2 Chronicles 4:3 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

3 And under it was the similitude H1823 of oxen, H1241 which did compass H5437 it round about: H5439 ten H6235 in a cubit, H520 compassing H5362 the sea H3220 round about. H5439 Two H8147 rows H2905 of oxen H1241 were cast, H3332 when it was cast. H4166

Cross Reference

1 Kings 7:24-26 STRONG

And under the brim H8193 of it round about H5439 there were knops H6497 compassing H5437 it, ten H6235 in a cubit, H520 compassing H5362 the sea H3220 round about: H5439 the knops H6497 were cast H3333 in two H8147 rows, H2905 when it was cast. H3332 It stood H5975 upon twelve H8147 H6240 oxen, H1241 three H7969 looking H6437 toward the north, H6828 and three H7969 looking H6437 toward the west, H3220 and three H7969 looking H6437 toward the south, H5045 and three H7969 looking H6437 toward the east: H4217 and the sea H3220 was set above H4605 upon them, and all their hinder parts H268 were inward. H1004 And it was an hand breadth H2947 thick, H5672 and the brim H8193 thereof was wrought H4639 like the brim H8193 of a cup, H3563 with flowers H6525 of lilies: H7799 it contained H3557 two thousand H505 baths. H1324

Ezekiel 1:10 STRONG

As for the likeness H1823 of their faces, H6440 they four H702 had the face H6440 of a man, H120 and the face H6440 of a lion, H738 on the right side: H3225 and they four H702 had the face H6440 of an ox H7794 on the left side; H8040 they four H702 also had the face H6440 of an eagle. H5404

Ezekiel 10:14 STRONG

And every one H259 had four H702 faces: H6440 the first H259 face H6440 was the face H6440 of a cherub, H3742 and the second H8145 face H6440 was the face H6440 of a man, H120 and the third H7992 the face H6440 of a lion, H738 and the fourth H7243 the face H6440 of an eagle. H5404

1 Corinthians 9:9-10 STRONG

For G1063 it is written G1125 in G1722 the law G3551 of Moses, G3475 Thou shalt G5392 not G3756 muzzle G5392 the mouth of the ox G1016 that treadeth out the corn. G248 G3361 Doth G3199 God G2316 take care G3199 for oxen? G1016 Or G2228 saith he G3004 it altogether G3843 for G1223 our G2248 sakes? G1223 For G1223 our G2248 sakes, G1223 no doubt, G1063 this is written: G1125 that G3754 he that ploweth G722 should G3784 plow G722 in G1909 hope; G1680 and G2532 that he that thresheth G248 in hope G1680 should be partaker G3348 of G1909 his G846 hope. G1680

Revelation 4:7 STRONG

And G2532 the first G4413 beast G2226 was like G3664 a lion, G3023 and G2532 the second G1208 beast G2226 like G3664 a calf, G3448 and G2532 the third G5154 beast G2226 had G2192 a face G4383 as G5613 a man, G444 and G2532 the fourth G5067 beast G2226 was like G3664 a flying G4072 eagle. G105

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 4

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 4 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 4

We have here a further account of the furniture of God's house.

  • I. Those things that were of brass. The altar for burnt-offerings (v. 1), the sea and lavers to hold water (v. 2-6), the plates with which the doors of the court were overlaid (v. 9), the vessels of the altar, and other things (v. 10-18).
  • II. Those that were of gold. The candlesticks and tables (v. 7, 8), the altar of incense (v. 19), and the appurtenances of each of these (v. 20-22). All these, except the brazen altar (v. 1), were accounted for more largely, 1 Ki. 7:23, etc.

2Ch 4:1-10

David often speaks with much affection both of the house of the Lord and of the courts of our God. Both without doors and within there was that which typified the grace of the gospel and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ.

