The Bronze Altar and Molten Sea 1He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.a 2He also made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim, five cubits in height, and thirty cubits in circumference.b 3Below the rim, figures of oxen encircled it, ten per cubit all the way around the Sea, cast in two rows as a part of the Sea. 4The Sea stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested on them, with all their hindquarters toward the center. 5It was a handbreadth thick,c and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold three thousand baths.d The Ten Basins, Lampstands, and Tables 6He also made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. The parts of the burnt offering were rinsed in them, but the priests used the Sea for washing. 7He made ten gold lampstands according to their specifications and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8Additionally, he made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold bowls. The Courts 9He made the courtyard of the priests and the large court with its doors, and he overlaid the doors with bronze. 10He put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner. Completion of the Bronze Works 11Additionally, Huram made the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work that he had undertaken for King Solomon in the house of God: 12the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars; the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars; 13the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network covering both the bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars); 14the stands; 15the Sea; the twelve oxen underneath the Sea; 16and the pots, shovels, meat forks, and all the other articles. All these objects that Huram-abi made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of polished bronze. 17The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zeredah.e 18Solomon made all these articles in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze could not be determined. Completion of the Gold Furnishings 19Solomon also made all the furnishings for the house of God: the golden altar; the tables on which was placed the Bread of the Presence; 20the lampstands of pure gold and their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; 21the flowers, lamps, and tongs of gold—of purest gold; 22the wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers of purest gold; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Placef as well as the doors of the main hall. Footnotes: 1 a The altar was approximately 30 feet in length and width and 15 feet high (9.1 meters in length and width and 4.6 meters high). 2 b The Sea was approximately 15 feet from rim to rim, 7.5 feet in height, and 45 feet in circumference (4.6 meters from rim to rim, 2.3 meters in height, and 13.7 meters in circumference). 5 c A handbreadth is approximately 2.9 inches or 7.4 centimeters. 5 d 3,000 baths is approximately 17,400 gallons or 66,000 liters. 17 e Zeredah is a variant of Zarethan ; see 1 Kings 7:46. 22 f Or the Holy of Holies The Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible) Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Free downloads and licensing available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible. OpenBible.com |