1 Kings 7
7
Solomon's Palace
1Solomon also built a palace for himself, and it took him thirteen years. 2-3The Hall of the Forest of Lebanon#7.2–3 Hall of the Forest of Lebanon: A large ceremonial hall in the palace, probably so called because it was panelled in cedar. was 44 metres long, 22 metres wide, and 13.5 metres high. It had three#7.2–3 One ancient translation three; Hebrew four. rows of cedar pillars, fifteen in each row, with cedar beams resting on them. The ceiling was of cedar, extending over storerooms, which were supported by the pillars. 4In each of the two side walls there were three rows of windows. 5The doorways and the windows#7.5 One ancient translation windows; Hebrew doorposts. had rectangular frames, and the three rows of windows in each wall faced the opposite rows.
6The Hall of Columns was 22 metres long and 13.5 metres wide. It had a covered porch, supported by columns.
7The Throne Room, also called the Hall of Judgement, where Solomon decided cases, had cedar panels from the floor to the rafters.#7.7 Some ancient translations rafters; Hebrew floor.
8 #
1 Kgs 3.1
Solomon's own quarters, in another court behind the Hall of Judgement, were made like the other buildings. He also built the same kind of house for his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt.
9All these buildings and the great court were made of fine stones from the foundations to the eaves. The stones were prepared at the quarry and cut to measure, with their inner and outer sides trimmed with saws. 10The foundations were made of large stones prepared at the quarry, some of them 3.5 metres long and others four metres long. 11On top of them were other stones, cut to measure, and cedar beams. 12The palace court, the inner court of the Temple, and the entrance room of the Temple had walls with one layer of cedar beams for every three layers of cut stones.
Huram's Task
13King Solomon sent for a man named Huram, a craftsman living in the city of Tyre, who was skilled in bronze work. 14His father, who was no longer living, was from Tyre, and had also been a skilled bronze craftsman; his mother was from the tribe of Naphtali. Huram was an intelligent and experienced craftsman. He accepted King Solomon's invitation to be in charge of all the bronze work.
The Two Bronze Columns
(2 Chr 3.15–17)
15Huram cast two bronze columns, each one eight metres tall and 5.3 metres in circumference,#7.15 Some ancient translations each one… circumference; Hebrew the first column was 8 metres tall and the second column was 5.3 metres in circumference. and placed them at the entrance of the Temple. 16He also made two bronze capitals, each one 2.2 metres tall, to be placed on top of the columns. 17The top of each column was decorated with a design of interwoven chains,#7.17 Verse 17 in Hebrew is unclear. 18and two rows of bronze pomegranates.
19The capitals were shaped like lilies, 1.8 metres tall, 20and were placed on a rounded section which was above the chain design. There were 200 pomegranates in two rows round each#7.20 One ancient translation each; Hebrew the second. capital.
21Huram placed these two bronze columns in front of the entrance of the Temple: the one on the south side was named Jachin,#7.21 Jachin: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “he (God) establishes”. and the one on the north was named Boaz.#7.21 Boaz: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “by his (God's) strength”. 22The lily-shaped bronze capitals were on top of the columns.
And so the work on the columns was completed.
The Bronze Tank
(2 Chr 4.2–5)
23Huram made a round tank of bronze, 2.2 metres deep, 4.4 metres in diameter, and 13.2 metres in circumference. 24All round the outer edge of the rim of the tank#7.24 Probable text All round… tank; Hebrew unclear. were two rows of bronze gourds, which had been cast all in one piece with the rest of the tank. 25The tank rested on the backs of twelve bronze bulls that faced outwards, three facing in each direction. 26The sides of the tank were 75 millimetres thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup, curving outwards like the petals of a lily. The tank held about 40,000 litres.
The Bronze Carts
27Huram also made ten bronze carts; each was 1.8 metres long, 1.8 metres wide, and 1.3 metres high. 28They were made of square panels which were set in frames, 29with the figures of lions, bulls, and winged creatures on the panels; and on the frames, above and underneath the lions and bulls, there were spiral figures in relief. 30Each cart had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. At the four corners were bronze supports for a basin; the supports were decorated with spiral figures in relief. 31There was a circular frame on top for the basin. It projected upwards 45 centimetres from the top of the cart and eighteen centimetres down into it. It had carvings round it. 32The wheels were 66 centimetres high; they were under the panels, and the axles were of one piece with the carts. 33The wheels were like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of bronze. 34There were four supports at the bottom corners of each cart, which were of one piece with the cart. 35There was a 22 centimetre band round the top of each cart; its supports and the panels were of one piece with the cart. 36The supports and panels were decorated with figures of winged creatures, lions, and palm trees, wherever there was space for them, with spiral figures all round. 37This, then, is how the carts were made; they were all alike, having the same size and shape.
38 #
Ex 30.17–21
Huram also made ten basins, one for each cart. Each basin was 1.8 metres in diameter, and held about 800 litres. 39He placed five of the carts on the south side of the Temple, and the other five on the north side; the tank he placed at the south-east corner.
Summary List of Temple Furnishings
(2 Chr 4.11—5.1)
40-45Huram also made pots, shovels, and bowls. He completed all his work for King Solomon for the LORD's Temple. This is what he made:
The two columns
The two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the columns
The design of interwoven chains on each capital
The 400 bronze pomegranates, in two rows of a hundred each round the design on each capital
The ten carts
The ten basins
The tank
The twelve bulls supporting the tank
The pots, shovels, and bowls.
All this equipment for the Temple, which Huram made for King Solomon, was of polished bronze. 46The king had it all made in the foundry between Sukkoth and Zarethan, in the Jordan Valley. 47Solomon did not have these bronze objects weighed, because there were too many of them, and so their weight was never determined.
48 #
Ex 25.23–30; 30.1–3 Solomon also had gold furnishings made for the Temple: the altar, the table for the bread offered to God, 49#Ex 25.31–40the ten lampstands that stood in front of the Most Holy Place, five on the south side and five on the north; the flowers, lamps, and tongs; 50the cups, lamp snuffers, bowls, dishes for incense, and the pans used for carrying live coals; and the hinges for the doors of the Most Holy Place and of the outer doors of the Temple. All these furnishings were made of gold.
51 #
2 Sam 8.11; 1 Chr 18.11 When King Solomon finished all the work on the Temple, he placed in the temple storerooms all the things that his father David had dedicated to the LORD — the silver, gold, and other articles.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
1 Kings 7
7
Solomon’s Palace Built
1#1Ki 9:10; 2Ch 8:1Solomon was building his own house for thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 2#1Ki 10:17; 2Ch 9:16He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits, and its width was fifty cubits, and its height was thirty cubits,#About 150 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high, or 45 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high. built on four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams upon the pillars. 3It was covered with cedar over the top of the beams, which sat upon forty-five pillars, fifteen in a row. 4There were window frames in three rows and window opposite window in three tiers. 5All the doors and posts were rectangular with the openings facing each other in three tiers.
6He made a porch of pillars with a length of fifty cubits and a breadth of thirty cubits.#About 75 feet long and 45 feet wide, or 23 meters long and 14 meters wide. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.
7#Ps 122:5; Pr 20:8Then he made a porch for the throne, from which he would judge, and called it the Hall of Judgment. It was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. 8#1Ki 3:1; 2Ch 8:11His own house where he lived, in the other court back of the hall, was similar in style. Solomon also made a house like this for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken as a wife.
9All these were built with costly stones, cut to size and sawed with saws on the inside and outside, from the foundation up to the coping, throughout the outside toward the great court. 10The foundation was of large, costly stones, stones of ten#About 15 feet, or 4.5 meters; and in v. 23. and eight#About 12 feet, or 3.6 meters. cubits in size. 11Above were costly stones cut to size, along with cedars. 12#1Ki 6:36The great court was enclosed with three rows of hewed stones and a row of cedar beams. So were the inner court of the house of the Lord and the porch of the house.
The Furnishings of the Temple
2Ch 4:2–5:1
13#2Ch 4:11Now King Solomon sent and called Huram out of Tyre. 14#2Ch 2:14; 4:16He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre who worked in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill to make all sorts of items in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work.
15#Jer 52:21; 1Ki 7:21He cast two pillars of bronze eighteen cubits high each and twelve cubits#About 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference, or 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference. in circumference. 16He made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits,#About 15 pounds, or 6.9 kilograms; and in v. 29. and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17He made lattices of checker work with wreaths of chainwork for the capitals on top of the pillars: seven for one capital and seven for the other. 18Likewise he made pomegranates in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same for the other capital. 19The capitals that were on top of the pillars in the porch were four cubits#About 6 feet, or 1.8 meters; and in v. 38. high and in the shape of lilies. 20#2Ch 3:16; 4:13The capitals on top of the two pillars also had pomegranates above, by the convex surface which was next to the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in rows encircling each capital. 21#2Ch 3:17; 1Ki 6:3He set up the pillars in the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar and called it Jakin, and he set up the left pillar and called it Boaz. 22The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. This completed the work on the pillars.
23#2Ki 25:13; 2Ch 4:2He made a cast metal sea, ten cubits from one side to the other. It was round and had a height of five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits#About 45 feet, or 14 meters. encircled it. 24#1Ki 6:18; 2Ch 4:3Under the brim all the way around there were gourds, ten in a cubit. When it was cast, the gourds were placed in two rows going all the way around it.
25#Jer 52:20; 2Ch 4:4–5It stood on top of twelve oxen with three facing north, three facing toward the west, three facing toward the south, and three facing toward the east. The sea was set on them, and their hindquarters were turned inward. 26#2Ch 4:5It was a hand-breadth#About 3 inches, or 7.5 centimeters. thick, and the brim was made similar to the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold two thousand baths.#About 12,000 gallons, or 44,000 liters.
27#2Ch 4:14; 2Ki 25:13He made ten stands out of bronze, each measuring four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.#About 6 feet long and wide and 41/2 feet high, or 1.8 meters long and wide and 1.4 meters high. 28The work of the stands looked like this: 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. 30Every 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, like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half deep.#About 21/4 feet, or 68 centimeters; and in v. 32. At its opening there were engravings, and its panels were four-sided, not round. 32Underneath the panels were four wheels, and the axles of the wheels were joined to the stand, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33The wheels worked like chariot wheels in that their axles and rims and spokes and hubs were all cast metal.
34There were four supports for the four corners of each stand, and the supports were part of one piece with the stand itself. 35On the top of the stand, there was a round band half a cubit#About 9 inches, or 23 centimeters. high, and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36On the surface of its stays and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37In this way he made the ten stands, with them all having the same shape, measure, and size.
38Then he made ten basins of bronze, with each basin able to hold forty baths,#About 240 gallons, or 880 liters. each being four cubits. Upon every one of the ten stands sat one basin. 39He put five stands on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the sea on the right side of the house toward the southeast. 40#2Ch 4:11–16Huram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins.
So Huram finished all the work in making items for King Solomon for use in the house of the Lord: 41the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the two pillars, the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars; 42#1Ki 7:20and the 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 ten basins on the stands; 44one sea and twelve oxen under the sea; 45#Ex 27:3; 38:3the pots, the shovels, and the basins.
All these vessels that Huram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of burnished bronze. 46#Jos 3:16; Ge 33:17In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 47#1Ch 22:14; 22:3Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because there were so many. The weight of the bronze was also never measured.
48#Ex 37:10–16; 2Ch 4:8Solomon made all the vessels that were needed for the house of the Lord: the altar of gold, the table of gold on which was showbread, 49#2Ch 4:7the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side and five on the left before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, fire pans, of pure gold; the sockets for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple, of gold.
51#2Ch 5:1All the work that King Solomon made for the house of the Lord was completed. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the cups—and he put them among the treasures of the house of the Lord.
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