2 Chronicles 4WEB
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2 Chronicles4

World English Bible · Public Domain

1Then he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.

2Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim. It was round, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference.

3Under 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.

4It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward.

5It was a handbreadth thick. Its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.

6He also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand and five on the left, to wash in them. The things that belonged to the burnt offering were washed in them, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

7He made the ten lamp stands 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.

8He 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.

9Furthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze.

10He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

11Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Huram finished doing the work that he did for King Solomon in God’s house:

12the two pillars, the bowls, the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,

13and 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.

14He also made the bases, and he made the basins on the bases—

15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.

16Huram-abi also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for King Solomon, for Yahweh’s house, of bright bronze.

17The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance, so that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

19Solomon made all the vessels that were in God’s house: the golden altar, the tables with the show bread on them,

20and the lamp stands with their lamps to burn according to the ordinance before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold;

21and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold that was purest gold;

22and the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 4.

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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.

Cross References

2 Chronicles 4
v21 Kings 7:23thematic

Parallel account of the construction and dimensions of the molten sea.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v61 Kings 7:39thematic

Parallel account detailing the placement of the ten lavers.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v81 Kings 7:48thematic

Parallel account of the golden tables and other furniture of the temple.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v111 Kings 7:40thematic

Parallel account of Huram completing the various vessels and instruments.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Exodus 20:26contrast

The prohibition of steps to the altar is modified by the introduction of priestly garments.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Exodus 28:42thematic

Priestly linen breeches allowed for ascending the elevated brazen altar safely.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v51 Kings 7:26thematic

Explains the difference in capacity (two thousand vs. three thousand baths).

Supported by JFB

v41 Kings 7:25thematic

The supporting twelve oxen directed toward the four cardinal directions.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v7Exodus 25:31-40thematic

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

v171 Kings 7:46thematic

The geographical location of the clay ground casting in the Jordan plain.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v6Exodus 30:18-21thematic

The tabernacle predecessor of the molten sea used for priestly washing.

v91 Kings 6:36thematic

Parallel description of the construction of the inner court.

v221 Kings 7:50thematic

Parallel list of the golden entry doors and holy instruments.