtyard by the hall of the house.

13 King Shlomo sent for Hiram and brought him from Tzor. 14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naftali, but his father was from Tzor, a bronze-worker filled with wisdom, understanding and skill for all kinds of bronze craftsmanship. He came to King Shlomo and did all his bronzework. 15 He made the two bronze columns, each one thirty-one-and-a-half feet high and twenty-one feet in circumference. 16 He made two capitals of melted bronze to set on the tops of the columns; each capital was eight-and-three-quarters feet high; 17 he also made checker-work nets and chained wreaths, seven for the top of each capital. 18 When he made the columns, he made two rows of pomegranates to put at the top of each column around the netting covering its capital. 19 The capitals on the columns in the hall had shapes like lilies and were seven feet high. 20 As for the capitals on the two columns, there were 200 pomegranates in rows around each capital near the molding by the netting. 21 He erected the columns in the hall of the temple; on erecting the right column he gave it the name “Yakhin,” and on erecting the left column he named it “Bo‘az.” 22 On the tops of the columns were shapes like lilies; thus the work of the columns was finished.

23 He made the cast metal “Sea” circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarter feet high and fifty-two-and-a-half feet in circumference. 24 Under its rim, three hundred gourds encircled it in two rows; they were cast when the Sea was cast. 25 It rested on twelve oxen, three looking north, three looking west, three looking south and three looking east, all with their hindquarters toward the center. The Sea was set on top of them. 26 It was a handbreadth thick, its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; and its capacity was 11,000 gallons.

27 He made ten bronze trolleys, each one seven feet long, seven feet wide, and five-and-a-quarter feet high. 28 They were designed with panels that were set between the corner-posts, 29 and on the panels between the corner-posts were lions, oxen and k’ruvim. The corner-posts above were similarly designed. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hammered work. 30 Every trolley had four bronze wheels and bronze axles, and its four legs each had cast supports which were under the basin, with wreaths next to each. 31 The opening of the stand into which the basin was inserted was eighteen inches high; the stand was round, resembling a pedestal, and it was two-and-a-half feet in diameter. On the stand were carvings, and the outside was square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles for the wheels were attached to the trolleys; each wheel was two-and-a-half feet. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all cast metal. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each trolley; the supports were attached to the trolley itself. 35 In the top of the trolley was a circular support ten-and-a-half inches high, and the trolley’s corner-posts and panels were attached to its top. 36 On the sides of the panels and on its corners he carved k’ruvim, lions and palm trees, according to the amount of space each required, with wreaths surrounding. 37 According to this design he made the ten trolleys; all of them were cast from a single mold, so that they had the same size and shape.

38 He made ten bronze basins; each basin’s capacity was 220 gallons and had a diameter of seven feet; there was a basin for each of the ten trolleys. 39 He arranged five of the trolleys on the right side of the house and five on the left side. The Sea he placed on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.

40 Hiram made the ash pots, shovels and sprinkling basins. With that, Hiram completed all the work he had done for King Shlomo in the house of Adonai 41 the two columns, the two moldings of the capitals on top of the columns, the two nettings covering the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns, 42 the 400 pomegranates for the two nettings, two rows of pomegranates for each netting, to cover the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns, 43 the ten trolleys, the ten basins on the trolleys, 44 the one Sea, the twelve oxen under the Sea, 45 the ash pots, the shovels and the sprinkling basins. All these articles that Hiram made for King Shlomo in the house of Adonai were of burnished bronze. 46 The king cast them in the plain of the Yarden, in the clay ground between Sukkot and Tzartan. 47 Shlomo did not weigh any of these objects, because there were so many of them; thus the total weight of the bronze could not be determined.

48 Shlomo made all the objects that were inside the house of Adonai: the gold altar; the table of gold on which the showbread was displayed; 49 the menorahs — five on the right and five on the left in front of the sanctuary — of pure gold; the flowers, lamps and tongs of gold; 50 the cups, snuffers, basins, incense pans and fire pans of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both those for the doors of the inner house, the Especially Holy Place, and those for the doors of the house, that is, of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Shlomo did in the house of Adonai was finished. After this, Shlomo brought in the gifts which David his father had dedicated — the silver, the gold and the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of Adonai.

