1 Kings 7:38

Bronze Basins and Other Utensils

38 Then he made 10 bronze basins-each basin holding 220 gallons^[a] and each was six feet^[b] wide-one basin for each of the 10 water carts.

1 Kings 7:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 7:38

Then made he ten lavers of brass
There was but one in the tabernacle of Moses, and what became of that is not known: some Jewish writers ^F3 say it was placed in Solomon's temple, and these lavers, five on the right and five on the left of it; however, here were enough provided for the purpose for the priests to wash their burnt offerings in, ( 2 Chronicles 4:6 ) and were typical of the large provision made in the blood of Christ for the cleansing of his people; whose works, services, and sacrifices, as well as persons and garments, need continual washing in that blood; see ( Romans 12:1 ) ( Revelation 7:13 ) ,

one laver contained forty baths;
and a bath, according to Bishop Cumberland ^F4 held seven wine gallons, and two quarts and half a pint:

and every laver was four cubits:
that is, square; this was the diameter of it:

and upon every of the ten bases one laver;
for which they were made, even to set the lavers on, and were exactly of the same measure.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, in 2 Chron. iv. 6.
F4 Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 3. p. 70, 71.

1 Kings 7:38 In-Context

36 He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its braces and on its frames, wherever each had space, with encircling wreaths.

37 In this way he made the 10 water carts using the same casting, dimensions, and shape for all of them.

38 Then he made 10 bronze basins-each basin holding 220 gallons and each was six feet wide-one basin for each of the 10 water carts.

39 He set five water carts on the right side of the temple and five on the left side. He put the reservoir near the right side of the temple toward the southeast.

40 Then Hiram made the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he was doing for King Solomon on the Lord's temple:

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit 40 baths
• [b]. Lit four cubits