  • I. There were those things in the open court, in the view of all the people, which were very significant.
    • 1. There was the brazen altar, v. 1. The making of this was not mentioned in the Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. This altar was much larger than that which Moses made in the tabernacle; that was five cubits square, this was twenty cubits square. Now that Israel had become both numerous and more rich, and it was to be hoped more devout (for every age should aim to be wiser and better than that which went before it), it was expected that there would be a greater abundance of offerings brought to God's altar than had been. It was therefore made such a capacious scaffold that it might hold them all, and none might excuse themselves from bringing those temptations of their devotion by alleging that there was not room to receive them. God had greatly enlarged their borders; it was therefore fit that they should enlarge his altars. Our returns should bear some proportion to our receivings. It was ten cubits high, so that the people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifice burnt, and their eye might affect their heart with sorrow for sin: "It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not thus consumed, and that this is accepted as an expiation of my guilt.' They might thus be led to consider the great sacrifice which should be offered in the fulness of time to take away sin and abolish death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And with the smoke of the sacrifices their hearts might ascend to heaven in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ, the great propitiation. How they went up to this altar, and carried the sacrifices up to it, we are not told; some think by a plain ascent like a hill: if by steps, doubtless they were so contrived as that the end of the law (mentioned Ex. 20:26) might be answered.
    • 2. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, v. 2, 6. It was put just at the entrance into the court of the priests, like the font at the church door. If it were filled to the brim, it would hold 3000 baths (as here, v. 5), but ordinarily there were only 2000 baths in it, 1 Ki. 7:26. The Holy Ghost by this signified,
      • (1.) Our great gospel privilege, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, 1 Jn. 1:7. To us there is a fountain opened for all believers (who are spiritual priests, Rev. 1:5, 6), nay, for all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in, from sin, which is uncleanness. There is a fulness of merit in Jesus Christ for all those that by faith apply to him for the purifying of their consciences, that they might serve the living God, Heb. 9:14.
      • (2.) Our great gospel duty, which is to cleanse ourselves by true repentance from all the pollutions of the flesh and the corruption that is in the world. Our hearts must be sanctified, or we cannot sanctify the name of God. Those that draw nigh to God must cleanse their hands, and purify their hearts, Jam. 4:8. If I was thee not, thou hast no part with me; and he that is washed still needs to wash his feet, to renew his repentance, whenever he goes in to minister, Jn. 13:10.
    • 3. There were ten lavers of brass, in which they washed such things as they offered for the burnt-offerings, v. 6. As the priests must be washed, so must the sacrifices. We must not only purify ourselves in preparation for our religious performances, but carefully put away all those vain thoughts and corrupt aims which cleave to our performances themselves and pollute them.
    • 4. The doors of the court were overlaid with brass (v. 9), both for strength and beauty, and that they might not be rotted with the weather, to which they were exposed. Gates of brass we read of, Ps. 107:16.
  • II. There were those things in the house of the Lord (into which the priests alone went to minister) that were very significant. All was gold there. The nearer we come to God the purer we must be, the purer we shall be.
    • 1. There were ten golden candlesticks, according to the form of that one which was in the tabernacle, v. 7. The written word is a lamp and a light, shining in a dark place. In Moses's time they had but one candlestick, the Pentateuch; but the additions which, in process of time, were to be made of other books of scripture might be signified by this increase of the number of the candlesticks. Light was growing. The candlesticks are the churches, Rev. 1:20. Moses set up but one, the church of the Jews; but, in the gospel temple, not only believers, but churches, are multiplied.
    • 2. There were ten golden tables (v. 8), tables whereon the show-bread was set, v. 19. Perhaps every one of the tables had twelve loaves of show-bread on it. As the house was enlarged, the house-keeping was. In my father's house there is bread enough for the whole family. To those tables belonged 100 golden basins, or dishes; for God's table is well furnished.
    • 3. There was a golden altar (v. 19), on which they burnt incense. It is probable that this was enlarged in proportion to the brazen altar. Christ, who once for all made atonement for sin, ever lives, making intercession, in virtue of that atonement.

2Ch 4:11-22

We have here such a summary both of the brass-work and the gold-work of the temple as we had before (1 Ki. 7:13, etc.), in which we have nothing more to observe than,

  • 1. That Huram the workman was very punctual: He finished all that he was to make (v. 11), and left no part of his work undone. Huram, his father, he is called, v. 16. Probably it was a sort of nickname by which he was commonly known, Father Huram; for the king of Tyre called him Huram Abi, my father, in compliance with whom Solomon called him his, he being a great artist and father of the artificers in brass and iron. He acquitted himself well both for ingenuity and industry.
  • 2. Solomon was very generous. He made all the vessels in great abundance (v. 18), many of a sort, that many hands might be employed, and so the work might go on with expedition, or that some might be laid up for use when others were worn out. Freely he has received, and he will freely give. When he had made vessels enough for the present he could not convert the remainder of the brass to his own use; it is devoted to God, and it shall be used for him.