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Solomon Builds His Own House

Now (A)Solomon built his own house thirteen years, and he completed all his house. (B)And he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; its length was [a]100 cubits and its width 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams on the pillars. And it was paneled with cedar above the side chambers which were on the 45 pillars, 15 in each row. Now there were artistic window frames in three rows, and window was opposite window in three ranks. And all the doorways and doorposts had squared artistic frames, and window was opposite window in three ranks.

Then he made (C)the hall of pillars; its length was 50 cubits and its width 30 cubits, and a porch was in front of them and pillars and a (D)threshold in front of them.

And he made the hall of the (E)throne where he was to judge, the hall of judgment, and (F)it was paneled with cedar from floor to floor.

Now his house where he was to live, the other court inward from the hall, was of the same workmanship. (G)He also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, (H)whom Solomon had married.

All these were of precious stones, of stone cut according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside; even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.

10 And the foundation was of precious stones, even large stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. 11 And above were precious stones, stone cut according to measure, and cedar. 12 So (I)the great court all around had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams even as the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and (J)the porch of the house.

Hiram’s Work in the House of Yahweh

13 Then (K)King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 (L)He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and (M)he was filled with wisdom and discernment and knowledge to do any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and (N)did all his work.

15 And he fashioned (O)the two pillars of bronze; (P)eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits [b]measured the circumference of both. 16 He also made two capitals of molten bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five [c]cubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were nets of network and twisted threads 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 network to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. 19 Now the capitals which were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. 20 And there were capitals on the two pillars, even right above the [d]rounded projection which was on the one side of the network; and (Q)the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around [e]both capitals. 21 (R)Thus he set up the pillars at the (S)porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named it [f]Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it [g]Boaz. 22 And on the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (T)And he made the sea of (U)cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and [h]thirty cubits in its circumference. 24 Now under its brim (V)gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, (W)entirely encircling the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast with the Sea when it was cast. 25 (X)It stood 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 [i]handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold [j]two thousand baths.

27 Then (Y)he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was four cubits and its width four cubits and its height three cubits. 28 Now this was the workmanship of the stands: they had borders, even borders between the [k]frames, 29 and on the borders which were between the [l]frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the [m]frames 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 laver were cast supports with wreaths at each side. 31 And its opening inside the capital at the top was a cubit, and its opening was round like the workmanship of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. 32 And 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 Now 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 half a [n]cubit high, and on the top of the stand its [o]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, according to the clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 (Z)He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form.

38 (AA)He also made ten lavers of bronze, one laver held forty baths; each laver was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one laver. 39 Then he set the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south.

40 And Hiram made the lavers and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram completed doing all the work that he did for King Solomon in the house of Yahweh: 41 the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the (AB)two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars, 42 and the (AC)four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars; 43 and the ten stands with the ten lavers on the stands; 44 and (AD)the one sea and the twelve oxen under the sea; 45 and (AE)the pots and the shovels and the bowls; and all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of Yahweh were of polished bronze. 46 (AF)On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between (AG)Succoth and (AH)Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; (AI)the weight of the bronze could not be found out.

48 Solomon also made all the furniture which was in the house of Yahweh: (AJ)the golden altar and the golden table on which was the (AK)bread of the Presence; 49 and the lampstands, five on the right side and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and (AL)the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, of gold; 50 and the cups and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the (AM)firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges both for the doors of the inner house, the Holy of Holies, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.

51 (AN)Thus all the work that King Solomon did in the house of Yahweh was finished. And (AO)Solomon brought in the things set apart as holy by his father David, the silver and the gold and the utensils, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:2 Approx. 150 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, and 45 ft. tall or 45 m, 22.5 m, and 13.5 m
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit went around the other pillar
  3. 1 Kings 7:16 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  4. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit belly
  5. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit on the other capital
  6. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit he shall establish
  7. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit in it is strength
  8. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit a line of thirty cubits went around it
  9. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth was approx. 3 in. or 7.6 cm
  10. 1 Kings 7:26 Approx. 12,000 gal. or 45,424 l, a bath was approx. 6 gal. or 23 l
  11. 1 Kings 7:28 Or crossbars
  12. 1 Kings 7:29 Or crossbars
  13. 1 Kings 7:29 Or crossbars
  14. 1 Kings 7:35 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  15. 1 Kings 7:35 Lit hands

Solomon Builds His Palace

Solomon was (A)building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

He built (B)the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits[a] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four[b] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. All the doorways and windows[c] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

And he made (C)the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and (D)a canopy in front of them.

And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. (E)It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.[d]

His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter (F)whom he had taken in marriage.

All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12 (G)The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and (H)the vestibule of the house.

The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought (I)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 (J)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 (K)He cast (L)two pillars of bronze. (M)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.[e] 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 (N)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[f] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates[g] 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 (O)two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 (P)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 (Q)Then he made (R)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 (S)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 (T)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,[h] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.[i]

27 He also made the (U)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, 29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made (V)the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made (W)ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

40 (X)Hiram also made (Y)the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two (Z)latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; 42 and the (AA)four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43 the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; 44 and (AB)the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

45 Now (AC)the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between (AD)Succoth and (AE)Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; (AF)the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: (AG)the golden altar, (AH)the golden table for (AI)the bread of the Presence, 49 (AJ)the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; (AK)the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50 the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and (AL)fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, (AM)the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in (AN)the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. 1 Kings 7:2 Septuagint three
  3. 1 Kings 7:5 Septuagint; Hebrew posts
  4. 1 Kings 7:7 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew floor
  5. 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
  6. 1 Kings 7:17 Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse
  7. 1 Kings 7:18 Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars
  8. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  9. 1 Kings 7:26 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters