M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 7
7
1Shlomo built a palace for himself, taking thirteen years to finish it. 2For he built the House of the L’vanon Forest 175 feet long, eighty-seven-and-a-half feet wide and fifty-two-and-a-half feet high, on four rows of cedar posts, with cedar beams on the posts. 3It had a roof made of cedar and supported by beams lying on forty-five posts, fifteen in a row. 4There were three rows of window openings, placed so that the windows on facing walls were opposite each other at all three levels. 5All the doors and doorways were rectangular and opposite each other at all three levels.
6He made the columned hall eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and fifty-two-and-a-half feet wide, with a columned, corniced porch in front of it.
7He made the Hall of the Throne his place for dispensing justice, that is, the Hall of Judgment; it was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.
8His own living quarters, in the other courtyard, set back from the Hall, were similarly designed. He also made a house like this Hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom Shlomo had taken as his wife.
9All these buildings were made of expensive stone blocks, cut to measure and finished by saws on the inner surfaces as well as the outer ones. These stones were used from the foundation to the eaves and outward from the buildings all the way to the Great Courtyard. 10The foundation was of expensive stone blocks, very large ones — stones fourteen to eighteen feet long. 11Above these were costly stones, cut to measure, and cedar-wood. 12The surrounding Great Courtyard had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams like the inner courtyard of the house of Adonai and the courtyard by the hall of the house.
13King Shlomo sent for Hiram and brought him from Tzor. 14He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naftali, but his father was from Tzor, a bronze-worker filled with wisdom, understanding and skill for all kinds of bronze craftsmanship. He came to King Shlomo and did all his bronzework. 15He made the two bronze columns, each one thirty-one-and-a-half feet high and twenty-one feet in circumference. 16He made two capitals of melted bronze to set on the tops of the columns; each capital was eight-and-three-quarters feet high; 17he also made checker-work nets and chained wreaths, seven for the top of each capital. 18When he made the columns, he made two rows of pomegranates to put at the top of each column around the netting covering its capital. 19The capitals on the columns in the hall had shapes like lilies and were seven feet high. 20As for the capitals on the two columns, there were 200 pomegranates in rows around each capital near the molding by the netting. 21He erected the columns in the hall of the temple; on erecting the right column he gave it the name “Yakhin,” and on erecting the left column he named it “Bo‘az.” 22On the tops of the columns were shapes like lilies; thus the work of the columns was finished.
23He made the cast metal “Sea” circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarter feet high and fifty-two-and-a-half feet in circumference. 24Under its rim, three hundred gourds encircled it in two rows; they were cast when the Sea was cast. 25It rested on twelve oxen, three looking north, three looking west, three looking south and three looking east, all with their hindquarters toward the center. The Sea was set on top of them. 26It was a handbreadth thick, its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; and its capacity was 11,000 gallons.
27He made ten bronze trolleys, each one seven feet long, seven feet wide, and five-and-a-quarter feet high. 28They were designed with panels that were set between the corner-posts, 29and on the panels between the corner-posts were lions, oxen and k’ruvim. The corner-posts above were similarly designed. Below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hammered work. 30Every trolley had four bronze wheels and bronze axles, and its four legs each had cast supports which were under the basin, with wreaths next to each. 31The opening of the stand into which the basin was inserted was eighteen inches high; the stand was round, resembling a pedestal, and it was two-and-a-half feet in diameter. On the stand were carvings, and the outside was square, not round. 32The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles for the wheels were attached to the trolleys; each wheel was two-and-a-half feet. 33The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all cast metal. 34There were four supports at the four corners of each trolley; the supports were attached to the trolley itself. 35In the top of the trolley was a circular support ten-and-a-half inches high, and the trolley’s corner-posts and panels were attached to its top. 36On the sides of the panels and on its corners he carved k’ruvim, lions and palm trees, according to the amount of space each required, with wreaths surrounding. 37According to this design he made the ten trolleys; all of them were cast from a single mold, so that they had the same size and shape.
38He made ten bronze basins; each basin’s capacity was 220 gallons and had a diameter of seven feet; there was a basin for each of the ten trolleys. 39He arranged five of the trolleys on the right side of the house and five on the left side. The Sea he placed on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.
