Furnishings of the Temple

Then (A)he made a bronze altar, [a]twenty cubits in length, [b]twenty cubits in width, and [c]ten cubits in height. (B)He also made the [d]Sea of cast metal, [e]ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was [f]five cubits and [g]its circumference [h]thirty cubits. Now figures like oxen were under it and all around it, [i]ten cubits, entirely encircling the Sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast [j]in one piece. It was standing on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the Sea was set on top of them and all their hindquarters turned inward. It was a [k]hand width thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it (C)could hold three thousand [l]baths. (D)He also made ten basins in which to wash, and he set five on the right side and five on the left [m]to rinse things for the burnt offering; but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.

Then (E)he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them, and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. He also made (F)ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made a hundred golden bowls. Then he made (G)the courtyard of the priests and (H)the great courtyard, and doors for the courtyard, and overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 (I)He put the Sea on the right side of the house toward the southeast.

11 (J)Huram also made the pails, the shovels, and the bowls. So Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon in the house of God: 12 the two pillars, the bowls and the two capitals on top of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars, 13 and (K)the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the pillars. 14 (L)He also made the stands and he made the basins on the stands, 15 and the one Sea with the twelve oxen under it. 16 The pails, the shovels, the forks, and all its utensils, (M)Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon, for the house of the Lord. 17 On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 (N)So Solomon made all these utensils in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

19 Solomon also made all the things that were in the house of God: the golden altar, (O)the tables with the bread of the Presence on them, 20 the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, (P)to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the way prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold, that is, of purest gold; 22 and the snuffers, the bowls, the spoons, and the firepans of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, its inner doors for the Most Holy Place and the doors of the house, that is, of the main room, of gold.

The Ark Is Brought into the Temple

(Q)So all the work that Solomon performed for the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the [n](R)things that his father David had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and all the utensils, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:1 About 30 ft. or 9 m
  2. 2 Chronicles 4:1 About 30 ft. or 9 m
  3. 2 Chronicles 4:1 About 15 ft. or 4.6 m
  4. 2 Chronicles 4:2 I.e., large basin
  5. 2 Chronicles 4:2 About 15 ft. or 4.6 m
  6. 2 Chronicles 4:2 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  7. 2 Chronicles 4:2 Lit a line of 30 cubits encircling it round about
  8. 2 Chronicles 4:2 About 45 ft. or 14 m
  9. 2 Chronicles 4:3 About 15 ft. or 4.6 m
  10. 2 Chronicles 4:3 Lit in its casting
  11. 2 Chronicles 4:5 About 3 in. or 7.6 cm
  12. 2 Chronicles 4:5 About 18,000 gallons or 68,137 liters
  13. 2 Chronicles 4:6 Lit in which to
  14. 2 Chronicles 5:1 Lit dedicated things of his

Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 basons of gold.

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 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;

12 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 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 made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;

15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.

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

18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

19 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 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;

21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;

22 And the snuffers, and the basons, 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.

Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.

He also made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high. Then he forged a huge round tank 15 feet across from rim to rim. The rim stood 7-1/2 feet above the floor, and was 45 feet around. The tank was encircled at its base by two rows of gourd designs, cast as part of the tank. The tank stood on twelve metal oxen facing outward; three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The walls of the tank were five inches thick, flaring out like the cup of a lily. It held 3,000 barrels of water.

He also constructed ten vats for water to wash the offerings, five to the right of the huge tank and five to the left. The priests used the tank, and not the vats, for their own washing.

Carefully following God’s instructions, he then cast ten gold lampstands and placed them in the Temple, five against each wall; he also built ten tables and placed five against each wall on the right and left. And he molded 100 solid gold bowls. Then he constructed a court for the priests, also the public court, and overlaid the doors of these courts with bronze. 10 The huge tank was in the southeast corner of the outer room of the Temple. 11 Huramabi also made the necessary pots, shovels, and basins for use in connection with the sacrifices.

So at last he completed the work assigned to him by King Solomon:

12-16 The construction of the two pillars,

The two flared capitals on the tops of the pillars,

The two sets of chains on the capitals,

The 400 pomegranates hanging from the two sets of chains on the capitals,

The bases for the vats and the vats themselves,

The huge tank and the twelve oxen under it,

The pots, shovels, and fleshhooks.

This skillful craftsman, Huramabi, made all of the above-mentioned items for King Solomon using polished bronze. 17-18 The king did the casting at the claybanks of the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zeredah. Great quantities of bronze were used, too heavy to weigh.

19 Solomon commanded that all of the furnishings of the Temple—the utensils, the altar, and the table for the Bread of the Presence must be made of gold; 20 also the lamps and lampstands, 21 the floral decorations, tongs, 22 lamp snuffers, basins, spoons, and firepans—all were made of solid gold. Even the doorway of the Temple, the main door, and the inner doors to the Holy of Holies were overlaid with gold.

So the Temple was finally finished. Then Solomon brought in the gifts dedicated to the Lord by his father, King David. They were stored in the Temple treasuries.