1 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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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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1 Kings 7
7
The Palace Built in 13 Years
1Solomon took 13 years to finish building his palace. 2He built a hall ⌞named⌟ the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars supporting cedar beams. 3The hall was covered with cedar above the side rooms, which were supported by 45 pillars (15 per row). 4The windows were in three rows facing each other on opposite sides ⌞of the palace⌟. 5All the doors and doorframes were square. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides ⌞of the palace⌟.
6Solomon made the Hall of Pillars 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars.
7He made the Hall of Justice, where he sat on his throne and served as judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.#7:7 Latin, Syriac; Masoretic Text “floor to floor.”
8His own private quarters were in a different location than the Hall of Justice, but they were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter.
9From the foundation to the roof, all these buildings, including the large courtyard, were built with high-grade stone blocks. The stone blocks were cut to size and trimmed with saws on their inner and outer faces. 10The foundation was made with large, high-grade stones (some 12 feet long, others 15 feet long). 11Above ⌞the foundation⌟ were cedar beams and high-grade stone blocks, which had been cut to size. 12The large courtyard had three layers of cut stone blocks and a layer of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the Lord’s temple and the entrance hall.
The Temple Furnishings
(2 Chronicles 2:13–14; 3:15–5:1)
13King Solomon had Hiram brought from Tyre. 14Hiram was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father, a native of Tyre, was a skilled bronze craftsman. Hiram was highly skilled, resourceful, and knowledgeable about all kinds of bronze craftsmanship. He came to King Solomon and did all his ⌞bronze⌟ work.
15He made two bronze pillars. Each was 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference. 16He made two capitals of cast bronze to put on top of the pillars. Each capital was 7½ feet high. 17He also made seven rows of filigree and chains for each capital. 18After he made the pillars, he made two rows ⌞of decorations⌟ around the filigree to cover the capitals which were above the pillars.#7:18 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Greek, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “pomegranates.” He made the capitals identical to each other. 19The capitals on top of the pillars in the entrance hall were lily-shaped. ⌞Each⌟ was six feet high. 20Two hundred pomegranates in rows were directly above the bowl-shaped parts around the filigree on the capitals on both pillars.
21Hiram set up the pillars in the temple’s entrance hall. He set up the pillar on the right and named it Jachin [He Establishes]. Then he set up the pillar on the left and named it Boaz [In Him Is Strength]. 22There were lily-shaped capitals at the top of the pillars. He finished the work on the pillars.
23Hiram made a pool from cast metal. It was 15 feet in diameter. It was round, 7½ feet high, and had a circumference of 45 feet. 24Under the rim were two rows of gourds all around the 45-foot circumference of the pool. They were cast in metal when the pool was cast. 25The pool was set on 12 metal bulls. Three bulls faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The pool was set on them, and their hindquarters were toward the center ⌞of the pool⌟. 26The pool was three inches thick. Its rim was like the rim of a cup, shaped like a lily’s bud. It held 12,000 gallons.
27He made ten bronze stands. Each stand was 6 feet square and 4½ feet high. 28The stands were made this way: They had side panels set in frames. 29On the panels set in frames were lions, oxen, and angels.#7:29 Or “cherubim.” These were also on the frames. Above and below the lions and the cattle were engraved designs. 30Each stand had four bronze wheels on bronze axles and four supports beneath the basin. The supports were made of cast metal with designs on the sides. 31Each had a 1½-foot-deep opening in the center to the circular frame on top. The opening was round, formed like a pedestal, and was two feet ⌞wide⌟. Around the opening there were engravings. But the panels were square, not round. 32The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles were attached to the stand. Each wheel was two feet high. 33The wheels were made like chariot wheels. The axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast metal. 34The four supports at the four corners of each stand were part of the stand. 35The top of each stand had a round, nine-inch-high band. Above the stand were supports which were part of the panels. 36Hiram engraved angels, lions, palm trees, and designs in every available space on the supports and panels. 37This is the way he made the ten stands. All of them were cast in the same mold, identical in size and shape.
38Hiram also made ten bronze basins. Each basin held 240 gallons. Every basin was six feet ⌞wide⌟. There was one basin on each of the ten stands. 39He put five stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north side of the temple. He set the pool on the south side of the temple in the southeast ⌞corner⌟. 40Hiram also made pots, shovels, and bowls.
So Hiram finished all the work for King Solomon on the Lord’s temple: 412 pillars, the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the 2 pillars, and 2 sets of filigree to cover the 2 bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, 42400 pomegranates for the 2 sets of filigree (2 rows of pomegranates for each filigree to cover the 2 bowl-shaped capitals on the pillars), 4310 stands and 10 basins on the stands, 441 pool, 12 bulls under the pool, 45pots, shovels, and bowls. Hiram made all these utensils out of polished bronze for the Lord’s temple at King Solomon’s request. 46The king cast them in foundries in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. 47Solomon left all the products unweighed because so much bronze was used. No one tried to determine how much the bronze weighed.
48Solomon made all the furnishings for the Lord’s temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which the bread of the presence was placed, 49lamp stands of pure gold (five on the south side and five on the north in front of the inner room), flowers, lamps, gold tongs, 50dishes, snuffers, bowls, saucers, incense burners of pure gold, the gold sockets for the doors of the inner ⌞room⌟ (the most holy place), and the doors of the temple.
51All the work King Solomon did on the Lord’s temple was finished. He brought the holy things that had belonged to his father David—the silver, gold, and utensils—and put them in the storerooms of the Lord’s temple.
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