2 Chronicles4
New American Standard
1Then he made a bronze altar, twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and ten cubits in height.
2He also made the Sea of cast metal, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits and its circumference thirty cubits.
3Now figures like oxen were under it and all around it, ten cubits, entirely encircling the Sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast in one piece.
4It was standing on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the Sea was set on top of them and all their hindquarters turned inward.
5It was a hand width thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it could hold three thousand baths.
6He also made ten basins in which to wash, and he set five on the right side and five on the left to rinse things for the burnt offering; but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.
7Then he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them, and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left.
8He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made a hundred golden bowls.
9Then he made the courtyard of the priests and the great courtyard, and doors for the courtyard, and overlaid their doors with bronze.
10He put the Sea on the right side of the house toward the southeast.
11Huram also made the pails, the shovels, and the bowls. So Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon in the house of God:
12the two pillars, the bowls and the two capitals on top of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars,
13and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the pillars.
14He also made the stands and he made the basins on the stands,
15and the one Sea with the twelve oxen under it.
16The pails, the shovels, the forks, and all its utensils, Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon, for the house of the Lord.
17On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.
18So Solomon made all these utensils in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze could not be determined.
19Solomon also made all the things that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables with the bread of the Presence on them,
20the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the way prescribed;
21the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold, that is, of purest gold;
22and the snuffers, the bowls, the spoons, and the firepans of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, its inner doors for the Most Holy Place and the doors of the house, that is, of the main room, of gold.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The furniture of the temple. (1-22).
vv1-22
Here is a further account of the furniture of God's house. Both without doors and within, there was that which typified the grace of the gospel, and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ. There was the brazen altar. The making of this was not mentioned in the book of Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. The people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifices burned. They might thus be led to consider the great Sacrifice, to be offered in the fulness of time, to take away sin, and put an end to death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And, with the smoke of the sacrifices, their hearts might ascend to heaven, in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ. The furniture of the temple, compared with that of the tabernacle, showed that God's church would be enlarged, and his worshippers multiplied. Blessed be God, there is enough in Christ for all.
Key Words
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
מִזְבֵּחַ: an altar
נְחֹשֶׁת: copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
עֶשְׂרִים: twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth
אַמָּה: properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance)
אֹרֶךְ: length
רֹחַב: width (literally or figuratively)
עֶשֶׂר: ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)
קוֹמָה: height
יָם: a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
Cross References
2 Chronicles 4Parallel account of the construction and dimensions of the molten sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel account detailing the placement of the ten lavers.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of the golden tables and other furniture of the temple.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel account of Huram completing the various vessels and instruments.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The prohibition of steps to the altar is modified by the introduction of priestly garments.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Priestly linen breeches allowed for ascending the elevated brazen altar safely.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains the difference in capacity (two thousand vs. three thousand baths).
Supported by JFB
The supporting twelve oxen directed toward the four cardinal directions.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The original tabernacle pattern ('their form') prescribed by God to Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole
David's inspired plans specifying gold and silver tables.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the master artisan Huram-abi ('Huram his father').
Supported by Matthew Poole
The geographical location of the clay ground casting in the Jordan plain.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The tabernacle predecessor of the molten sea used for priestly washing.
Parallel description of the construction of the inner court.
Parallel list of the golden entry doors and holy instruments.