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1 Kings 7
Living Bible

7 Then Solomon built his own palace, which took thirteen years to construct.

2 One of the rooms in the palace was called the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon. It was huge—measuring 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The great cedar ceiling beams rested upon four rows of cedar pillars. 3-4 There were forty-five windows in the hall, set in three tiers, one tier above the other, five to a tier, facing each other from three walls. 5 Each of the doorways and windows had a square frame.

6 Another room was called the Hall of Pillars. It was seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide, with a porch in front covered by a canopy that was supported by pillars.

7 There was also the Throne Room or Judgment Hall, where Solomon sat to hear legal matters; it was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters.

8 His cedar-paneled living quarters surrounded a courtyard behind this hall. (He designed similar living quarters, the same size, in the palace that he built for Pharaoh’s daughter—one of his wives.) 9 These buildings were constructed entirely from huge, expensive stones, cut to measure. 10 The foundation stones were twelve to fifteen feet across. 11 The huge stones in the walls were also cut to measure and were topped with cedar beams. 12 The Great Court had three courses of hewn stone in its walls, topped with cedar beams, just like the inner court of the Temple and the porch of the palace.

13 King Solomon then asked for a man named Hiram to come from Tyre, for he was a skilled craftsman in bronze work. 14 He was half Jewish, being the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a foundry worker from Tyre. So he came to work for King Solomon.

15 He cast two hollow bronze pillars, each twenty-seven feet high and eighteen feet around, with three-inch-thick walls. 16-22 At the tops of the pillars he made two lily-shaped capitals from molten bronze, each 7-1/2 feet high. The upper part of each capital was shaped like a lily, six feet high. Each capital was decorated with seven sets of bronze, chain-designed lattices and four hundred pomegranates in two rows. Hiram set these pillars at the entrance of the Temple. The one on the south was named the Jachin Pillar,[a] and the one on the north, the Boaz Pillar.

23 Then Hiram cast a round bronze tank, 7-1/2 feet high and 15 feet from brim to brim; 45 feet in circumference. 24 On the underside of the rim were two rows of ornaments an inch or two apart,[b] which were cast along with the tank. 25 It rested on twelve bronze[c] oxen standing tail to tail, three facing north, three west, three south, and three east. 26 The sides of the tank were four inches thick; its brim was shaped like a goblet, and it had a twelve thousand gallon capacity.

27-30 Then he made ten four-wheeled movable stands, each 6 feet square and 4-1/2 feet high. They were constructed with undercarriages braced with square[d] crosspieces. These crosspieces were decorated with carved lions, oxen, and Guardian Angels. Above and below the lions and oxen were wreath decorations. Each of these movable stands had four bronze wheels and bronze axles, and at each corner of the stands were supporting posts made of bronze and decorated with wreaths on each side. 31 The top of each stand was a round piece 1-1/2 feet high. Its center was concave, 2-1/4 feet deep, decorated on the outside with wreaths. Its panels were square, not round.

32 The stands rode on four wheels which were connected to axles that had been cast as part of the stands. The wheels were twenty-seven inches high 33 and were similar to chariot wheels. All the parts of the stands were cast from molten bronze, including the axles, spokes, rims, and hubs. 34 There were supports at each of the four corners of the stands, and these, too, were cast with the stands. 35 A nine-inch rim surrounded the tip of each stand, banded with lugs. All was cast as one unit with the stand. 36 Guardian Angels, lions, and palm trees surrounded by wreaths were engraved on the borders of the band wherever there was room. 37 All ten stands were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold.

38 Then he made ten brass vats, and placed them on the stands. Each vat was six feet square and contained 240 gallons of water. 39 Five of these vats were arranged on the left and five on the right-hand side of the room. The tank was in the southeast corner, on the right-hand side of the room. 40 Hiram also made the necessary pots, shovels, and basins and at last completed the work in the Temple of the Lord that had been assigned to him by King Solomon.

41-46 Here is a list of the items he made:

Two pillars;

A capital at the top of each pillar;

Latticework covering the bases of the capitals of each pillar;

Four hundred pomegranates in two rows on the latticework, to cover the bases of the two capitals;

Ten movable stands holding ten vats;

One large tank and twelve oxen supporting it;

Pots;

Shovels;

Basins.

All these items were made of burnished bronze and were cast at the plains of the Jordan River between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 The total weight of these pieces was not known because they were too heavy to weigh!

48 All the utensils and furniture used in the Temple were made of solid gold. This included the altar, the table where the Bread of the Presence of God was displayed, 49 the lampstands (five on the right-hand side and five on the left, in front of the Most Holy Place), the flowers, lamps, tongs, 50 cups, snuffers, basins, spoons, firepans, the hinges of the doors to the Most Holy Place, and the main entrance doors of the Temple. Each of these was made of solid gold.

