1 Kings 7:13-51
New English Translation
Solomon Commissions Hiram to Supply the Temple
13 King Solomon sent for Hiram[a] of Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali,[b] and his father was a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. He had the skill and knowledge[c] to make all kinds of works of bronze. He reported to King Solomon and did all the work he was assigned.
15 He fashioned two bronze pillars; each pillar was 27 feet[d] high and 18 feet[e] in circumference. 16 He made two bronze tops for the pillars; each was 7½ feet high.[f] 17 The latticework on the tops of the pillars was adorned with ornamental wreaths and chains; the top of each pillar had seven groupings of ornaments.[g] 18 When he made the pillars, there were two rows of pomegranate-shaped ornaments around the latticework covering the top of each pillar.[h] 19 The tops of the two pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies and were six feet high.[i] 20 On the top of each pillar, right above the bulge beside the latticework, there were 200 pomegranate-shaped ornaments arranged in rows all the way around.[j] 21 He set up the pillars on the porch in front of the main hall. He erected one pillar on the right[k] side and called it Yakin;[l] he erected the other pillar on the left[m] side and called it Boaz.[n] 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the construction of the pillars was completed.
23 He also made the large bronze basin called “The Sea.”[o] It measured 15 feet[p] from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood 7½ feet[q] high. Its circumference was 45 feet.[r] 24 Under the rim all the way around it were round ornaments[s] arranged in settings 15 feet long.[t] The ornaments were in two rows and had been cast with “The Sea.”[u] 25 “The Sea”[v] stood on top of twelve bulls. Three faced northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward. “The Sea” was placed on top of them, and they all faced outward.[w] 26 It was four fingers thick and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold about 12,000 gallons.[x]
27 He also made ten bronze movable stands. Each stand was 6 feet[y] long, 6 feet[z] wide, and 4½ feet[aa] high. 28 The stands were constructed with frames between the joints. 29 On these frames and joints were ornamental lions, bulls, and cherubim. Under the lions and bulls were decorative wreaths.[ab] 30 Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles and four supports.[ac] Under the basin the supports were fashioned on each side with wreaths.[ad] 31 Inside the stand was a round opening that was 18 inches deep; it had a support that was 27 inches long.[ae] On the edge of the opening were carvings in square frames.[af] 32 The four wheels were under the frames, and the crossbars of the axles were connected to the stand. Each wheel was 27 inches[ag] high. 33 The wheels were constructed like chariot wheels; their crossbars, rims, spokes, and hubs were made of cast metal. 34 Each stand had four supports, one per side projecting out from the stand.[ah] 35 On top of each stand was a round opening three-quarters of a foot deep;[ai] there were also supports and frames on top of the stands. 36 He engraved ornamental cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the plates of the supports and frames wherever there was room,[aj] with wreaths[ak] all around. 37 He made the ten stands in this way. All of them were cast in one mold and were identical in measurements and shape.
38 He also made ten bronze basins, each of which could hold about 240 gallons.[al] Each basin was 6 feet in diameter;[am] there was one basin for each stand. 39 He put five basins on the south side of the temple and five on the north side. He put “The Sea” on the south side, in the southeast corner.
40 Hiram also made basins, shovels, and bowls. He[an] finished all the work on the Lord’s temple he had been assigned by King Solomon.[ao] 41 He made[ap] the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars, the latticework for the bowl-shaped tops of the two pillars, 42 the 400 pomegranate-shaped ornaments for the latticework of the two pillars (each latticework had two rows of these ornaments at the bowl-shaped top of the pillar), 43 the ten movable stands with their ten basins, 44 the big bronze basin called “The Sea” with its twelve bulls underneath,[aq] 45 and the pots, shovels, and bowls. All these items King Solomon assigned Hiram to make for the Lord’s temple[ar] were made from polished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in earth foundries[as] in the region of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon left all these items unweighed; there were so many of them they did not weigh the bronze.[at]
48 Solomon also made all these items for the Lord’s temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which was kept the Bread of the Presence,[au] 49 the pure gold lampstands at the entrance to the inner sanctuary (five on the right and five on the left), the gold flower-shaped ornaments, lamps, and tongs, 50 the pure gold bowls, trimming shears, basins, pans, and censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple. 51 When King Solomon finished constructing the Lord’s temple, he[av] put the holy items that belonged to his father David (the silver, gold, and other articles) in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 7:13 tn Heb “King Solomon sent and took Hiram from Tyre.” In 2 Chr 2:13 (MT v. 12) and 4:11, 16 his name is spelled “Huram.”
- 1 Kings 7:14 tn 2 Chr 2:14 (13 HT) says “from the daughters of Dan.”
- 1 Kings 7:14 tn Heb “he was filled with the skill, understanding, and knowledge.”
- 1 Kings 7:15 tn Heb “18 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:15 tn Heb “12 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:16 tn Heb “two capitals he made to place on the tops of the pillars, cast in bronze; 5 cubits was the height of the first capital, and 5 cubits was the height of the second capital.”
- 1 Kings 7:17 tn Heb “there were seven for the first capital, and seven for the second capital.”
- 1 Kings 7:18 tn Heb “he made the pillars, and two rows surrounding one latticework to cover the capitals which were on top of the pomegranates, and so he did for the second latticework.” The translation supplies “pomegranates” after “two rows,” and understands “pillars,” rather than “pomegranates,” to be the correct reading after “on top of.” The latter change finds support from many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version.
- 1 Kings 7:19 tn Heb “the capitals which were on the top of the pillars were the work of lilies, in the porch, 4 cubits.” It is unclear exactly what dimension is being measured.
- 1 Kings 7:20 tn Heb “and the capitals on the two pillars, also above, close beside the bulge which was beside the latticework, two hundred pomegranates in rows around, on the second capital.” The precise meaning of the word translated “bulge” is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:21 tn Or “south.”
- 1 Kings 7:21 tn The name “Yakin” appears to be a verbal form and probably means, “he establishes.”
- 1 Kings 7:21 tn Or “north.”
- 1 Kings 7:21 sn The meaning of the name Boaz is uncertain. For various proposals, see BDB 126-27 s.v. בעז. One attractive option is to revocalize the name as בְּעֹז (beʿoz, “in strength”) and to understand it as completing the verbal form on the first pillar. Taking the words together and reading from right to left, one can translate the sentence, “he establishes [it] in strength.”
- 1 Kings 7:23 tn Heb “He made the sea, cast.”sn This large basin was mounted on twelve bronze bulls and contained water for the priests to bathe themselves (2 Chr 4:6; cf. Exod 30:17-21).
- 1 Kings 7:23 tn Heb “10 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:23 tn Heb “5 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:23 tn Heb “and a measuring line went around it 30 cubits all around.” The measurements are an approximation. The LXX has the number 33. Neither fit a strict calculation of the diameter time pi, but the precise details of measuring (e.g. the width of the lip or other factors) are not known and numbers may be rounded.
- 1 Kings 7:24 tn Or “gourd-shaped ornaments.”
- 1 Kings 7:24 tn Heb “10 cubits surrounding the sea all around.” The precise meaning of this description is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:24 tn Heb “the gourd-shaped ornaments were in two rows, cast in its casting.”
- 1 Kings 7:25 tn Heb “It.” The proper noun “The Sea” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- 1 Kings 7:25 tn Heb “all their hindquarters were toward the inside.”
- 1 Kings 7:26 tn Heb “2,000 baths” (a bath was a liquid measure roughly equivalent to six gallons).
- 1 Kings 7:27 tn Heb “4 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:27 tn Heb “4 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:27 tn Heb “3 cubits.”
- 1 Kings 7:29 tn The precise meaning of these final words is uncertain. A possible literal translation would be, “wreaths, the work of descent.”
- 1 Kings 7:30 tn Heb “and four its feet, supports to them.”
- 1 Kings 7:30 tn The precise meaning of this last word, translated “wreaths,” is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:31 tn Heb “And its opening from the inside to the top and upwards [was] a cubit, and its opening was round, the work of a stand, a cubit-and-a-half.” The precise meaning of this description is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:31 tn Heb “also over its opening were carvings and their frames [were] squared, not round.”
- 1 Kings 7:32 tn Heb “a cubit-and-a-half” (a cubit was a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 45 cm).
- 1 Kings 7:34 tn Heb “four shoulders to the four sides of each stand, from the stand its shoulders.” The precise meaning of the description is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:35 tn Heb “and on top of the stand, a half cubit [in] height, round all around” (the meaning of this description is uncertain).
- 1 Kings 7:36 tn Heb “according to the space of each.”
- 1 Kings 7:36 tn The precise meaning of this last word, translated “wreaths,” is uncertain.
- 1 Kings 7:38 tn Heb “forty baths” (a bath was a liquid measure roughly equivalent to six gallons).
- 1 Kings 7:38 tn Heb “4 cubits, each basin.” It is unclear which dimension is being measured.
- 1 Kings 7:40 tn Heb “Hiram.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- 1 Kings 7:40 tn Heb “Hiram finished doing all the work which he did for King Solomon [on] the house of the Lord.”
- 1 Kings 7:41 tn The words “he made” are added for stylistic reasons.
- 1 Kings 7:44 tn Heb “underneath ‘The Sea.’”
- 1 Kings 7:45 tn Heb “which Hiram made for King Solomon [for] the house of the Lord.”
- 1 Kings 7:46 tn Or perhaps, “molds.”
- 1 Kings 7:47 tn Heb “Solomon left all the items, due to their very great abundance; the weight of the bronze was not sought.”
- 1 Kings 7:48 tn Heb “the bread of the face [or presence].” Many recent English versions employ “the bread of the Presence,” although this does not convey much to the modern reader.sn This bread was viewed as a perpetual offering to God and was regarded as holy. See Lev 24:5-9.
- 1 Kings 7:51 tn Heb “Solomon.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
1 Chronicles 4:1-5
New English Translation
Judah’s Descendants
4 The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
2 Reaiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.
3 These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister was Hazzelelponi.
4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.
5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7 The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8 and Koz, who was the father of Anub, Hazzobebah, and the clans of Aharhel the son of Harum.
9 Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, “I experienced pain when I gave birth to him.”[a] 10 Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only[b] you would greatly bless me and expand my territory.[c] May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm[d] so I might not endure pain.” God answered his prayer.[e]
11 Kelub, the brother of Shuhah, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash.[f] These were the men of Recah.
13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah.
The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.[g] 14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.
Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in the Valley of the Craftsmen,[h] for they were craftsmen.
15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam.
The son of Elah: Kenaz.[i]
16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.
Mered’s wife Bithiah[j] gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. 18 (His Judahite wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the sons of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered married.[k]
19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon.
The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.[l]
21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, both of whom ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (This information is from ancient records.)[m] 23 They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah; they lived there and worked for the king.[n]
Simeon’s Descendants
24 The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul, 25 his son Shallum, his son Mibsam, and his son Mishma.
26 The descendants of Mishma: his son Hammuel, his son Zaccur, and his son Shimei.
27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But his brothers did not have many sons, so their whole clan was not as numerous as the sons of Judah. 28 They lived in Beer Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 32 Their settlements also included Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns, 33 along with all their settlements that surrounded these towns as far as Baal.[o] These were the places where they lived; they kept genealogical records.
34 Their clan leaders were:[p] Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), 36 Eleoenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 Ziza son of Shipi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah). 38 These who are named above were the leaders of their clans.
Their extended families increased greatly in numbers. 39 They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east of the valley, looking for pasture for their sheep. 40 They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there before that. 41 The men whose names are listed came during the time of King Hezekiah of Judah and attacked the Hamites’ settlements,[q] as well as the Meunites they discovered there, and they wiped them out, as can be seen to this very day. They dispossessed them,[r] for they found pasture for their sheep there. 42 Five hundred men of Simeon, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to the hill country of Seir 43 and defeated the rest of the Amalekite refugees;[s] they live there to this very day.
Reuben’s Descendants
5 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn—
(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed,[t] his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.[u]
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 4:9 tn In Hebrew the name יַעְבֵּץ (yaʿbets, “Jabez”) sounds like the noun עֹצֶב (ʿotsev) which means “pain.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:10 tn Here the word אִם (ʾim, “if only”) begins an oath formula (see HALOT 60 s.v. and GKC 151e, 159dd, 167a). A full reporting of the oath would include both the request made of God and the promise made to God (cf. Gen 28:20; Num 21:2; Judg 11:30; 1 Sam 1:11; 2 Sam 15:8; Ps 81:9-14). Jabez’ promise is not recorded here, only that God granted his request. Perhaps Jabez’ vow in return had not been preserved by tradition and so the author could not include it, or perhaps those details were simply less important to the purpose of the book. Likely the author wants to emphasize to the post-exilic community (the original audience of the book) that God answers prayer, including concerns for their borders. That God granted his request implies that Jabez was faithful to his vow, so that his destiny was different than the expectation arising from his namesake. This should challenge the audience to consider their own faithfulness to God.
- 1 Chronicles 4:10 sn It is not certain whether the person Jabez should be connected with the town Jabez mentioned in 1 Chr 2:55. If Jabez were the head of the town (“more respected than his brothers” v. 9), then the request for an enlarged territory would not be a simple request for his own benefit, but an example of a leader of character whose faithfulness to God benefits those under his leadership.
- 1 Chronicles 4:10 tc The Hebrew text is difficult. As it stands in the MT, it says “and do some harm so that I might not be hurt.” When directly modifying עָשָׂה (ʿasah; “to do”), the preposition מִן (min; “from,”) can indicate the source or type of action, hence “do some harm” (cf. Lev 4:22; 18:30). But this makes little sense in context unless we suppose with no other basis that it refers to harming enemies. There is no other example of the privative use of מִן (min) with the verb עָשָׂה (ʿasah), which would have meant “act so as to prevent” harm. And one expects it would be confusing to use מִן (min) for both the type of action done and the type of action excluded or prevented. On the basis of a parallel to Isa 26:18, BHS suggests inserting יְשׁוּעָתִי (yeshuati; “my salvation”) on the possibility that it was omitted by haplography (as “do” and “my salvation,” עָשִׂיתָ and יְשׁוּעָתִי, share similar consonants). This would mean “perform my salvation from harm.” Instead of מֵרָעָה (meraʿah; “from harm”), the LXX has γνῶσιν (gnosin; “knowledge”) which normally stands for Hebrew דַעַת (daʿat) or דֵעָה (deʿah) “knowledge; wisdom,” implying a simple confusion of dalet (ד) and resh (ר). The Greek text says “do/produce wisdom so that I will not be humiliated,” though the Hebrew behind this would be “act wisely so that I will not be grieved.” Rather than ask God to act wisely, we might suppose that the verb was first singular “may your hand be with me so that I may act wisely in order to not be grieved.” This would involve the loss of a yod at the end of the verb, which matches the verbal forms preceding it. Finally one might suppose that instead of רָעָה (raʿah; “harm”), some form of the root of רֵעָה (reʿah; “friend”) was original, meaning something like, “act from friendship…” but there is no direct parallel for this.
- 1 Chronicles 4:10 tn Heb “and God brought about what he had asked.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:12 tn Or “of the city of Nahash.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:13 tc “Meonothai” is read here by some mss of the LXX, along with the Vulgate. The name apparently was dropped from the Hebrew text by haplography. Note that the name appears at the beginning of the next verse as well.
- 1 Chronicles 4:14 tn Heb “Ge-harashim,” which could be left untranslated as a place name.
- 1 Chronicles 4:15 tn Heb “and the sons of Elah and Kenaz.” Kenaz was actually the son of Elah.
