The Bronze Altar and the Great Sea
Study note
Solomon built a large bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high for burnt offerings. He also made a huge circular bronze basin called the Sea. It was 15 feet across and 7.5 feet deep. It sat on top of twelve bronze oxen — three facing each direction. The basin held about 17,500 gallons of water and was used for the priests to wash themselves before performing their duties.
1 Solomon built a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet tall. Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
2 He also made a great circular basin called the Sea, cast from bronze. It measured 15 feet across, stood 7.5 feet tall, and had a circumference of 45 feet. Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
3 Below the rim, two rows of ox figures were cast all around the basin -- about ten oxen for every 18 inches. They were cast as part of the basin itself. And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
4 The basin sat on top of twelve bronze oxen: three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The basin rested on their backs, with their tails pointing inward. It 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 above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
5 The walls of the basin were about three inches thick. The rim curved outward like a cup, shaped like an open lily flower. It could hold roughly 17,500 gallons of water. And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.
The Basins, Lampstands, and Tables
Study note
Solomon made ten smaller basins for washing the parts of animals used in burnt offerings. He placed five on each side of the temple. He also made ten golden lampstands and ten tables according to the design, placing five on each side inside the temple. He also made 100 gold bowls.
6 He also made ten smaller basins for washing -- five placed on the south side and five on the north. The parts of burnt offerings were rinsed in these basins. But the large Sea was reserved for the priests to wash in. He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
7 He made ten gold lampstands following the original design. He placed them in the temple -- five on the right and five on the left. And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
8 He constructed ten tables and arranged them in the temple -- five on the right and five on the left. He also made 100 gold bowls for sprinkling. He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basins of gold.
The Temple Courts and Bronze Work
Study note
Solomon built the inner court for the priests and the large outer court. He covered the doors with bronze. A skilled craftsman named Huram completed all the bronze work. The items were cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zeredathah. There was so much bronze used that no one could calculate its total weight.
9 He built the courtyard for the priests, the larger outer courtyard, and doors for the courtyard, which he plated with bronze. Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.
10 He positioned the great Sea on the south side of the temple, toward the southeast corner. And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.
11 Huram also crafted the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. With that, Huram completed all the work King Solomon had assigned him for God's temple. And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;
12 His work included the two pillars and the two bowl-shaped tops on the pillars. He also made two sets of chains to cover the tops. To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;
13 He made 400 pomegranate shapes for the two sets of chains. There were two rows of pomegranates on each set. These covered the bowl-shaped tops on the pillars. And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.
14 He crafted the wheeled stands and the basins that sat on them. He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;
15 He made the one great Sea and the twelve oxen supporting it. One sea, and twelve oxen under it.
16 He also made the pots, shovels, meat forks, and all the associated tools. Huram-Abi made every one of these items for King Solomon's temple using polished bronze. The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.
17 The king had all these pieces cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between the towns of Succoth and Zeredathah. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.
18 Solomon had so many bronze items made that no one even tried to calculate the total weight. Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
The Gold Furnishings
Study note
Solomon also made gold furnishings for inside the temple: a gold altar, tables for the sacred bread, lampstands with lamps of pure gold to burn in front of the inner room, and gold flower decorations, lamps, tongs, bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, and incense dishes. Even the doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall were overlaid with gold.
19 Solomon also made all the other items for God's temple. These were the golden altar and the tables for the sacred bread. And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
20 the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps that were to burn in front of the inner room as required, Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;
21 the flower decorations, the lamps, and the tongs -- all crafted from the finest gold, And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;
22 the wick trimmers, the sprinkling bowls, the dishes, and the incense burners -- all of pure gold. The doors of the temple were also gold-plated, both the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall. And the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.