51 When the Temple was finally finished, Solomon took into the treasury of the Temple the silver, the gold, and all the vessels dedicated for that purpose by his father David.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:16 Jachin Pillar and Boaz Pillar. Jachin means “to establish,” and Boaz means “strength.”
  2. 1 Kings 7:24 an inch or two apart, literally, “ten in a cubit.”
  3. 1 Kings 7:25 bronze, implied.
  4. 1 Kings 7:27 square, implied in v. 31.
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1 Kings 7
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Solomon’s Palace Complex

7 Solomon completed his entire palace complex after 13 years of construction.(A) 2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.(B) It was 150 feet[a] long, 75 feet[b] wide, and 45 feet[c] high on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars. 3 It was paneled above with cedar at the top of the chambers that rested on 45 pillars, 15 per row. 4 There were three rows of window frames, facing each other[d] in three tiers.[e](C) 5 All the doors and doorposts had rectangular frames, the openings facing each other[f] in three tiers.[g] 6 He made the hall of pillars 75 feet[h] long and 45 feet[i] wide. A portico was in front of the pillars, and a canopy with pillars[j] was in front of them. 7 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.[k] 8 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.[l](E)

9 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 12 and 15 feet[m] 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[n](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 hollow bronze pillars:(J) each 27 feet[o] high and 18 feet[p] in circumference.[q](K) 16 He also made two capitals(L) of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars; 7½ feet[r] was the height of the first capital, and 7½ feet[s] was also the height of the second capital. 17 The capitals on top of the pillars had gratings of latticework, wreaths[t] 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[u] high. 20 The capitals on the two pillars were also immediately above the rounded surface next to the grating, and 200 pomegranates(M) were in rows encircling each[v] capital. 21 He set up the pillars at the portico(N) of the sanctuary: he set up the right pillar and named it Jachin;[w] then he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz.[x](O) 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. Then the work of the pillars was completed.(P)

The Reservoir

23 He made the cast metal reservoir,[y](Q) 15 feet[z] from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7½ feet[aa] high and 45 feet[ab] in circumference. 24 Ornamental gourds(R) encircled it below the brim, 10 every half yard,[ac] completely encircling the reservoir.(S) The gourds were cast in two rows when the reservoir was cast. 25 It stood on 12 oxen,(T) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The reservoir was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 The reservoir was three inches[ad] thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. It held 11,000 gallons.[ae]

The Bronze Water Carts

27 Then he made 10 bronze water carts.[af](U) Each water cart was six feet[ag] long, six feet[ah] wide, and 4½ feet[ai] 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[aj] 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 18 inches[ak] wide. The opening was round, made as a pedestal 27 inches[al] 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 27 inches[am] 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[an] 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 10 water carts using the same casting, dimensions, and shape for all of them.

Bronze Basins and Other Utensils

38 Then he made 10 bronze basins(Y)—each basin holding 220 gallons[ao] and each was six feet[ap] wide—one basin for each of the 10 water carts. 39 He set five water carts on the right side of the temple and five on the left side. He put the reservoir 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 400 pomegranates for the two gratings (two rows of pomegranates for each grating covering both capitals’ bowls on top of the pillars(AD)); 43 the 10 water carts;(AE) the 10 basins on the water carts;(AF) 44 the reservoir;(AG) the 12 oxen underneath the reservoir;(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,[aq] 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. 1 Kings 7:2 Lit 100 cubits
  2. 1 Kings 7:2 Lit 50 cubits
  3. 1 Kings 7:2 Lit 30 cubits
  4. 1 Kings 7:4 Lit frames, window to window
  5. 1 Kings 7:4 Lit three times; = at 3 different places
  6. 1 Kings 7:5 Lit frames, opposing window to window
  7. 1 Kings 7:5 Lit three times; = at 3 different places
  8. 1 Kings 7:6 Lit 50 cubits
  9. 1 Kings 7:6 Lit 30 cubits
  10. 1 Kings 7:6 Hb obscure
  11. 1 Kings 7:7 Syr, Vg; MT reads floor
  12. 1 Kings 7:8 Lit daughter he had taken
  13. 1 Kings 7:10 Lit ten cubits and eight cubits
  14. 1 Kings 7:13 = Huram in 2Ch 4:11
  15. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit 18 cubits
  16. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit 12 cubits
  17. 1 Kings 7:15 LXX adds and the thickness of the pillar was four fingers hollowed and similarly the second pillar
  18. 1 Kings 7:16 Lit five cubits
  19. 1 Kings 7:16 Lit five cubits
  20. 1 Kings 7:17 Lit tassels
  21. 1 Kings 7:19 Lit four cubits
  22. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit encircling the second
  23. 1 Kings 7:21 = He Will Establish
  24. 1 Kings 7:21 = In Him Is Strength
  25. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit sea
  26. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit 10 cubits
  27. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit five cubits
  28. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit 30 cubits
  29. 1 Kings 7:24 Lit 10 per cubit
  30. 1 Kings 7:26 Lit a handbreadth
  31. 1 Kings 7:26 Lit 2,000 baths
  32. 1 Kings 7:27 Lit bronze stands
  33. 1 Kings 7:27 Lit four cubits
  34. 1 Kings 7:27 Lit four cubits
  35. 1 Kings 7:27 Lit three cubits
  36. 1 Kings 7:29 Or hammered-down
  37. 1 Kings 7:31 Lit a cubit
  38. 1 Kings 7:31 Lit one and a half cubits
  39. 1 Kings 7:32 Lit was one and a half cubits
  40. 1 Kings 7:35 Lit half a cubit
  41. 1 Kings 7:38 Lit 40 baths
  42. 1 Kings 7:38 Lit four cubits
  43. 1 Kings 7:50 Or dishes, or spoons; lit palms
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