1 Kings 7:11-21

11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar.
12 1The 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 2the vestibule of the house.

The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought 3Hiram from Tyre.
14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And 4he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.
15 5He cast 6two pillars of bronze. 7Eighteen 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.[a]
16 He 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 8the height of the other capital was five cubits.
17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice[b] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital.
18 Likewise he made pomegranates[c] 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.
19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits.
20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were 9two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital.
21 10He 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.

1 Kings 7:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 7

This chapter gives an account of some buildings of Solomon for himself, 1Ki 7:1-12; and of other things for the use of the temple; of two pillars of brass, 1Ki 7:13-22; of the molten sea, 1Ki 7:23-26; and of ten bases, and ten layers on them, 1Ki 7:27-39; with other utensils and ornaments, 1Ki 7:40-51.

Cross References 10

  • 1. 1 Kings 6:36
  • 2. [ver. 6]
  • 3. [2 Chronicles 2:14]
  • 4. [Exodus 31:3-5; Exodus 35:31]
  • 5. For ver. 15-21, see 2 Chronicles 3:15-17
  • 6. 2 Kings 25:17; 1 Chronicles 18:8; 2 Chronicles 4:12; Jeremiah 52:21-23
  • 7. ver. 41
  • 8. [See ver. 15 above]
  • 9. [ver. 42; 2 Chronicles 3:16; 2 Chronicles 4:13; Jeremiah 52:23]
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 3:17

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Targum, Syriac (compare Septuagint and Jeremiah 52:21); Hebrew fingers. And a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of the second pillar
  • [b]. Septuagint; Hebrew seven; twice in this verse
  • [c]. Two manuscripts (compare Septuagint); Hebrew pillars
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.