48 And Solomon H8010 made H6213 all the vessels H3627 that pertained unto the house H1004 of the LORD: H3068 the altar H4196 of gold, H2091 and the table H7979 of gold, H2091 whereupon the shewbread H3899 H6440 was,
And he made H6213 the table H7979 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 was the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 thereof: And he overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 and made H6213 thereunto a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439 Also he made H6213 thereunto a border H4526 of an handbreadth H2948 round about; H5439 and made H6213 a crown H2213 of gold H2091 for the border H4526 thereof round about. H5439 And he cast H3332 for it four H702 rings H2885 of gold, H2091 and put H5414 the rings H2885 upon the four H702 corners H6285 that were in the four H702 feet H7272 thereof. Over against H5980 the border H4526 were the rings, H2885 the places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 the table. H7979 And he made H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with gold, H2091 to bear H5375 the table. H7979 And he made H6213 the vessels H3627 which were upon the table, H7979 his dishes, H7086 and his spoons, H3709 and his bowls, H4518 and his covers H7184 to cover H5258 withal, H2004 of pure H2889 gold. H2091
Thou shalt also make H6213 a table H7979 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 two cubits H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof, and a cubit H520 and a half H2677 the height H6967 thereof. And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 and make H6213 thereto a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439 And thou shalt make H6213 unto it a border H4526 of an hand breadth H2948 round about, H5439 and thou shalt make H6213 a golden H2091 crown H2213 to the border H4526 thereof round about. H5439 And thou shalt make H6213 for it four H702 rings H2885 of gold, H2091 and put H5414 the rings H2885 in the four H702 corners H6285 that are on the four H702 feet H7272 thereof. Over against H5980 the border H4526 shall the rings H2885 be for places H1004 of the staves H905 to bear H5375 the table. H7979 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold, H2091 that the table H7979 may be borne H5375 with them. And thou shalt make H6213 the dishes H7086 thereof, and spoons H3709 thereof, and covers H7184 thereof, and bowls H4518 thereof, to cover H5258 withal: H2004 of pure H2889 gold H2091 shalt thou make H6213 them. And thou shalt set H5414 upon the table H7979 shewbread H3899 before H6440 me alway. H8548
And thou shalt take H3947 fine flour, H5560 and bake H644 twelve H6240 cakes H2471 thereof: two H8147 tenth deals H6241 shall be in one H259 cake. H2471 And thou shalt set H7760 them in two H8147 rows, H4634 six H8337 on a row, H4635 upon the pure H2889 table H7979 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And thou shalt put H5414 pure H2134 frankincense H3828 upon each row, H4635 that it may be on the bread H3899 for a memorial, H234 even an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD. H3068 Every sabbath H7676 he shall set it H3117 in order H6186 before H6440 the LORD H3068 continually, H8548 being taken from the children H1121 of Israel H3478 by an everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285 And it shall be Aaron's H175 and his sons'; H1121 and they shall eat H398 it in the holy H6918 place: H4725 for it is most H6944 holy H6944 unto him of the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire H801 by a perpetual H5769 statute. H2706
And he put H5414 the table H7979 in the tent H168 of the congregation, H4150 upon the side H3409 of the tabernacle H4908 northward, H6828 without H2351 the vail. H6532 And he set H6187 the bread H3899 in order H6186 upon it before H6440 the LORD; H3068 as the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
And he made H6213 the incense H7004 altar H4196 of shittim H7848 wood: H6086 the length H753 of it was a cubit, H520 and the breadth H7341 of it a cubit; H520 it was foursquare; H7251 and two cubits H520 was the height H6967 of it; the horns H7161 thereof were of the same. And he overlaid H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 both the top H1406 of it, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 of it: also he made H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439 And he made H6213 two H8147 rings H2885 of gold H2091 for it under the crown H2213 thereof, by the two H8147 corners H6763 of it, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 thereof, to be places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal. And he made H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlaid H6823 them with gold. H2091 And he made H6213 the holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and the pure H2889 incense H7004 of sweet spices, H5561 according to the work H4639 of the apothecary. H7543
And thou shalt make H6213 an altar H4196 to burn H4729 incense H7004 upon: of shittim H7848 wood H6086 shalt thou make H6213 it. A cubit H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof; foursquare H7251 shall it be: and two cubits H520 shall be the height H6967 thereof: the horns H7161 thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 the top H1406 thereof, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 thereof; and thou shalt make H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439 And two H8147 golden H2091 rings H2885 shalt thou make H6213 to it under the crown H2213 of it, by the two H8147 corners H6763 thereof, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 of it shalt thou make H6213 it; and they shall be for places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal. H1992 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold. H2091
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 7
Commentary on 1 Kings 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
1Ki 7:1. Building of Solomon's House.
1. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years—The time occupied in building his palace was nearly double that spent in the erection of the temple [1Ki 6:38], because neither had there been the same previous preparations for it, nor was there the same urgency as in providing a place of worship, on which the national well-being so much depended.
1Ki 7:2-7. Of the House of Lebanon.
2. He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon—It is scarcely possible to determine whether this was a different edifice from the former, or whether his house, the house of the forest of Lebanon, and the one for Pharaoh's daughter, were not parts of one grand palace. As difficult is it to decide what was the origin of the name; some supposing it was so called because built on Lebanon; others, that it was in or near Jerusalem, but contained such a profuse supply of cedar columns as to have occasioned this peculiar designation. We have a similar peculiarity of name in the building called the East India house, though situated in London. The description is conformable to the arrangement of Eastern palaces. The building stood in the middle of a great oblong square, which was surrounded by an enclosing wall, against which the houses and offices of those attached to the court were built. The building itself was oblong, consisting of two square courts, flanking a large oblong hall which formed the center, and was one hundred cubits long, by fifty broad. This was properly the house of the forest of Lebanon, being the part where were the cedar pillars of this hall. In front was the porch of judgment, which was appropriated to the transaction of public business. On the one side of this great hall was the king's house; and on the other the harem or royal apartments for Pharaoh's daughter (Es 2:3, 9). This arrangement of the palace accords with the Oriental style of building, according to which a great mansion always consists of three divisions, or separate houses—all connected by doors and passages—the men dwelling at one extremity, the women of the family at the other, while public rooms occupy the central part of the building.
10. the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones—Enormous stones, corresponding exactly with the dimensions given, are found in Jerusalem at this day. Not only the walls from the foundation to the roof beams were built of large hewn stones, but the spacious court around the palace was also paved with great square stones.
12. for the inner court of the house of the Lord—should be, as in the inner court of the house of the Lord; the meaning is, that in this palace, as in the temple, rows of hewed stones and the cedar beams formed the enclosing wall.
1Ki 7:13-51. Hiram's Works.
13. Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre—The Tyrians and other inhabitants on the Phœnician coast were the most renowned artists and workers in metal in the ancient world.
14. He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali—In 2Ch 2:14 his mother is said to have been of the daughters of Dan. The apparent discrepancy may be reconciled thus: Hiram's mother, though belonging to the tribe of Dan, had been married to a Naphtalite, so that when married afterwards to a Tyrian, she might be described as a widow of the tribe of Naphtali. Or, if she was a native of the city Dan (Laish), she might be said to be of the daughters of Dan, as born in that place; and of the tribe of Naphtali, as really belonging to it.
a worker in brass—This refers particularly to the works described in this chapter. But in 2Ch 2:13 his artistic skill is represented as extending to a great variety of departments. In fact, he was appointed, from his great natural talents and acquired skill, to superintend the execution of all the works of art in the temple.
15-22. two pillars of brass of eighteen cubits high—They were made of the brass (bronze) which was taken from the king of Zobah (1Ch 18:8). In 2Ch 3:15 they are said to have been thirty-five cubits high. There, however, their joint lengths are given; whereas here the length of the pillars is given separately. Each pillar was seventeen and a half cubits long, which is stated, in round numbers, as eighteen. Their dimensions in English measure are as follows: The pillars without the capitals measured thirty-two and a half feet long, and seven feet diameter; and if hollow, as Whiston, in his translation of Josephus, thinks (Jer 52:21), the metal would be about three and a half inches thick; so that the whole casting of one pillar must have been from sixteen to twenty tons. The height of the capitals was eight and three-fourths feet; and, at the same thickness of metal, would not weigh less than seven or eight tons each. The nature of the workmanship in the finishing of these capitals is described (1Ki 7:17-22). The pillars, when set up, would stand forty feet in height [Napier, Metal].