El palacio de Salomón

Salomón edificó su propia casa, y en trece años la terminó toda[a](A). Edificó la casa del bosque del Líbano(B), de cien codos[b] de largo, cincuenta codos de ancho y treinta codos de alto, sobre cuatro hileras de columnas de cedro con vigas de cedro sobre las columnas. Estaba cubierta de cedro sobre las cámaras laterales[c] que estaban sobre las cuarenta y cinco columnas, quince en cada hilera. Y había tres hileras de ventanas con celosías, una ventana frente a la otra en tres filas. Todas las puertas y los postes tenían marcos cuadrados, una ventana frente a la otra en tres filas. Hizo el pórtico de las columnas(C) de cincuenta codos de largo y treinta codos de ancho, y había otro pórtico delante de ellas, con columnas y un umbral delante de ellas(D). También hizo el pórtico del trono donde había de juzgar, el pórtico del juicio(E), y fue cubierto de cedro desde el suelo hasta el techo[d](F). Y la casa donde él había de morar, en otro atrio dentro del pórtico, era de la misma hechura. Hizo también una casa como este pórtico para la hija de Faraón(G) que Salomón había tomado por mujer(H).

Todas estas obras eran de piedras valiosas, cortadas a la medida, cortadas con sierras por dentro y por fuera, desde el cimiento hasta la cornisa, y por fuera hasta el gran atrio.

10 El cimiento era de piedras valiosas, piedras grandes, piedras de diez codos y piedras de ocho codos. 11 Y más arriba había piedras valiosas, cortadas a la medida, y cedro. 12 El gran atrio tenía en derredor tres hileras de piedras talladas y una hilera de vigas de cedro(I), igual que el atrio interior(J) de la casa del Señor y el pórtico de la casa.

La obra de Hiram en el templo

13 Y el rey Salomón envió a buscar a Hiram de Tiro(K). 14 Este[e] era hijo de una viuda de la tribu de Neftalí, y su padre era un hombre de Tiro, artífice en bronce(L); estaba lleno de sabiduría, inteligencia y pericia para hacer cualquier obra en bronce(M). Y él vino al rey Salomón e hizo toda su obra(N).

15 Fundió las dos columnas de bronce; la altura de una columna era de dieciocho codos(O), y un cordel de doce codos medía la circunferencia de las dos[f](P). 16 Hizo también dos capiteles de bronce fundido para colocarlos en las cabezas de las columnas; la altura de un capitel era de cinco codos y la del otro capitel era de cinco codos. 17 Había redes de obra de malla y trenzas de obra de cadenilla para los capiteles que estaban en la cima de las columnas; siete para un capitel y siete para el otro capitel. 18 Así hizo las columnas y dos hileras alrededor de la malla que cubría los capiteles que estaban sobre las granadas; y así hizo para el otro capitel. 19 Los capiteles que estaban en las cabezas de las columnas del pórtico tenían forma de lirios, y medían cuatro codos. 20 Y había también capiteles sobre las dos columnas, junto a la protuberancia[g] que estaba al lado de la malla; y había doscientas granadas en hileras alrededor de los dos capiteles[h](Q). 21 Erigió, pues, las columnas en el pórtico de la nave(R); erigió la columna derecha y la llamó Jaquín[i], y erigió la columna izquierda y la llamó Boaz[j](S). 22 Y en lo alto de las columnas había lirios tallados. Así fue terminada la obra de las columnas.

23 (T)Hizo asimismo el mar de metal fundido de diez codos de borde a borde, en forma circular; su altura era de cinco codos, y tenía treinta codos de circunferencia[k](U). 24 Y debajo del borde había calabazas alrededor(V), diez en cada codo, rodeando por completo el mar; las calabazas estaban en dos hileras, fundidas en una sola pieza[l](W). 25 El mar descansaba sobre doce bueyes; tres mirando al norte, tres mirando al occidente, tres mirando al sur y tres mirando al oriente; el mar descansaba sobre ellos y todas sus ancas estaban hacia adentro(X). 26 El grueso era de un palmo, y el borde estaba hecho como el borde de un cáliz, como una flor de lirio; y tenía capacidad para dos mil batos[m].

27 Entonces hizo las diez basas de bronce(Y); la longitud de cada basa era de cuatro codos, su anchura de cuatro codos y su altura de tres codos. 28 El diseño de las basas era este: tenían bordes[n] y los bordes estaban entre las molduras[o], 29 y en los bordes que estaban entre las molduras[p] había leones, bueyes y querubines; y en las molduras[q] había un pedestal arriba, y debajo de los leones y bueyes había guirnaldas a bajo relieve. 30 Cada basa tenía cuatro ruedas de bronce, con ejes de bronce, y sus cuatro patas tenían soportes; debajo de la pila había soportes fundidos con guirnaldas a cada lado. 31 La boca de la pila dentro de la corona en la parte superior medía un codo, y su boca era redonda como el diseño de un pedestal, de un codo y medio; también en su boca había entalladuras, y sus bordes eran cuadrados, no redondos. 32 Las cuatro ruedas estaban debajo de los bordes, y los ejes de las ruedas estaban en la basa. La altura de una rueda era de un codo y medio. 33 La hechura de las ruedas era como la hechura de una rueda de carro. Sus ejes, sus aros, sus rayos y sus cubos eran todos de fundición. 34 Y había cuatro soportes en las cuatro esquinas de cada basa; sus soportes eran parte de la basa misma. 35 Y en la parte superior de la basa había una pieza redonda de medio codo de alto, y en la parte superior de la basa sus soportes[r] y sus bordes formaban parte de ella. 36 Y en las planchas de sus soportes[s] y en sus bordes grabó querubines, leones y palmeras, conforme al espacio disponible de cada una, con guirnaldas alrededor. 37 Hizo las diez basas(Z) de esta manera: todas ellas eran de una misma fundición, de una misma medida y de una misma forma. 38 También hizo diez pilas de bronce(AA); en cada pila cabían cuarenta batos, cada pila medía cuatro codos, y sobre cada una de las diez basas había una pila. 39 Entonces colocó las basas, cinco al lado[t] derecho de la casa y cinco al lado[u] izquierdo de la casa; y colocó el mar de metal fundido al lado[v] derecho de la casa hacia el sureste.

