2 Chronicles 4
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
The Altar and Basins
4 He made a bronze altar(A) nine metres[a] long, nine metres wide, and four and a half metres[b] high.
2 Then he made the cast metal basin,[c](B) 4.5 metres from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 2.25 metres[d] high and 13.5 metres[e] in circumference. 3 The likeness of oxen[f] was below it, completely encircling it, ten every 45 centimetres,[g] completely surrounding the basin. The oxen were cast in two rows when the basin was cast. 4 It stood on twelve oxen, 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. 5 The basin was eight centimetres[h] thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or a lily blossom. It could hold forty-four thousand litres.[i]
6 He made ten basins for washing and he put five on the right and five on the left.(C) The parts of the burnt offering were rinsed in them,(D) but the basin was used by the priests for washing.
The Lampstands, Tables, and Courts
7 He made the ten gold lampstands according to their specifications and put them in the sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left.(E) 8 He made ten tables and placed them in the sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left.(F) He also made a hundred gold bowls.
9 He made the courtyard(G) of the priests and the large court, and doors for the court. He overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He put the basin on the right side, towards the southeast.(H) 11 Then Huram[j](I) made(J) the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.
Completion of the Bronze Furnishings
So Huram finished doing the work that he was doing for King Solomon in God’s temple: 12 two pillars; the bowls and the capitals on top of the two pillars; the two gratings for covering both bowls of the capitals that were on top of the pillars; 13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two gratings (two rows of pomegranates for each grating covering both capitals’ bowls on top of the pillars(K)). 14 He also made the water carts[k](L) and the basins on the water carts. 15 The one basin and the twelve oxen underneath it, 16 the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all their utensils – Huram-abi[l](M) made them for King Solomon for the Lord’s temple. All these were made of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay moulds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Solomon made all these utensils in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze was not determined.
Completion of the Gold Furnishings
19 Solomon also made all the equipment in God’s temple: the gold altar; the tables on which to put the Bread of the Presence;(N) 20 the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn in front of the inner sanctuary according to specifications;(O) 21 the flowers, lamps, and gold tongs – of purest gold; 22 the wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, ladles,[m] and firepans – of purest gold; and the entrance to the temple, its inner doors to the most holy place, and the doors of the temple sanctuary – of gold.
Footnotes
- 4:1 Lit 20 cubits
- 4:1 Lit 10 cubits, also in v. 2
- 4:2 Lit sea
- 4:2 Lit five cubits
- 4:2 Lit 30 cubits
- 4:3 = gourds in 1Kg 7:24
- 4:3 Lit 10 per cubit
- 4:5 Lit a handbreadth
- 4:5 Text emended; MT reads 3,000 baths in 1Kg 7:26
- 4:11 = Hiram in 1Kg 7:13,40,45
- 4:14 Lit the stands
- 4:16 Lit Huram my father
- 4:22 Or dishes, or spoons; lit palms
2 Chronicles 4
English Standard Version
The Temple's Furnishings
4 He made (A)an altar of bronze, twenty cubits[a] long and twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high. 2 (B)Then he made 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. 3 Under it were figures of gourds,[b] for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 4 It stood on 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. 5 Its thickness was a handbreadth.[c] And its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. (C)It held 3,000 baths.[d] 6 (D)He also made ten basins in which to wash, and set five on the south side, and five on the north side. In these they were to rinse off what was used for the burnt offering, and the sea was for the priests to wash in.
7 And he made ten golden lampstands (E)as prescribed, and set them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8 (F)He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. And he made a hundred basins of gold. 9 He made (G)the court of the priests (H)and the great court and doors for the court and overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 (I)And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.
11 (J)(K)Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. (L)So Hiram finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God: 12 the two pillars, (M)the bowls, and the two capitals on the top of the pillars; and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; 13 (N)and the 400 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. 14 (O)He made the stands also, and the basins on the stands, 15 and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath it. 16 The pots, the shovels, (P)the forks, and all the equipment for these (Q)(R)Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord. 17 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.[e] 18 (S)Solomon made all these things in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze was not sought.
19 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God: the golden altar, (T)the tables for the bread of the Presence, 20 the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold (U)to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of purest gold; 22 the snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold, and the sockets[f] of the temple, for the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and for the doors of the nave of the temple were of gold.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 4:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- 2 Chronicles 4:3 Hebrew oxen; twice in this verse; compare 1 Kings 7:24
- 2 Chronicles 4:5 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters
- 2 Chronicles 4:5 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters
- 2 Chronicles 4:17 Spelled Zarethan in 1 Kings 7:46
- 2 Chronicles 4:22 Compare 1 Kings 7:50; Hebrew the entrance of the house
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
