Hiram’s Work in the Temple

13 Now (A)King Solomon sent word and had Hiram brought from Tyre. 14 (B)He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, an artisan in bronze; and (C)he was filled with wisdom, skill, and knowledge for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and (D)performed all his work.

15 He fashioned (E)the two pillars of bronze; [a](F)eighteen cubits was the height of [b]each pillar, and a line of [c]twelve cubits [d]measured the circumference of both. 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to put on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was [e]five cubits and the height of the other capital was [f]five cubits. 17 There were lattices of latticework and wreaths 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 lattice to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. 19 The capitals which were on the tops of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. 20 So there were capitals on the two pillars, also above and close to the [g]rounded projection which was beside the lattice; and (G)the pomegranates totaled two hundred in rows around [h]both capitals. 21 (H)And he set up the pillars at the (I)porch of the [i]main room: he set up the right pillar and named it [j]Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it [k]Boaz. 22 On the top of the pillars was the lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (J)He also he made the [l]Sea of (K)cast metal [m]ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in shape, and its height was five cubits, and [n]it was [o]thirty cubits in circumference. 24 Under its brim (L)gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, (M)completely surrounding the Sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast [p]with the rest. 25 (N)It was standing 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 [q]hand width thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it could hold [r]two thousand baths.

27 Then (O)he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was [s]four cubits, its width four cubits, and its height was three cubits. 28 This was the design of the stands: they had borders, that is, borders between the crossbars, 29 and on the borders which were between the crossbars were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the crossbars 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 basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side. 31 And its opening inside the crown at the top was a [t]cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and on its opening also there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. 32 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 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 [u]half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand its [v]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, as there was clear space on each, with wreaths all around. 37 (P)He made the ten stands like this: all of them had the [w]same casting, [x]same measure, and [y]same form.

38 (Q)And he made ten basins of bronze, [z]each holding [aa]forty baths; each basin was [ab]four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin. 39 Then he placed the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the [ac]Sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south.

40 Now Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the (R)two pillars, and the two lattices 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 lattices, two rows of pomegranates for each lattice to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars; 43 and the ten stands with the ten basins on the stands; 44 and (T)the one [ad]Sea and the twelve oxen under the Sea; 45 and (U)the buckets, the shovels, and the bowls; indeed, all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of the Lord were of polished bronze. 46 (V)The king had them cast in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between (W)Succoth and (X)Zarethan. 47 However, Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; (Y)the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:15 About 27 ft. or 8 m
  2. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit the one
  3. 1 Kings 7:15 About 18 ft. or 5.5 m
  4. 1 Kings 7:15 Lit went around the other pillar
  5. 1 Kings 7:16 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  6. 1 Kings 7:16 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  7. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit belly
  8. 1 Kings 7:20 Lit on the other capital
  9. 1 Kings 7:21 Lit sanctuary
  10. 1 Kings 7:21 I.e., he shall establish
  11. 1 Kings 7:21 I.e., in it is strength
  12. 1 Kings 7:23 I.e., large basin
  13. 1 Kings 7:23 About 15 ft. in diameter and 7.5 ft. high or 4.6 m and 2.3 m high
  14. 1 Kings 7:23 Lit a line of 30 cubits went around it all around;
  15. 1 Kings 7:23 About 45 ft. or 14 m
  16. 1 Kings 7:24 Lit in its casting
  17. 1 Kings 7:26 About 3 in. or 7.6 cm
  18. 1 Kings 7:26 About 12,000 gallons or 45,424 liters
  19. 1 Kings 7:27 About 6 ft. long and wide and 4.5 ft. high or 1.8 m and 1.4 m
  20. 1 Kings 7:31 About 18 in. or 45 cm
  21. 1 Kings 7:35 About 9 in. or 23 cm
  22. 1 Kings 7:35 Lit hands
  23. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  24. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  25. 1 Kings 7:37 Lit one
  26. 1 Kings 7:38 Lit the one basin held
  27. 1 Kings 7:38 About 240 gallons or 908 liters
  28. 1 Kings 7:38 About 6 ft. or 1.8 m
  29. 1 Kings 7:39 I.e., large basin
  30. 1 Kings 7:44 I.e., large basin

The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought (A)Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And (B)he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 (C)He cast (D)two pillars of bronze. (E)Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.[a] 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and (F)the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice[b] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates[c] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and 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. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were (G)two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 (H)He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 (I)Then he made (J)the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were (K)gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on (L)twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth,[d] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.[e]

27 He also made the (M)ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29 and on the panels 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 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with 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 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made (N)the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made (O)ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

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

45 Now (U)the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between (V)Succoth and (W)Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; (X)the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 7:15 Targum, Syriac (compare Septuagint and Jeremiah 52:21); Hebrew and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second pillar
  2. 1 Kings 7:17 Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse
  3. 1 Kings 7:18 Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars
  4. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
  5. 1 Kings 7:26 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters