2 Kings 16:17

17 Forsooth king Ahaz took (away) the painted foundaments of (the) pillars, and the washing vessel, that was set above (them), and he put down the sea, that is, the washing vessel for priests, from [off] the brazen oxen (from off the bronze oxen), that sustained it, and he setted (it) on the pavement arrayed with stone.

2 Kings 16:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 16:17

And King Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed
the laver from off them
In the temple there were ten lavers for the priests to wash in, which are here meant, the singular being put for the plural; and these had bases of brass, on which they were set; and about these bases were borders, which had on them figures of various creatures, lions, oxen, and cherubim; and these Ahaz cut off, either to deface them, in contempt of them, or to convert the brass to other uses, as he might also the bases themselves, since he removed the lavers from off of them, see ( 1 Kings 7:27-30 )

and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen [that were] under it;
the molten sea Solomon made, which he set upon twelve oxen made of brass; this Ahaz took down from thence, either to abate its magnificence, and render it despicable, or for the sake of the brass, of which the oxen were made, see ( 1 Kings 7:23-26 )

and put it upon a pavement of stones;
not upon the floor of the temple, for that was of wood, fir, or cedar, but on rows of stones, placed instead of bases for it to stand upon.

2 Kings 16:17 In-Context

15 Also king Ahaz commanded to Urijah, the priest, and said, Offer thou upon the more altar, that is, (up)on the new altar, the burnt sacrifice of the morrowtide, and the sacrifice of the eventide, and the burnt sacrifice of the king, and the (grain) sacrifice of him, and the burnt sacrifice of all the people of the land, and the (grain) sacrifices of them, and the moist sacrifices of them (and their wine offerings); and thou shalt pour out upon that new altar all the blood of [the] burnt sacrifice, and all the blood of [the] slain sacrifice; soothly the brazen altar shall be [made] ready at my will.

16 Therefore Urijah, the priest, did by all things that king Ahaz had commanded to him.

17 Forsooth king Ahaz took (away) the painted foundaments of (the) pillars, and the washing vessel, that was set above (them), and he put down the sea, that is, the washing vessel for priests, from [off] the brazen oxen (from off the bronze oxen), that sustained it, and he setted (it) on the pavement arrayed with stone.

18 Also he turned (around) the chamber of [the] sabbath, which he had builded in the temple, and he turned (around) the entering of the king (from) withoutforth into the temple of the Lord, for (to please) the king of Assyrians. (And he turned around the chamber used on the sabbath, which he had built in the Temple, and he turned around the entrance for the king from withoutforth into the Temple of the Lord, all to please the king of Assyria.)

19 Forsooth the residue of [the] words of Ahaz, and all things which he did, whether these be not written in the book of [the] words of [the] days of the kings of Judah?