1 Kings 7:46

46 And the king melted out those vessels in the field country of Jordan (And the king had those vessels cast in the field country of Jordan), in [the] clay land, betwixt Succoth and Zarthan.

1 Kings 7:46 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 7:46

In the plain of Jericho did the king cast them in the
clay ground
Which being thick, as the word signifies, and stiff and close, was fit for such a purpose as casting brass; of such clay, furnaces of earth used to be made to melt metals in; but here were large things to be cast, as the two pillars, the sea, the ten lavers, &c. moulds were made in the ground, and so the melted brass was poured into them, which gave it its different forms; this, no doubt, was done by Hiram, though said to be done by the king, because done by his orders: the place where it was done was a part of the plain of Jericho, which lay

between Succoth and Zarthan;
Succoth was in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan; Zarthan was near it on this side, in the tribe of Manasseh, the same that is called Zartanah, ( 1 Kings 4:12 ) and Zaretan, ( Joshua 3:16 ) and Zeredathah, ( 2 Chronicles 4:17 ) . The first casters of brass are said ^F8 to be Theodorus and Rhaecus, both Samians.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Pausau. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 479. & Boeotica, sive, l. 9. p. 607.

1 Kings 7:46 In-Context

44 and one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;

45 and cauldrons, and pans, and wine vessels. All the vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon in the house of the Lord, were of latten. (and the cauldrons, and pans, and basins. All the vessels, which Hiram made for King Solomon for the House of the Lord, were cast in bronze.)

46 And the king melted out those vessels in the field country of Jordan (And the king had those vessels cast in the field country of Jordan), in [the] clay land, betwixt Succoth and Zarthan.

47 And Solomon setted all the vessels (in their places); but for the great multitude, no weight was of the brass. (And Solomon put all the vessels in their places; and because of their great multitude, the weight of the bronze could not be reckoned.)

48 And Solomon made all the vessels in the house of the Lord; soothly he made the golden altar, that is, the altar of incense, that was within the temple, and the golden board, upon which the loaves of setting forth were set; (And Solomon made all the vessels for the House of the Lord; yea, he made the gold altar, that is, the altar of incense, that was within the Temple, and the gold table, on which the loaves of setting forth, or the loaves of proposition, were placed;)