40 Hiram hizo también los calderos[w], las palas y los tazones. Así terminó Hiram toda la obra que hizo para el rey Salomón en la casa del Señor: 41 las dos columnas y los tazones de los capiteles que estaban en lo alto de las dos columnas, las dos mallas para cubrir los dos tazones de los capiteles que estaban en lo alto de las columnas(AB); 42 las cuatrocientas granadas para las dos mallas, dos hileras de granadas por cada malla para cubrir los dos tazones de los capiteles que estaban en lo alto de las columnas(AC); 43 las diez basas con las diez pilas sobre las basas; 44 el[x] mar y los doce bueyes debajo del mar(AD); 45 los calderos, las palas y los tazones; todos estos utensilios que Hiram hizo para el rey Salomón en la casa del Señor eran de bronce bruñido(AE). 46 El rey los fundió en la llanura del Jordán, en la tierra arcillosa entre Sucot(AF) y Saretán(AG). 47 Salomón dejó todos los utensilios sin pesarlos porque eran demasiados; el peso del bronce no se pudo determinar(AH).

48 Y Salomón hizo todos los utensilios que estaban en la casa del Señor: el altar de oro y la mesa de oro(AI) sobre la cual estaba el pan de la Presencia[y](AJ); 49 los candelabros de oro puro, cinco a mano derecha y cinco a mano izquierda, frente al santuario interior; las flores, las lámparas y las tenazas de oro(AK); 50 las copas, las despabiladeras, los tazones, las cucharas y los incensarios de oro puro(AL); y los goznes para las puertas de la casa interior, el lugar santísimo, y para las puertas de la casa, es decir, de la nave, también de oro.

51 Así fue terminada toda la obra que el rey Salomón hizo en la casa del Señor. Y Salomón trajo las cosas consagradas por[z] su padre David, es decir, la plata, el oro y los utensilios, y los puso en los tesoros de la casa del Señor(AM).

Footnotes

  1. 1 Reyes 7:1 Lit., toda su casa
  2. 1 Reyes 7:2 Un codo equivale aprox. a 45 cm.
  3. 1 Reyes 7:3 O, las tablas
  4. 1 Reyes 7:7 Así en algunas versiones antiguas; en el T.M., desde el suelo, hasta el suelo
  5. 1 Reyes 7:14 Lit., El
  6. 1 Reyes 7:15 Lit., rodeaba la segunda columna
  7. 1 Reyes 7:20 Lit., vientre
  8. 1 Reyes 7:20 Lit., en el segundo capitel
  9. 1 Reyes 7:21 I.e., él afirmará
  10. 1 Reyes 7:21 I.e., en ella hay fortaleza
  11. 1 Reyes 7:23 Lit., y un cordel de 30 codos lo rodeaba por completo
  12. 1 Reyes 7:24 Lit., en su molde
  13. 1 Reyes 7:26 Un bato equivale aprox. a 22 litros
  14. 1 Reyes 7:28 O, paneles, y así en el resto del cap.
  15. 1 Reyes 7:28 O, los travesaños
  16. 1 Reyes 7:29 O, los travesaños
  17. 1 Reyes 7:29 O, los travesaños
  18. 1 Reyes 7:35 Lit., manos
  19. 1 Reyes 7:36 Lit., manos
  20. 1 Reyes 7:39 Lit., hombro
  21. 1 Reyes 7:39 Lit., hombro
  22. 1 Reyes 7:39 Lit., hombro
  23. 1 Reyes 7:40 Así en 2 Crón. 4:11; en heb., las pilas
  24. 1 Reyes 7:44 Lit., un
  25. 1 Reyes 7:48 O, de la Proposición; lit., del Rostro
  26. 1 Reyes 7:51 Lit., de