Hiram the Craftsman

13 Now King Solomon sent and brought [a]Huram from Tyre. 14 (A)He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and (B)his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; (C)he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.

The Bronze Pillars for the Temple(D)

15 And he [b]cast (E)two pillars of bronze, each one eighteen cubits high, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of each. 16 Then he made two capitals of cast bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 He made a lattice network, with wreaths of chainwork, for the capitals which were on top of the pillars: seven chains for one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars, and two rows of pomegranates above the network all around to cover the capitals that were on top; and thus he did for the other capital.

19 The capitals which were on top of the pillars in the hall were in the shape of lilies, four cubits. 20 The capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, by the convex surface which was next to the network; and there were (F)two hundred such pomegranates in rows on each of the capitals all around.

21 (G)Then he set up the pillars by the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the right and called its name [c]Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and called its name [d]Boaz. 22 The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. So the work of the pillars was finished.

The Sea and the Oxen

23 And he made (H)the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.

24 Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, (I)all the way around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast in two rows when it was cast. 25 It stood on (J)twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward. 26 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained [e]two thousand baths.

The Carts and the Lavers

27 He also made ten [f]carts of bronze; four cubits was the length of each cart, four cubits its width, and three cubits its height. 28 And this was the design of the carts: They had panels, and the panels were between frames; 29 on the panels that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And on the frames was a pedestal on top. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of plaited work. 30 Every cart had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and its four feet had supports. Under the laver were supports of cast bronze beside each wreath. 31 Its opening inside the crown at the top was one cubit in diameter; and the opening was round, shaped like a pedestal, one and a half cubits in outside diameter; and also on the opening were engravings, but the panels were square, not round. 32 Under the panels were the four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the cart. The height of a wheel was one and a half cubits. 33 The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel; their axle pins, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all of cast bronze. 34 And there were four supports at the four corners of each cart; its supports were part of the cart itself. 35 On the top of the cart, at the height of half a cubit, it was perfectly round. And on the top of the cart, its flanges and its panels were of the same casting. 36 On the plates of its flanges and on its panels he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was a clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 Thus he made the ten carts. All of them were of [g]the same mold, one measure, and one shape.

38 Then (K)he made ten lavers of bronze; each laver contained [h]forty baths, and each laver was four cubits. On each of the ten carts was a laver. 39 And he put five carts on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.

Furnishings of the Temple(L)

40 (M)Huram[i] made the lavers and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing all the work that he was to do for King Solomon for the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two (N)networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals which were on top of the pillars; 42 (O)four hundred pomegranates for the two networks (two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars); 43 the ten carts, and ten lavers on the carts; 44 one Sea, and twelve oxen under the Sea; 45 (P)the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.

All these articles which [j]Huram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46 (Q)In the plain of Jordan the king had them cast in clay molds, between (R)Succoth and (S)Zaretan. 47 And Solomon did not weigh all the articles, because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not (T)determined.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:13 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 fashioned
  3. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit. He Shall Establish
  4. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit. In It Is Strength
  5. 1 Kings 7:26 About 12,000 gallons; three thousand, 2 Chr. 4:5
  6. 1 Kings 7:27 Or stands
  7. 1 Kings 7:37 one
  8. 1 Kings 7:38 About 240 gallons
  9. 1 Kings 7:40 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14
  10. 1 Kings 7:45 Heb. Hiram; cf. 2 Chr. 2:13, 14

13 And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.

14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill to work all works in brass. And he came to King Solomon and wrought all his work.

15 For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece; and a line of twelve cubits compassed each of them about.

16 And he made two capitals of molten brass to set upon the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits;

17 and nets of checker work and wreaths of chain work for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars, seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital.

18 And he made the pillars, and two rows with pomegranates round about upon the one network to cover the capitals that were upon the top; and so did he for the other capital.

19 And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.

20 And the capitals upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network; and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other capital.

21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar and called the name thereof Jachin [that is, He shall establish], and he set up the left pillar and called the name thereof Boaz [that is, In it is strength].

22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work; so was the work of the pillars finished.

23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other; it was round all about, and his height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.

24 And under the brim of it round about there were buds compassing it, ten to a cubit, compassing the sea round about; the buds were cast in two rows when it was cast.

25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hind parts were inward.

