⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah^[a] and Berothai.

⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah^[a] and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and molded it into the great bronze basin called the Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze articles used at the Temple.

Furnishings for the Temple

4 Solomon^[a] also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.^{[b] 2} Then he cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7 1⁄2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.^{[c] 3} It was encircled just below its rim by two rows of figures that resembled oxen. There were about six oxen per foot^[d] all the way around, and they were cast as part of the basin.

⁴ The Sea was placed on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east, and the Sea rested on them. ⁵ The walls of the Sea were about three inches^[e] thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 16,500 gallons^[f] of water.

⁶ He also made ten smaller basins for washing the utensils for the burnt offerings. He set five on the south side and five on the north. But the priests washed themselves in the Sea.

⁷ He then cast ten gold lampstands according to the specifications that had been given, and he put them in the Temple. Five were placed against the south wall, and five were placed against the north wall.

⁸ He also built ten tables and placed them in the Temple, five along the south wall and five along the north wall. Then he molded 100 gold basins.

⁹ He then built a courtyard for the priests, and also the large outer courtyard. He made doors for the courtyard entrances and overlaid them with bronze. ¹⁰ The great bronze basin called the Sea was placed near the southeast corner of the Temple.

¹¹ Huram-abi also made the necessary washbasins, shovels, and bowls.

So at last Huram-abi completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of God:

Huram-abi made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of the Lord, just as King Solomon had directed. ¹⁷ The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan.^{[g] 18} Solomon used such great quantities of bronze that its weight could not be determined.

⁷ For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave about 188 tons of gold,^[a] 10,000 gold coins,^[b] 375 tons of silver,^[c] 675 tons of bronze,^[d] and 3,750 tons of iron.^[e]

¹⁶ You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the Lord be with you!”

¹⁴ “I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the Lord—nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver,^[a] and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more.