1 Kings 7:31

31 The opening to each stand inside the crown at the top was one cubit deep, ^[a] with a round opening like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide. ^[b] And around its opening were engravings, but the panels of the stands were square, not round.

1 Kings 7:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 7:31

And the mouth of it within the chapiter, and above, was a
cubit
On the lid of the base rose up a lesser base, called the chapiter, which was circular, like a coronet, as the word signifies, the inside of which was hollow, for the lower part of the layer to rest in; this ascended straight up half a cubit, and then widening, went up half a cubit more, and so in its whole height, as here a cubit; the circuit or circumference of which is called the mouth of the base, into which the feet of the layer were set, the measure of which is next given:

but the mouth thereof was round, after the work of the base, a cubit
and an half;
which was either the circumference or the diameter of it; one should think the latter:

and also upon the mouth of it were gravings, with their borders,
four square, not round;
though the mouth was round, the border of it was four square, which had figures engraved thereon, perhaps the same as on the other borders, lions, oxen, and cherubim.

1 Kings 7:31 In-Context

29 and on the panels between the uprights were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the uprights was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of beveled work.

30 Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles and a basin resting on four supports, with wreaths at each side.

31 The opening to each stand inside the crown at the top was one cubit deep, with a round opening like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide. And around its opening were engravings, but the panels of the stands were square, not round.

32 There were four wheels under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand; each wheel was a cubit and a half in diameter.

33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal.

Footnotes

• [a]. One cubit is approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters.
• [b]. A cubit and a half is approximately 2.25 feet or 68.6 centimeters wide; similarly in verse 32.