26 And it was a handbreadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies. It contained two thousand baths.

27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.

28 And the work of the bases was in this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges;

29 and on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims. And upon the ledges there was a base above; and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.

30 And every base had four brazen wheels and plates of brass, and the four corners thereof had supports. Under the laver were molten supports at the side of every addition.

31 And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit; but the mouth thereof was round according to the work of the base, a cubit and a half; and also upon the mouth of it were engravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.

32 And under the borders were four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the base; and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.

33 And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel; their axles and their hubs and their rims and their spokes were all molten.

34 And there were four supports to the four corners of one base, and the supports were part of the very base itself.

35 And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.

36 For on the plates of the ledges thereof and on the borders thereof he engraved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.

37 After this manner he made the ten bases; all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.

38 Then made he ten lavers of brass; each laver contained forty baths, and every laver was four cubits, and upon every one of the ten bases was one laver.

39 And he put five bases on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house, and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.

40 And Hiram made the lavers and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made King Solomon for the house of the Lord:

41 the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars;

42 and four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars;

43 and the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;

44 and one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;

45 and the pots and the shovels and the basins. And all these vessels which Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of bright brass.

46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.

47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many; neither was the weight of the brass found out.

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The Temple’s Furnishings(A)(B)

13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram,[a](C) 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom,(D) with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all(E) the work assigned to him.

15 He cast two bronze pillars,(F) each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.[b] 16 He also made two capitals(G) of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits[c] high. 17 A network of interwoven chains adorned the capitals on top of the pillars, seven for each capital. 18 He made pomegranates in two rows[d] encircling each network to decorate the capitals on top of the pillars.[e] He did the same for each capital. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits[f] high. 20 On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates(H) in rows all around. 21 He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin[g] and the one to the north Boaz.[h](I) 22 The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars(J) was completed.

23 He made the Sea(K) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line(L) of thirty cubits[i] to measure around it. 24 Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

25 The Sea stood on twelve bulls,(M) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 It was a handbreadth[j] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.[k]

27 He also made ten movable stands(N) of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high.[l] 28 This is how the stands were made: They had side panels attached to uprights. 29 On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim—and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work. 30 Each stand(O) had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side. 31 On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit[m] deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half.[n] Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all of cast metal.

34 Each stand had four handles, one on each corner, projecting from the stand. 35 At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit[o] deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand. 36 He engraved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around. 37 This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same molds and were identical in size and shape.

38 He then made ten bronze basins,(P) each holding forty baths[p] and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands. 39 He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple. 40 He also made the pots[q] and shovels and sprinkling bowls.(Q)

So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the Lord:

41 the two pillars;

the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network decorating the bowl-shaped capitals(R) on top of the pillars);

43 the ten stands with their ten basins;

44 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it;

45 the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls.(S)

All these objects that Huram(T) made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain(U) of the Jordan between Sukkoth(V) and Zarethan.(W) 47 Solomon left all these things unweighed,(X) because there were so many;(Y) the weight of the bronze(Z) was not determined.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:13 Hebrew Hiram, a variant of Huram; also in verses 40 and 45
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
  3. 1 Kings 7:16 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters; also in verse 23
  4. 1 Kings 7:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts made the pillars, and there were two rows
  5. 1 Kings 7:18 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts pomegranates
  6. 1 Kings 7:19 That is, about 6 feet or about 1.8 meters; also in verse 38
  7. 1 Kings 7:21 Jakin probably means he establishes.
  8. 1 Kings 7:21 Boaz probably means in him is strength.
  9. 1 Kings 7:23 That is, about 45 feet or about 14 meters
  10. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  11. 1 Kings 7:26 That is, about 12,000 gallons or about 44,000 liters; the Septuagint does not have this sentence.
  12. 1 Kings 7:27 That is, about 6 feet long and wide and about 4 1/2 feet high or about 1.8 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high
  13. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  14. 1 Kings 7:31 That is, about 2 1/4 feet or about 68 centimeters; also in verse 32
  15. 1 Kings 7:35 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  16. 1 Kings 7:38 That is, about 240 gallons or about 880 liters
  17. 1 Kings 7:40 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Vulgate (see also verse 45 and 2 Chron. 4:11); many other Hebrew manuscripts basins