- 1 Chronicles 4:17 tn The Hebrew text has simply, “and she gave birth to,” without identifying the subject. The words “Mered’s wife Bithiah” are added in the translation for clarification. See v. 18b, which mentions “Bethiah, whom Mered married.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:18 tn Heb “took,” referring to taking in marriage.
- 1 Chronicles 4:20 tn Or “and the son of Zoheth” (NAB). The word בֶּן (ben) in Hebrew means “son [of].”
- 1 Chronicles 4:22 tn Heb “and the words are old.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:23 tn Heb “and those who lived in Netaim and Gederah; with the king in his work they lived there.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:33 tc Some LXX mss read “Baalath” (cf. Josh 19:8). This is followed by some English versions (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).
- 1 Chronicles 4:34 tn The words “their clan leaders were” are added in the translation for clarification. See v. 38a, which makes this clear.
- 1 Chronicles 4:41 tn The Hebrew text reads “their tents,” apparently referring to those of the Hamites mentioned at the end of v. 40. Some prefer to emend the text to read, “the tents of Ham.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:41 tn Heb “and they lived in place of them.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:43 tn Heb “and struck down the remnant that had escaped belonging to Amalek.”
- 1 Chronicles 5:1 sn The phrase when he defiled his father’s bed refers to Reuben having sexual relations with his father Jacob’s concubine Bilhah. This incident is recorded in Gen 35:22.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1 tn Heb “and not to be listed in the genealogical records as (having) the right of the firstborn.”
1 Kings 8:1-21
New English Translation
Solomon Moves the Ark into the Temple
8 [a] Then Solomon convened in Jerusalem Israel’s elders, all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the City of David (that is, Zion).[b] 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival[c] in the month of Ethanim[d] (the seventh month). 3 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the priests lifted the ark. 4 The priests and Levites carried the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting,[e] and all the holy items in the tent.[f] 5 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.[g]
6 The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its assigned[h] place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 The cherubim’s wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.[i] 8 The poles were so long their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point.[j] They have remained there to this very day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.[k] It was there that[l] the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 10 Once the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled the Lord’s temple. 11 The priests could not carry out their duties[m] because of the cloud; the Lord’s glory filled his temple.[n]
12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 13 O Lord,[o] truly I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 14 Then the king turned around[p] and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.[q] 15 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled[r] what he promised[s] my father David. 16 He told David,[t] ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.[u] But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 17 Now my father David had a strong desire[v] to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.[w] 18 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.[x] 19 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’[y] 20 The Lord has kept the promise he made.[z] I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor[aa] of the Lord God of Israel 21 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with our ancestors[ab] when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 8:1 tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words at the beginning of ch. 8: “It so happened that when Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and his own house, after twenty years.”
- 1 Kings 8:1 tn Heb “Then Solomon convened the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, the chiefs of the fathers belonging to the sons of Israel to King Solomon [in] Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David (it is Zion).”
- 1 Kings 8:2 sn The festival. This was the Feast of Tabernacles, see Lev 23:34.
- 1 Kings 8:2 sn The month Ethanim. This would be September-October in modern reckoning.
- 1 Kings 8:4 tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”sn The tent of meeting. See Exod 33:7-11.
- 1 Kings 8:4 tn Heb “and they carried the ark of the Lord…. The priests and the Levites carried them.”
- 1 Kings 8:5 tn Heb “And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, those who had been gathered to him, [were] before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle which could not be counted or numbered because of the abundance.”
- 1 Kings 8:6 tn The word “assigned” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- 1 Kings 8:7 sn And its poles. These poles were used to carry the ark. See Exod 25:13-15.
- 1 Kings 8:8 tn Heb “they could not be seen outside.”
- 1 Kings 8:9 sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai.
- 1 Kings 8:9 tn Heb “in Horeb where.”
- 1 Kings 8:11 tn Heb “were not able to stand to serve.”
- 1 Kings 8:11 tn Heb “the house of the Lord.”
- 1 Kings 8:13 tn The words “O Lord” do not appear in the original text, but they are supplied for clarification; Solomon addresses the Lord in prayer at this point.
