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Furnishings of the Temple

Then Solomon made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and ten cubits in height. He also made the Sea [that is, the large basin used for ceremonial washing] of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and five cubits in height, and its circumference was thirty cubits. Under it and entirely encircling it were figures of oxen, ten to a cubit. The oxen were in two rows, cast in one piece. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, three facing east; and the Sea was set on top of them and all their hindquarters turned inward. It was a handbreadth (the width of the four fingers) thick; its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold [a]3,000 baths (measures). He also made ten [portable] basins in which to wash, and he put five on the right (south) side and five on the left (north). They would rinse things for the burnt offering in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.

And he made ten golden lampstands just as directed and set them in the temple, five on the right side 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 side, and he made a hundred [ceremonial] basins of gold. Moreover, he made the courtyard of the priests, and the great courtyard [for the people] and doors for the courtyard, and he overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 He set the Sea on the right side at the southeast corner [of the house].

11 And Huram also made the pails [for ashes], the shovels, and the basins. So Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon in the house of God: 12 the two pillars, the bowls, the capitals on top of the two pillars, and the two lattice works to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars, 13 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two lattice works, two rows of pomegranates for each lattice to cover the two bowls of the capitals on the pillars. 14 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, and the meat-forks, and all the utensils Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord. 17 The king cast them on the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Solomon made all these utensils in such great quantity that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

19 Solomon also made all the articles that were in the house of God: the golden altar, and the tables for the bread of the Presence (showbread), 20 and the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies) as directed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold, of purest gold; 22 and the snuffers, the basins, the dishes [for incense], and the firepans, of pure gold; and for the entrance of the house (temple), the inner doors for the Holy of Holies and the doors of the Holy Place (main room), were of gold.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 4:5 1 Kin 7:26 records the capacity of the Sea as 2,000 baths.

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