17, 18. nets of checker work—that is, branch-work, resembling the branches of palm trees, and
wreaths of chain-work—that is, plaited in the form of a chain, composing a sort of crown or garland. Seven of these were wound in festoons on one capital, and over and underneath them were fringes, one hundred in a row. Two rows of pomegranates strung on chains (2Ch 3:16) ran round the capital (1Ki 7:42; compare 2Ch 4:12, 13; Jer 52:23), which, itself, was of a bowl-like or globular form (1Ki 7:41). These rows were designed to form a binding to the ornamental work—to keep it from falling asunder; and they were so placed as to be above the chain work, and below the place where the branch-work was.
19. lily work—beautiful ornaments, resembling the stalks, leaves, and blossoms of lilies—of large dimensions, as suited to the height of their position.
21. Jachin and … Boaz—These names were symbolical, and indicated the strength and stability—not so much of the material temple, for they were destroyed along with it (Jer 52:17), as of the spiritual kingdom of God, which was embodied in the temple.
23-26. he made a molten sea—In the tabernacle was no such vessel; the laver served the double purpose of washing the hands and feet of the priests as well as the parts of the sacrifices. But in the temple there were separate vessels provided for these offices. (See on 2Ch 4:6). The molten sea was an immense semicircular vase, measuring seventeen and a half feet in diameter, and being eight and three-fourths feet in depth. This, at three and a half inches in thickness, could not weigh less than from twenty-five to thirty tons in one solid casting—and held from sixteen thousand to twenty thousand gallons of water. [See on 2Ch 4:3.] The brim was all carved with lily work or flowers; and oxen were carved or cut on the outside all round, to the number of three hundred; and it stood on a pedestal of twelve oxen. These oxen must have been of considerable size, like the Assyrian bulls, so that their corresponding legs would give thickness or strength to support so great a weight for, when the vessel was filled with water, the whole weight would be about one hundred tons [Napier]. (See on 2Ch 4:3).
27-39. he made ten bases of brass—These were trucks or four-wheeled carriages, for the support and conveyance of the lavers. The description of their structure shows that they were elegantly fitted up and skilfully adapted to their purpose. They stood, not on the axles, but on four rests attached to the axles, so that the figured sides were considerably raised above the wheels. They were all exactly alike in form and size. The lavers which were borne upon them were vessels capable each of holding three hundred gallons of water, upwards of a ton weight. The whole, when full of water, would be no less than two tons [Napier].
40-45. And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins—These verses contain a general enumeration of Hiram's works, as well as those already mentioned as other minor things. The Tyrian artists are frequently mentioned by ancient authors as skilful artificers in fashioning and embossing metal cups and bowls; and we need not wonder, therefore, to find them employed by Solomon in making the golden and brazen utensils for his temple and palaces.
46. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them—Zarthan, or Zaretan (Jos 3:16), or Zartanah (1Ki 4:12), or Zeredathah (2Ch 4:17), was on the bank of the Jordan in the territories of western Manasseh. Succoth was situated on the eastern side of Jordan, at the ford of the river near the mouth of the Jabbok. One reason assigned by commentators for the castings being made there is, that at such a distance from Jerusalem that city would not be annoyed by the smoke and noxious vapors necessarily occasioned by the process. [Note in Bagster's Bible.] But the true reason is to be found in the nature of the soil; Margin, "the thickness of the ground." That part of the Jordan valley abounds with marl. Clay and sand are the moulding material still used for bronze. Such large quantities of metal as one of these castings would contain could not be fused in one furnace, but would require a series of furnaces, especially for such a casting as the brazen sea—the whole series of furnaces being filled with metal, and fused at one time, and all tapped together, and the metal let run into the mould. Thus a national foundry was erected in the plain of Jordan [Napier].
48. the altar of gold—that is, the altar of incense.
49. candlesticks of pure gold—made, probably, according to the model of that in the tabernacle, which, along with the other articles of furniture, were deposited with due honor, as sacred relics, in the temple. But these seem not to have been used in the temple service; for Solomon made new lavers, tables, and candlesticks, ten of each. (See further regarding the dimensions and furniture of the temple, in 2Ch 3:1-5:14).