- 1 Kings 8:14 tn Heb “turned his face.”
- 1 Kings 8:14 tn Heb “and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing.”
- 1 Kings 8:15 tn The Hebrew text reads, “by his hand he has fulfilled.”
- 1 Kings 8:15 tn The Hebrew text reads, “he promised by his mouth.”
- 1 Kings 8:16 tn Heb “saying.” The word is carried over from the end of verse 15.
- 1 Kings 8:16 tn Heb “to build a house for my name to be there.”sn To build a temple in which to live (Heb “to build a house for my name to be there”). In the OT, the word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name.
- 1 Kings 8:17 tn Heb “and it was with the heart of David my father.”
- 1 Kings 8:17 tn Heb “to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.” The word “name” in the OT sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name.
- 1 Kings 8:18 tn Heb “Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was with your heart.”
- 1 Kings 8:19 tn Heb “your son, the one who came out of your body, he will build the temple for my name.”
- 1 Kings 8:20 tn Heb “his word that he spoke.”
- 1 Kings 8:20 tn Heb “name.”
- 1 Kings 8:21 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 34, 40, 48, 53, 57, 58).
2 Chronicles 5:2-14
New English Translation
Solomon Moves the Ark into the Temple
2 Then Solomon convened Israel’s elders—all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families—in Jerusalem, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David[a] (that is, Zion).[b] 3 All the men of Israel assembled before the king during the festival[c] in the seventh month.[d] 4 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the Levites lifted the ark. 5 The priests and Levites carried the ark, the tent where God appeared to his people,[e] and all the holy items in the tent.[f] 6 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.[g]
7 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its assigned[h] place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim’s wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.[i] 9 The poles were so long their ends extending out from the ark were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point.[j] They have remained there to this very day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.[k] (It was there that[l] the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)
11 The priests left the Holy Place.[m] All the priests who participated had consecrated themselves, no matter which division they represented.[n] 12 All the Levites who were musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, wore linen. They played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. They were accompanied by 120 priests who blew trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and musicians played together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they loudly praised the Lord, singing:[o] “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!” Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.[p] 14 The priests could not carry out their duties[q] because of the cloud; the Lord’s splendor filled God’s temple.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 5:2 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
- 2 Chronicles 5:2 tn Heb “Then Solomon convened the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, the chiefs of the fathers belonging to the sons of Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David (it is Zion).”
- 2 Chronicles 5:3 sn This festival in the seventh month was the Feast of Tabernacles, see Lev 23:34.
- 2 Chronicles 5:3 sn The seventh month would be September-October in modern reckoning.
- 2 Chronicles 5:5 tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”sn See Exod 33:7-11.
- 2 Chronicles 5:5 tn Heb “and they carried the ark of the Lord…. The priests and the Levites carried them.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:6 tn Heb “And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, those who had been gathered to him, [were] before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle which could not be counted or numbered because of the abundance.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:7 tn The word “assigned” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- 2 Chronicles 5:8 sn These poles were used to carry the ark. The Levites were to carry it with the poles on their shoulders. See Exod 25:13-15; 1 Chr 15:15.
- 2 Chronicles 5:9 tn Heb “they could not be seen outside.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:10 sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai (cf. Exod 3:1).
- 2 Chronicles 5:10 tn Heb “in Horeb where.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:11 tn Heb “and when the priests went from the holy place.” The syntactical relationship of this temporal clause to the following context is unclear. Perhaps the thought is completed in v. 14 after a lengthy digression.
- 2 Chronicles 5:11 tn Heb “Indeed [or “for”] all the priests who were found consecrated themselves without guarding divisions.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:13 tn Heb “like one were the trumpeters and the musicians, causing one voice to be heard, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, and while raising a voice with trumpets and with cymbals and with instruments of music, and while praising the Lord.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:13 tn Heb “and the house was filled with a cloud, the house of the Lord.”
- 2 Chronicles 5:14 tn Heb “were not able to stand to serve.”
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