The Bronze Altar and Molten Sea
(1 Kings 7:13-22)
1Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof. 2Also 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. 3And 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. 4It 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. 5And 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 Ten Lavers, Candlesticks, and Tables
(1 Kings 7:38-39)
6He 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.
7And 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. 8He 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.
The Courts
9Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. 10And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.
The Instruments of Brass
(1 Kings 7:40-51)
11And 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; 12To 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; 13And 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. 14He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases; 15One sea, and twelve oxen under it. 16The 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. 17In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. 18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
The Instruments of Gold
19And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set; 20Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold; 21And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold; 22And 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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Bronze Altar and Molten Sea
(1 Kings 7:23–26)
1 Then he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits its length, and twenty cubits its breadth, and ten cubits its height. 2 Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it. 3 Under it was the likeness of oxen, which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast. 4 It stood on 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 on them above, and all their hinder parts were inward. 5 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held three thousand baths.
The Ten Basins, Lampstands, and Tables
(1 Kings 7:38–39)
6 He made also ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
7 He made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left. 8 He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold.
The Courts
9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with brass. 10 He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.
Completion of the Bronze Works
(1 Kings 7:40–47)
11 Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he did for king Solomon in the house of God: 12 the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which 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, 13 and 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 on the pillars. 14 He made also the bases, and the basins made he on the bases; 15 one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. 16 Huram his father also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for king Solomon for the house of Yahweh of bright brass. 17 The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
Completion of the Gold Furnishings
(1 Kings 7:48–51)
19 Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them; 20 and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold; 21 and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold; 22 and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.
The Bronze Altar and Molten Sea
(1 Kings 7:23–26)
1 He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. a
2 He 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 3 Below 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.
4 The 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. 5 It 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
(1 Kings 7:38–39)
6 He 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.
7 He made ten gold lampstands according to their specifications and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.
8 Additionally, 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
9 He made the courtyard of the priests and the large court with its doors, and he overlaid the doors with bronze.
10 He put the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.
Completion of the Bronze Works
(1 Kings 7:40–47)
11 Additionally, 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:
12 the two pillars;
the two bowl-shaped capitals atop the pillars;
the two sets of network covering both bowls of the capitals atop the pillars;
13 the 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);
14 the stands;
the basins on the stands;
15 the Sea;
the twelve oxen underneath the Sea;
16 and 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. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zeredah. e 18 Solomon made all these articles in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.
Completion of the Gold Furnishings
(1 Kings 7:48–51)
19 Solomon also made all the furnishings for the house of God:
the golden altar;
the tables on which was placed the Bread of the Presence;
20 the lampstands of pure gold and their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;
21 the flowers, lamps, and tongs of gold—of purest gold;
22 the wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers of purest gold;
and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place f 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 Bronze Altar and Molten Sea
(1 Kings 7:13-22)
1And he maketh an altar of brass, twenty cubits its length, and twenty cubits its breadth, and ten cubits its height. 2And he maketh the molten sea; ten by the cubit, from its edge unto its edge, round in compass, and five by the cubit its height, and a line of thirty by the cubit doth compass it, round about. 3And the likeness of oxen is under it, all round about encompassing it, ten in the cubit, compassing the sea round about; two rows of oxen are cast in its being cast. 4It is standing on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east, and the sea is upon them above, and all their hinder parts are within. 5And its thickness is a handbreadth, and its lip as the work of the lip of a cup flowered with lilies; taking hold -- baths three thousand it containeth.
The Ten Lavers, Candlesticks, and Tables
(1 Kings 7:38-39)
6And he maketh ten lavers, and putteth five on the right, and five on the left, to wash with them; the work of the burnt-offering they purge with them; and the sea is for priests to wash with.
7And he maketh the ten candlesticks of gold, according to their ordinance, and placeth in the temple, five on the right, and five on the left. 8And he maketh ten tables, and placeth in the temple, five on the right, and five on the left; and he maketh bowls of gold a hundred.
The Courts
9And he maketh the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and their doors he hath overlaid with brass. 10And the sea he hath placed on the right shoulder eastward, over-against the south.
The Instruments of Brass
(1 Kings 7:40-51)
11And Huram maketh the pots, and the shovels, and the bowls, and Huram finisheth to make the work that he made for king Solomon in the house of God; 12two pillars, and the bowls, and the crowns on the heads of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two bowls of the crowns that are on the heads of the pillars; 13and the pomegranates four hundred to the two wreaths, two rows of pomegranates to the one wreath, to cover the two bowls of the crowns that are on the front of the pillars. 14And the bases he hath made; and the lavers he hath made on the bases; 15the one sea, and the twelve oxen under it, 16and the pots, and the shovels, and the forks, and all their vessels, hath Huram his father made for king Solomon, for the house of Jehovah, of brass purified. 17In the circuit of the Jordan hath the king cast them, in the thick soil of the ground, between Succoth and Zeredathah. 18And Solomon maketh all these vessels in great abundance, that the weight of the brass hath not been searched out.
The Instruments of Gold
19And Solomon maketh all the vessels that are for the house of God, and the altar of gold, and the tables, and on them is bread of the presence; 20and the candlesticks, and their lamps, for their burning according to the ordinance, before the oracle, of gold refined; 21and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold -- it is the perfection of gold; 22and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of gold refined, and the opening of the house, its innermost doors to the holy of holies, and the doors of the house to the temple, of gold.