40Hiram made the ash pots, shovels and sprinkling basins. With that, Hiram completed all the work he had done for King Shlomo in the house of Adonai — 41the two columns, the two moldings of the capitals on top of the columns, the two nettings covering the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns, 42the 400 pomegranates for the two nettings, two rows of pomegranates for each netting, to cover the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns, 43the ten trolleys, the ten basins on the trolleys, 44the one Sea, the twelve oxen under the Sea, 45the ash pots, the shovels and the sprinkling basins. All these articles that Hiram made for King Shlomo in the house of Adonai were of burnished bronze. 46The king cast them in the plain of the Yarden, in the clay ground between Sukkot and Tzartan. 47Shlomo did not weigh any of these objects, because there were so many of them; thus the total weight of the bronze could not be determined.
48Shlomo made all the objects that were inside the house of Adonai: the gold altar; the table of gold on which the showbread was displayed; 49the menorahs — five on the right and five on the left in front of the sanctuary — of pure gold; the flowers, lamps and tongs of gold; 50the cups, snuffers, basins, incense pans and fire pans of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both those for the doors of the inner house, the Especially Holy Place, and those for the doors of the house, that is, of the temple.
51Thus all the work that King Shlomo did in the house of Adonai was finished. After this, Shlomo brought in the gifts which David his father had dedicated — the silver, the gold and the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of Adonai.
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M'lakhim Alef (1 Ki) 7: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Kings 7
7
Solomon Builds His Palace
1Solomon was #ch. 3:1; 9:10; 2 Chr. 8:1building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.
2He built #ch. 10:17, 21the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits#7:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four#7:2 Septuagint three rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 4There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. 5All the doorways and windows#7:5 Septuagint; Hebrew posts had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.
6And he made #[ver. 12] the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and #Ezek. 41:25, 26a canopy in front of them.
7And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. #ch. 6:15, 16It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters.#7:7 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew floor
8His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter #ch. 3:1; 2 Chr. 8:11whom he had taken in marriage.
9All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12#ch. 6:36 The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and #[ver. 6]the vestibule of the house.
The Temple Furnishings
13And King Solomon sent and brought #[2 Chr. 2:14]Hiram from Tyre. 14He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And #[Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31]he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.
15 # For ver. 15-21, see 2 Chr. 3:15-17 He cast #2 Kgs. 25:17; 1 Chr. 18:8; 2 Chr. 4:12; Jer. 52:21-23 two pillars of bronze. #ver. 41Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same.#7:15 Targum, Syriac (compare Septuagint and Jeremiah 52:21); Hebrew and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second pillar 16He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and #[See ver. 15 above]the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice#7:17 Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18Likewise he made pomegranates#7:18 Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were #[ver. 42; 2 Chr. 3:16; 4:13; Jer. 52:23]two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21#2 Chr. 3:17He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.
23 # For ver. 23-26, see 2 Chr. 4:2-5 Then he made #2 Kgs. 16:17; 25:13; 1 Chr. 18:8; Jer. 52:17; [Ex. 30:18]the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24Under its brim were #[ch. 6:18]gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25It stood on #Jer. 52:20twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26Its thickness was a handbreadth,#7:26 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.#7:26 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters
27He also made the #2 Kgs. 25:13; 2 Chr. 4:14; Jer. 52:17ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37After this manner he made #[See ver. 27 above]the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.
38And he made #2 Chr. 4:6; [Ex. 30:18]ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.
40 # For ver. 40-51, see 2 Chr. 4:11–5:1 Hiram also made #Ex. 27:3; 38:3the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: 41the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two #ver. 17, 18latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; 42and the #[ver. 20]four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; 44and #ver. 23, 25the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.
45Now #Ex. 27:3; 38:3the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between #Josh. 13:27 Succoth and #Josh. 3:16Zarethan. 47And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; #[1 Chr. 22:3, 14]the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.
48So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: #See Ex. 37:25-29 the golden altar, #[2 Chr. 4:8]; See Ex. 37:10-16 the golden table for #Ex. 25:30; See Lev. 24:5-8the bread of the Presence, 49#2 Chr. 4:7 the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; #See Ex. 25:31-38the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and #Ex. 27:3 fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, #See ch. 6:16the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.
51Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in #2 Sam. 8:11the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
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