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1 Kings 7
Names of God Bible

The Palace Built in 13 Years

7 Solomon took 13 years to finish building his palace. 2 He built a hall named the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars supporting cedar beams. 3 The hall was covered with cedar above the side rooms, which were supported by 45 pillars (15 per row).[a] 4 The windows were in three rows facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. 5 All the doors and doorframes were square. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace.

6 Solomon made the Hall of Pillars 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars.

7 He made the Hall of Justice, where he sat on his throne and served as judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.[b]

8 His own private quarters were in a different location than the Hall of Justice, but they were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter.

9 From the foundation to the roof, all these buildings, including the large courtyard, were built with high-grade stone blocks. The stone blocks were cut to size and trimmed with saws on their inner and outer faces. 10 The foundation was made with large, high-grade stones (some 12 feet long, others 15 feet long). 11 Above the foundation were cedar beams and high-grade stone blocks, which had been cut to size. 12 The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of Yahweh’s temple and the entrance hall.

The Temple Furnishings(A)

13 King Solomon had Hiram brought from Tyre. 14 Hiram was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father, a native of Tyre, was a skilled bronze craftsman. Hiram was highly skilled, resourceful, and knowledgeable about all kinds of bronze craftsmanship. He came to King Solomon and did all his bronze work.

15 He made two bronze pillars. Each was 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference. 16 He made two capitals of cast bronze to put on top of the pillars. Each capital was 7½ feet high. 17 He also made seven rows of filigree and chains for each capital. 18 After he made the pillars, he made two rows of decorations around the filigree to cover the capitals which were above the pillars.[c] He made the capitals identical to each other. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the entrance hall were lily-shaped. Each was six feet high. 20 Two hundred pomegranates in rows were directly above the bowl-shaped parts around the filigree on the capitals on both pillars.

21 Hiram set up the pillars in the temple’s entrance hall. He set up the pillar on the right and named it Jachin [He Establishes]. Then he set up the pillar on the left and named it Boaz [In Him Is Strength]. 22 There were lily-shaped capitals at the top of the pillars. He finished the work on the pillars.

23 Hiram made a pool from cast metal. It was 15 feet in diameter. It was round, 7½ feet high, and had a circumference of 45 feet. 24 Under the rim were two rows of gourds all around the 45-foot circumference of the pool. They were cast in metal when the pool was cast. 25 The pool was set on 12 metal bulls. Three bulls faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The pool was set on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center of the pool. 26 The pool was three inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup, shaped like a lily’s bud. It held 12,000 gallons.

27 He made ten bronze stands. Each stand was 6 feet square and 4½ feet high. 28 The stands were made this way: They had side panels set in frames. 29 On the panels set in frames were lions, oxen, and angels.[d] These were also on the frames. Above and below the lions and the cattle were engraved designs. 30 Each stand had four bronze wheels on bronze axles and four supports beneath the basin. The supports were made of cast metal with designs on the sides. 31 Each had a 1½-foot-deep opening in the center to the circular frame on top. The opening was round, formed like a pedestal, and was two feet wide. Around the opening there were engravings. But the panels were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles were attached to the stand. Each wheel was two feet high. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels. The axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast metal. 34 The four supports at the four corners of each stand were part of the stand. 35 The top of each stand had a round, nine-inch-high band. Above the stand were supports which were part of the panels. 36 Hiram engraved angels, lions, palm trees, and designs in every available space on the supports and panels. 37 This is the way he made the ten stands. All of them were cast in the same mold, identical in size and shape.

38 Hiram also made ten bronze basins. Each basin held 240 gallons. Every basin was six feet wide. There was one basin on each of the ten stands. 39 He put five stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north side of the temple. He set the pool on the south side of the temple in the southeast corner. 40 Hiram also made pots, shovels, and bowls.

So Hiram finished all the work for King Solomon on Yahweh’s temple: 41 2 pillars, the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the 2 pillars, and 2 sets of filigree to cover the 2 bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, 42 400 pomegranates for the 2 sets of filigree (2 rows of pomegranates for each filigree to cover the 2 bowl-shaped capitals on the pillars), 43 10 stands and 10 basins on the stands, 44 1 pool, 12 bulls under the pool, 45 pots, shovels, and bowls. Hiram made all these utensils out of polished bronze for Yahweh’s temple at King Solomon’s request. 46 The king cast them in foundries in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon left all the products unweighed because so much bronze was used. No one tried to determine how much the bronze weighed.

48 Solomon made all the furnishings for Yahweh’s temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which the bread of the presence was placed, 49 lamp stands of pure gold (five on the south side and five on the north in front of the inner room), flowers, lamps, gold tongs, 50 dishes, snuffers, bowls, saucers, incense burners of pure gold, the gold sockets for the doors of the inner room (the most holy place), and the doors of the temple.

51 All the work King Solomon did on Yahweh’s temple was finished. He brought the holy things that had belonged to his father David—the silver, gold, and utensils—and put them in the storerooms of Yahweh’s temple.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:3 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.
  2. 1 Kings 7:7 Latin, Syriac; Masoretic Text “floor to floor.”
  3. 1 Kings 7:18 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Greek, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “pomegranates.”
  4. 1 Kings 7:29 Or “cherubim.”
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1 Kings 7
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

Solomon’s Palace Complex

7 Solomon completed his entire palace complex after thirteen years of construction.(A) 2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.(B) It was forty-five metres[a] long, twenty-three metres[b] wide, and thirteen and a half metres[c] high on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars. 3 It was panelled above with cedar at the top of the chambers that rested on forty-five pillars, fifteen 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. 6 He made the hall of pillars twenty-three metres long and thirteen and a half metres wide. A portico was in front of the pillars, and a canopy with pillars[g] was in front of them. 7 He made the Hall of the Throne where he would judge(D) – the Hall of Judgement. It was panelled with cedar from the floor to the rafters.[h] 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.[i](E)

9 All of these buildings were of costly stones, cut to size and sawn 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, 3.6 and 4.5 metres[j] long. 11 Above were also costly stones, cut to size, as well as cedar wood. 12 Round 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 sent for Hiram[k](G) and brought him 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 8 metres[l] high and 5.4 metres[m] in circumference.[n](K) 16 He also made two capitals(L) of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars; 2.25 metres[o] was the height of the first capital, and 2.25 metres 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, 1.8 metres[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) 4.5 metres[v] from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 2.25 metres high and 13.5 metres in circumference. 24 Ornamental gourds(R) encircled it below the brim, ten every 45 centimetres,[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 towards the centre. 26 The basin was 8 centimetres[x] thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. It held forty-four thousand litres.[y]

The Bronze Water Carts

27 Then he made ten bronze water carts.[z](U) Each water cart was 1.8 metres long, 1.8 metres wide, and 1.35 metres[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 45 centimetres[ac] wide. The opening was round, made as a pedestal 70 centimetres[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 70 centimetres[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 25 centimetres[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 880 litres[ag] and each was 1.8 metres 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 towards 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 moulds 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 Litencircling 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
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