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1 Kings 7

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¹And Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.

²For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was a hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.

³And it was covered with cedar above over the forty and five beams, that were upon the pillars; fifteen in a row.

⁴And there were beams in three rows, and window was over against window in three ranks.

⁵And all the doors and posts were made square with beams: and window was over against window in three ranks.

⁶And he made the porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and a threshold before them.

⁷And he made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.

⁸And his house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken to wife), like unto this porch.

⁹All these were of costly stones, even of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside unto the great court.

¹⁰And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.

¹¹And above were costly stones, even hewn stone, according to measure, and cedar-wood.

¹²And the great court round about had three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams; like as the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and the porch of the house.

¹³And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.

¹⁴He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

¹⁵For he fashioned the two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits compassed either of them about.

¹⁶And he made two capitals of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits.

¹⁷There were nets of checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.

¹⁸So he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars: and so did he for the other capital.

¹⁹And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily-work, four cubits.

²⁰And there were capitals above also upon the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about upon the other capital.

²¹And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.

²²And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work: so was the work of the pillars finished.

²³And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.

²⁴And under the brim of it round about there were knops which did compass it, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about: the knops were in two rows, cast when it was cast.

²⁵It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

²⁶And it was a handbreadth thick: and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths.

²⁷And he made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.

²⁸And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges;

²⁹and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and upon the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.

³⁰And every base had four brazen wheels, and axles of brass; and the four feet thereof had undersetters: beneath the laver were the undersetters molten, with wreaths at the side of each.

³¹And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and the mouth thereof was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also upon the mouth of it were gravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.

³²And the four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axletrees of the wheels were in the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.

³³And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten.

³⁴And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base: the undersetters thereof were of the base itself.

³⁵And in the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the stays thereof and the panels thereof were of the same.

³⁶And on the plates of the stays thereof, and on the panels thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.

³⁷After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form.

³⁸And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; and every laver was four cubits; and upon very one of the ten bases one laver.

³⁹And he set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

⁴⁰And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of Jehovah:

⁴¹the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars;

⁴²and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars;

⁴³and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;

⁴⁴and the one sea, and the twelve oxen under the sea;

⁴⁵and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of Jehovah, were of burnished brass.

⁴⁶In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.

⁴⁷And Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed], because they were exceeding many: the weight of the brass could not be found out.

⁴⁸And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Jehovah: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the showbread was, of gold;

⁴⁹and the candlesticks, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;

⁵⁰and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, [to wit], of the temple, of gold.

⁵¹Thus all the work that king Solomon wrought in the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, [even] the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Jehovah.

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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

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1 Kings 7:1-12 Verses 1-12

All Solomon's buildings, though beautiful, were intended for use. Solomon began with the temple; he built for God first, and then his other buildings. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are laid in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he built the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact, but less eager in building his own house, than in building God's. We ought to prefer God's honour before our own ease and satisfaction.

1 Kings 7:13-47 Verses 13-47

The two brazen pillars in the porch of the temple, some think, were to teach those that came to worship, to depend upon God only, for strength and establishment in all their religious exercises. "Jachin," God will fix this roving mind. It is good that the heart be established with grace. "Boaz," In him is our strength, who works in us both to will and to do. Spiritual strength and stability are found at the door of God's temple, where we must wait for the gifts of grace, in use of the means of grace. Spiritual priests and spiritual sacrifices must be washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and of regeneration. We must wash often, for we daily contract pollution. There are full means provided for our cleansing; so that if we have our lot for ever among the unclean it will be our own fault. Let us bless God for the fountain opened by the sacrifice of Christ for sin and for uncleanness.

1 Kings 7:48-51 Verses 48-51

Christ is now the Temple and the Builder; the Altar and the Sacrifice; the Light of our souls, and the Bread of life; able to supply all the wants of all that have applied or shall apply to him. Outward images cannot represent, words cannot express, the heart cannot conceive, his preciousness or his love. Let us come to him, and wash away our sins in his blood; let us seek for the purifying grace of his Spirit; let us maintain communion with the Father through his intercession, and yield up ourselves and all we have to his service. Being strengthened by him, we shall be accepted, useful, and happy.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.

1 Kings 7:1 Building of Solomon's House.

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.

