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2 Chronicles 4
EasyEnglish Bible

Solomon's workers make things for the temple

4 Solomon's workers made a bronze altar. It was 9 metres long, 9 metres wide and 4 metres high. 2 They used bronze to make a big bath which they called ‘the Sea’. It was in the shape of a circle 4½ metres across. It was 2½ metres deep. It was 14 metres around the outside.[a] 3 All around its edge, below the top, there were two rows of images of things that looked like bulls. They were all part of the same piece of bronze as the big bath. There were 20 bulls for every metre around the edge.

4 They put the bronze ‘Sea’ on top of 12 bronze bulls. Three pointed north, three pointed west, three pointed south and three pointed east. Their backs were towards the middle of the ‘Sea’. 5 The bronze walls of the ‘Sea’ were 7½ centimetres thick. Its top edge was like a cup in the shape of a lily flower. The ‘Sea’ contained about 65,000 litres of water.

6 They made ten bowls to wash in. They put five bowls on the south side and five bowls on the north side. The priests used them to wash all the things that they used for the burnt offerings. But the priests washed themselves in the water from the bronze ‘Sea’.

7 They used gold to make ten lampstands. They made them in the way that Solomon told them. They put the lampstands in the temple, five lampstands on the south side and five lampstands on the north side.[b]

8 They also made ten tables. They put them in the temple, five tables on the south side and five tables on the north side. They also used gold to make 100 bowls.

9 They made a small yard for the priests and another big yard with doors. They covered the doors with bronze. 10 They put the bronze ‘Sea’ on the south side of the temple, at its south-east corner.

11 Huram-Abi also made more pots, small tools and bowls. So he finished all the work in God's temple that King Solomon had asked him to do. He made these things:

12 two pillars;

two pieces for the top of each pillar, with the shape of big bowls;

rows of chains on the tops of the pillars;

13 400 images of pomegranates for the two groups of chains (there were two rows of these images around the piece at the top of each pillar, which had the shape of a bowl);

14 the carts with the buckets that were on them;

15 the big bronze bath called ‘the Sea’ and the 12 bulls under it;

16 the pots, small tools and forks for meat.

King Solomon asked Huram-Abi to make all these things for the Lord's temple. He used bright bronze to make all these things. 17 The king told his workers to pour the hot bronze into shapes in the ground. They did that at a special place in the region of the Jordan Valley, between Succoth and Zarethan. 18 Solomon did not weigh any of these things, because there were so many of them. No one ever knew the weight of the bronze.

Inside the temple

19 Solomon's workers also made all these things for God's temple:

the gold altar;

the tables which had the special bread on them;

20 the pure gold lampstands with their lamps (the plans showed how the lamps had to burn at the entrance of the Most Holy Place);

21 the gold images of flowers;

the lamps;

the small tools that held things for the altar;

22 the small tools of pure gold that they used for the lamps;

the bowls for water;

the dishes for ashes;

the baskets that carried hot coals;

the gold pieces that held the doors of the Most Holy Place;

the gold pieces that held the doors of the temple's big hall.

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 ‘The Sea’ was full of water. The priests used this to wash themselves when they went into the temple.
  2. 4:7 See 1 Chronicles 28:14-15.
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2 Chronicles 4
New International Version

The Temple’s Furnishings(A)

4 He made a bronze altar(B) twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.[a] 2 He made the Sea(C) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits[b] high. It took a line of thirty cubits[c] to measure around it. 3 Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit.[d] The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

4 The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east.(D) The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 5 It was a handbreadth[e] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.[f]

6 He then made ten basins(E) for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings(F) were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.

7 He made ten gold lampstands(G) according to the specifications(H) for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.

8 He made ten tables(I) and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.(J)

9 He made the courtyard(K) of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.

11 And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls.

So Huram finished(L) the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God:

12 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;

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

14 the stands(M) with their basins;

15 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it;

16 the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles.

All the objects that Huram-Abi(N) made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth(O) and Zarethan.[g] 18 All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze(P) could not be calculated.

19 Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple:

the golden altar;

the tables(Q) on which was the bread of the Presence;

20 the lampstands(R) of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;

21 the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold);

22 the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes(S) and censers;(T) and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:1 That is, about 30 feet long and wide and 15 feet high or about 9 meters long and wide and 4.5 meters high
  2. 2 Chronicles 4:2 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
  3. 2 Chronicles 4:2 That is, about 45 feet or about 14 meters
  4. 2 Chronicles 4:3 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  5. 2 Chronicles 4:5 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  6. 2 Chronicles 4:5 That is, about 18,000 gallons or about 66,000 liters
  7. 2 Chronicles 4:17 Hebrew Zeredatha, a variant of Zarethan
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2 Chronicles 4
Legacy Standard Bible

