Add parallel Print Page Options

Hiram’s Work in the House of Yahweh

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

15 And he fashioned (E)the two pillars of bronze; (F)eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits [a]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 [b]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 [c]rounded projection which was on the one side of the network; and (G)the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around [d]both capitals. 21 (H)Thus he set up the pillars at the (I)porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named it [e]Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it [f]Boaz. 22 And on the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

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

27 Then (O)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 [j]frames, 29 and on the borders which were between the [k]frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the [l]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 [m]cubit high, and on the top of the stand its [n]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 (P)He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form.

38 (Q)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 (R)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 (S)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 (T)the one sea and the twelve oxen under the sea; 45 and (U)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 (V)On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between (W)Succoth and (X)Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; (Y)the weight of the bronze could not be found out.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

Products of Hiram the Bronzeworker

13 Now King Solomon invited and received Hiram from Tyre.(A) 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, whose father, a man of Tyre, had been an artisan in bronze; he was full of skill, intelligence, and knowledge in working bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.(B)

15 He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of the one, and a cord of twelve cubits would encircle it; the second pillar was the same.[a](C) 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 cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were nets of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 He made the columns with two rows around each latticework to cover the capitals that were above the pomegranates; 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 high. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection that was beside the latticework; there were two hundred pomegranates in rows all around, and so with the other capital.(D) 21 He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the south and called it Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called it Boaz.(E) 22 On the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Then he made the molten sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely.(F) 24 Under its brim were gourds[b] all around it, each of ten cubits, surrounding the sea; there were two rows of gourds,[c] cast when it was cast.(G) 25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was set on them. The hindquarters of each were toward the inside.(H) 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth; its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held two thousand baths.[d]

27 He also made the ten stands of bronze; each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.(I) 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had borders; the borders were within the frames; 29 on the borders 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 Each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze; at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each.(J) 31 Its opening was within the crown, whose height was one cubit; its opening was round, as a pedestal is made; it was a cubit and a half wide. At its opening there were carvings; its borders were four-sided, not round. 32 The four wheels were underneath the borders; the axles of the wheels were in 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 On the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; on the top of the stand, its stays and its borders were of one piece with it. 36 On the surfaces of its stays and on its borders he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees where each had space, with wreaths all around. 37 In this way he made the ten stands; all of them were cast alike, with the same size and the same form.(K)

38 He made ten basins of bronze; each basin held forty baths;[e] each basin measured four cubits; there was a basin for each of the ten stands.(L) 39 He set five of the stands on the south side of the house and five on the north side of the house; he set the sea on the southeast corner of the house.

40 Hiram also made 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, the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars;(M) 42 the 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;(N) 43 the ten stands, the ten basins on the stands; 44 the one sea and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.(O)

45 The pots, the shovels, and the basins—all these vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of burnished bronze.(P) 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.(Q) 47 Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not determined.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 7.15 Cn: Heb and a cord of twelve cubits encircled the second pillar
  2. 7.24 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 7.24 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 7.26 A Heb measure of volume
  5. 7.38 A Heb measure of volume