1 Kings 7

Solomon's Palace

1 Now ¹Solomon was building his own house thirteen * years, and he finished all his house.

2 ²He built the house of the forest of Lebanon; its length was 100 cubits and its width 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars with cedar beams on the pillars.

3 It was paneled with cedar above * the side chambers which were on the 45 * pillars, 15 * in each row.

4 There were artistic window frames in three rows, and window was opposite window in three ranks.

5 All the doorways and doorposts had squared artistic frames, and window was opposite * window in three ranks.

6 Then he made ³the hall of pillars; its length was 50 cubits and its width 30 cubits, and a porch was in front of them and pillars and a ⁴threshold in front of them.

7 He made the hall of the ⁵throne where * he was to judge, the hall of judgment, and ⁶it was paneled with cedar from floor to floor.

8 His house where * he was to live, the other court inward * from the hall, was of the same workmanship. ⁷He also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter, ⁸whom Solomon had married.

9 All these were of costly stones, of stone cut according to measure, sawed with saws, inside * and outside *; even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.

10 The foundation was of costly stones, even large stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits.

11 And above * were costly stones, stone cut according to measure, and cedar.

12 So ⁹the great court all around had three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams even as the inner court of the house of the LORD, and ¹⁰the porch of the house.

Hiram's Work in the Temple

13 Now ¹¹King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre.

14 ¹²He was a widow's son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and ¹³he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and ¹⁴performed all his work.

15 He fashioned ¹⁵the two pillars of bronze; ¹⁶eighteen * cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve * cubits measured the circumference of both.

16 He also made two capitals of molten bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits.

17 There were nets of network and twisted threads of chainwork * for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital.

18 So he made the pillars, and two rows around on the one network to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital.

19 The capitals which were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits.

20 There were capitals on the two pillars, even above * and close * to the rounded projection which was beside the network; and ¹⁷the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around both capitals.

21 ¹⁸Thus he set up the pillars at the ¹⁹porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named * it Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named * it Boaz.

22 On the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

23 ²⁰Now he made the sea of ²¹cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in circumference * *.

24 Under its brim ²²gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, ²³completely surrounding the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast with the rest.

25 ²⁴It stood 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 rear parts turned inward.

26 It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths.

27 Then ²⁵he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was four cubits and its width four cubits and its height three cubits.

28 This was the design of the stands: they had borders, even borders between the frames,

29 and on the borders which were between the frames were lions, oxen and cherubim; and on the frames there was a pedestal above *, and beneath * the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.

30 Now each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four feet had supports; beneath * the basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side.

31 Its opening inside * the crown at the top was a cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round.

32 The four wheels were underneath the borders, and the axles of the wheels were on the stand. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.

33 The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast.

34 Now there were four supports at the four corners of each stand; its supports were part of the stand itself.

35 On the top of the stand there was a circular form half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand its stays and its borders were part of it.

36 He engraved on the plates of its stays and on its borders, cherubim, lions and palm trees, according to the clear space on each, with wreaths all around.

37 ²⁶He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form.

38 ²⁷He made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin.

39 Then he set the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward * the south.

40 Now Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of the LORD:

41 the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the ²⁸two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars;

42 and the ²⁹four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars;

43 and the ten stands with the ten basins on the stands;

44 and ³⁰the one sea and the twelve * oxen under the sea;

45 and ³¹the pails and the shovels and the bowls; even all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of the LORD were of polished bronze.

46 ³²In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between ³³Succoth and ³⁴Zarethan.

47 Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; ³⁵the weight of the bronze could not be ascertained.

48 Solomon made all the furniture which was in the house of the LORD: ³⁶the golden altar and the golden table on which was the ³⁷bread of the Presence;

49 and the lampstands, five on the right side and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and ³⁸the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, of gold;

50 and the cups and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the ³⁹firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.

51 ⁴⁰Thus all the work that King Solomon performed in the house of the LORD was finished. And ⁴¹Solomon brought in the things dedicated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the utensils, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

1 Kings 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Solomon's buildings. (1-12) Furniture of the temple. (13-47) Vessels of gold. (48-51)

Verses 1-12 All Solomon's buildings, though beautiful, were intended for use. Solomon began with the temple; he built for God first, and then his other buildings. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are laid in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he built the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact, but less eager in building his own house, than in building God's. We ought to prefer God's honour before our own ease and satisfaction.