The Furnishings of the House of Yahweh

4 Then (A)he made a bronze altar, [a]twenty cubits in length and twenty cubits in width and ten cubits in height. 2 (B)And he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and [b]thirty cubits in [c]its circumference. 3 Now figures like oxen were under it and encircling it, ten cubits, entirely encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast [d]in one piece. 4 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the 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. 5 And it was a [e]handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it (C)could hold 3,000 baths. 6 (D)He also made ten lavers and set five on the right side and five on the left, in which to wash things, that is, in which they would rinse things for the burnt offering; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

7 Then (E)he made the ten golden lampstands [f]in the way prescribed for them and he put them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 8 He also made (F)ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made one hundred golden bowls. 9 Then he made (G)the court of the priests and (H)the great court and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 (I)And he put the sea on the right [g]side of the house toward the southeast.

11 (J)And Huram made the pots and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram completed doing the work which he did for King Solomon in the house of God: 12 the two pillars and the two bowls and the two capitals on top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars, 13 and (K)the 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 pillars. 14 (L)He also made the stands and he made the lavers on the stands, 15 and the one sea with the twelve oxen under it. 16 And the pots and the shovels and the flesh hooks and all its utensils, (M)Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon for the house of Yahweh. 17 On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 (N)Thus Solomon made all these utensils in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze could not be found out.

19 Solomon also made all the furniture which was in the house of God: even the golden altar and (O)the tables with the bread of the Presence on them, 20 and the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, (P)to burn in front of the inner sanctuary [h]in the way prescribed; 21 and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs of gold, of purest gold; 22 and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the firepans, of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, its inner doors for the Holy of Holies and the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:1 Approx. 30 ft. long, 30 ft. wide, and 10 ft. tall or 9 m, 9 m, and 4.5 m; a cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  2. 2 Chronicles 4:2 Approx. 45 ft. or 13.5 m
  3. 2 Chronicles 4:2 Lit a line of 30 cubits encircling it round about
  4. 2 Chronicles 4:3 Lit in its casting
  5. 2 Chronicles 4:5 A handbreadth was approx. 3 in. or 7.6 cm
  6. 2 Chronicles 4:7 Lit according to their judgment
  7. 2 Chronicles 4:10 Lit shoulder
  8. 2 Chronicles 4:20 Lit according to the judgment
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2 Chronicles 4
New King James Version

Furnishings of the Temple(A)

4 Moreover he made (B)a bronze altar: twenty cubits was its length, twenty cubits its width, and ten cubits its height.

2 (C)Then he made the [a]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. 3 (D)And under it was the likeness of oxen encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, all the way around the Sea. The oxen were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 4 It stood on twelve (E)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. 5 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained [b]three thousand baths.

6 He also made (F)ten lavers, and put five on the right side and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as they offered for the burnt offering they would wash in them, but the [c]Sea was for the (G)priests to wash in. 7 (H)And he made ten lampstands of gold (I)according to their design, and set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 8 (J)He also made ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made one hundred (K)bowls of gold.

9 Furthermore (L)he made the court of the priests, and the (M)great court and doors for the court; and he overlaid these doors with bronze. 10 (N)He set the Sea on the right side, toward the southeast.

11 Then (O)Huram made the pots and the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing the work that he was to do for King Solomon for the house of God: 12 the two pillars and (P)the bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals which were on top of the pillars; 13 (Q)four hundred pomegranates for the two networks (two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on the pillars); 14 he also made (R)carts and the lavers on the carts; 15 one Sea and twelve oxen under it; 16 also the pots, the shovels, the forks—and all their articles (S)Huram his [d]master craftsman made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord.

17 In the plain of Jordan the king had them cast in clay molds, between Succoth and [e]Zeredah. 18 (T)And Solomon had all these articles made in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze was not determined.

19 Thus (U)Solomon had all the furnishings made for the house of God: the altar of gold and the tables on which was (V)the showbread; 20 the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn (W)in the prescribed manner in front of the inner sanctuary, 21 with (X)the flowers and the lamps and the wick-trimmers of gold, of purest gold; 22 the trimmers, the bowls, the ladles, and the censers of pure gold. As for the entry of the [f]sanctuary, its inner doors to the Most Holy Place, and the doors of the main hall of the temple, were gold.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:2 Great laver or basin
  2. 2 Chronicles 4:5 About 8,000 gallons; two thousand, 1 Kin. 7:26
  3. 2 Chronicles 4:6 Great basin
  4. 2 Chronicles 4:16 Lit. father
  5. 2 Chronicles 4:17 Zaretan, 1 Kin. 7:46
  6. 2 Chronicles 4:22 Lit. house
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