1 Kings 7:2 Of the House of Lebanon.

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.

1 Kings 7:13 Hiram's Works.

Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre--The Tyrians and other inhabitants on the Phoenician coast were the most renowned artists and workers in metal in the ancient world.

1 Kings 7:14 Hiram's Works.

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].

1 Kings 7:17-18 Hiram's Works.

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.

1 Kings 7:19 Hiram's Works.

lily work--beautiful ornaments, resembling the stalks, leaves, and blossoms of lilies--of large dimensions, as suited to the height of their position.

1 Kings 7:21 Hiram's Works.

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.

1 Kings 7:46 Hiram's Works.

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].

1 Kings 7:48 Hiram's Works.

the altar of gold--that is, the altar of incense.

1 Kings 7:49 Hiram's Works.

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).

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Cubits 18 in this passage Pillars 17 in this passage Made 14 in this passage Solomon 11 in this passage Two 11 in this passage Bronze 10 in this passage Four 10 in this passage Ten 9 in this passage Three 9 in this passage House 8 in this passage Sea 8 in this passage Stands 8 in this passage Capitals 7 in this passage Cast 7 in this passage High 7 in this passage Like 7 in this passage Rows 7 in this passage Stand 7 in this passage Cedar 6 in this passage Facing 6 in this passage Five 6 in this passage King 6 in this passage Lord 6 in this passage Panels 6 in this passage

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Handbreadth A measure of four fingers, equal to about four inches… Holy place One of the two portions into which the tabernacle was… Sanctuary Denotes, (1) the Holy Land (Ex. 15:17; comp. Ps. 114:2);… Naphtali My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was… Daughter This word, besides its natural and proper sense, is used… Chariot A vehicle generally used for warlike purposes. Sometimes, though but… Flowers Very few species of flowers are mentioned in the Bible… Justice Is rendering to every one that which is his due.… Pharaoh The official title borne by the Egyptian kings down to… Solomon Peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David's second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the… Succoth Booths. (1.) The first encampment of the Israelites after leaving… Lattice (1.) Heb. eshnabh, a latticed opening through which the cool… Lebanon White, "the white mountain of Syria," is the loftiest and… Ceiling The covering (1 Kings 7:3, 7) of the inside roof… Palace Used now only of royal dwellings, although originally meaning simply… Temple First used of the tabernacle, which is called "the temple… Father A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1… Throne (Heb. kiss'e), a royal chair or seat of dignity (Deut.…

1 Kings 7

Study and Reflection

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Key Words and Topics

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Related Topics

Altar of Incense in Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 7:48

Art: Artisans, Skillful: Hiram 1 Kings 7:13–51

Axletree: Part of a Wheeled Vehicle 1 Kings 7:32, 33

Basin: Made of Brass (Bronze) 1 Kings 7:45

Basin: Made of Gold 1 Kings 7:50

Bath: A Hebrew Measure for Liquids Containing About Eight Gallons, Three Quarts 1 Kings 7:26, 38

Boaz: One of the Bronze Pillars of the Temple 1 Kings 7:21

Bowl: Made of Gold: Temple 1 Kings 7:50

Brass: Abundance of, for the Temple 1 Kings 7:47

Brass: Articles Made of Altar, Vessels, and Other Articles of the Tabernacle and Temple 1 Kings 7:14–47

Brass: Hiram 1 Kings 7:14

Bullock: Twelve Bronze, Under the Molten Sea in Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 7:25

Candlestick of the Temple: Ten Branches of 1 Kings 7:49, 50

Carving: Hiram 1 Kings 7:13–51

Cedar used in Solomon's Palace 1 Kings 7:2

Censer for the Temple, Made of Gold 1 Kings 7:50

Censers: Made of Gold 1 Kings 7:50

Chains: A Partition of, in the Temple 1 Kings 7:17

Chapiter: Head of a Pillar 1 Kings 7:16–42

Chariots: Wheels of, Described 1 Kings 7:33

Cherubim: Figures of On the Lavers 1 Kings 7:29, 36

Cherubim: Representations of, Made on The: Bases of Brazen Lavers 1 Kings 7:29, 36

Church: House of the Lord 1 Kings 7:40

Copper Brass: Made Into: Lavers 1 Kings 7:38

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