Verses 13-47 The two brazen pillars in the porch of the temple, some think, were to teach those that came to worship, to depend upon God only, for strength and establishment in all their religious exercises. "Jachin," God will fix this roving mind. It is good that the heart be established with grace. "Boaz," In him is our strength, who works in us both to will and to do. Spiritual strength and stability are found at the door of God's temple, where we must wait for the gifts of grace, in use of the means of grace. Spiritual priests and spiritual sacrifices must be washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and of regeneration. We must wash often, for we daily contract pollution. There are full means provided for our cleansing; so that if we have our lot for ever among the unclean it will be our own fault. Let us bless God for the fountain opened by the sacrifice of Christ for sin and for uncleanness.

Verses 48-51 Christ is now the Temple and the Builder; the Altar and the Sacrifice; the Light of our souls, and the Bread of life; able to supply all the wants of all that have applied or shall apply to him. Outward images cannot represent, words cannot express, the heart cannot conceive, his preciousness or his love. Let us come to him, and wash away our sins in his blood; let us seek for the purifying grace of his Spirit; let us maintain communion with the Father through his intercession, and yield up ourselves and all we have to his service. Being strengthened by him, we shall be accepted, useful, and happy.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 9:10; 2 Chronicles 8:1
• 2. 1 Kings 10:17, 21; 2 Chronicles 9:16
• 3. 1 Kings 7:12
• 4. Ezekiel 41:25, 26
• 5. Psalms 122:5; Proverbs 20:8
• 6. 1 Kings 6:15, 16
• 7. 1 Kings 9:24; 2 Chronicles 8:11
• 8. 1 Kings 3:1
• 9. 1 Kings 6:36
• 10. 1 Kings 7:6
• 11. 2 Chronicles 2:13, 14; 2 Chronicles 4:11
• 12. 2 Chronicles 2:14
• 13. Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:3-5; Exodus 35:31; Exodus 36:1
• 14. 2 Chronicles 4:11-16
• 15. 2 Kings 25:17; 2 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Chronicles 4:12; Jeremiah 52:21
• 16. 1 Kings 7:41
• 17. 1 Kings 7:42; 2 Chronicles 3:16; 2 Chronicles 4:13; Jeremiah 52:23
• 18. 2 Chronicles 3:17
• 19. 1 Kings 6:3
• 20. 2 Chronicles 4:2
• 21. 2 Kings 16:17; 2 Kings 25:13
• 22. 1 Kings 6:18
• 23. 2 Chronicles 4:3
• 24. 2 Chronicles 4:4, 5; Jeremiah 52:20
• 25. 1 Kings 7:38; 2 Kings 25:13; 2 Chronicles 4:14
• 26. 2 Chronicles 4:14
• 27. Exodus 30:18; 2 Chronicles 4:6
• 28. 1 Kings 7:17, 18
• 29. 1 Kings 7:20
• 30. 1 Kings 7:23, 25
• 31. Exodus 27:3; 2 Chronicles 4:16
• 32. 2 Chronicles 4:17
• 33. Genesis 33:17; Joshua 13:27
• 34. Joshua 3:16
• 35. 1 Chronicles 22:3, 14
• 36. Exodus 30:1-3; Exodus 37:10-29; 2 Chronicles 4:8
• 37. Exodus 25:30
• 38. Exodus 25:31-38
• 39. Exodus 27:3; 2 Kings 25:15
• 40. 2 Chronicles 5:1
• 41. 2 Samuel 8:11; 1 Chronicles 18:11; 2 Chronicles 5:1

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [b]. Lit "went around the other pillar"
• [c]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [d]. Lit "belly"
• [e]. Lit "on the other capital"
• [f]. I.e. he shall establish
• [g]. I.e. in it is strength
• [h]. Lit "a line of 30 cubits went around it"
• [i]. Lit "in its casting"
• [j]. Or "crossbars"
• [k]. Or "crossbars"
• [l]. Or "crossbars"
• [m]. I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
• [n]. Lit "hands"

Chapter Summary

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.