Poole on 1 Kings 7:38-47: The Brass Works of the Temple

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Verse 38:[1]  Then (2 Chron. 4:6) made he ten lavers of brass:  one laver contained forty baths:  and every laver was four cubits:  and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.

[He made ten lavers]  The bases of which he was describing up to this point (Lapide).

Forty baths; ten barrels; of which see above, on verse 26.

[And it was of four cubits]  Some attribute these to the height; others to the diameter (Martyr).

Verse 39:[2]  And he put five bases on the right side (Heb. shoulder[3]) of the house, and five on the left side of the house:  and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.

[On the right side of the Temple, etc.]  They are said to be placed there, because they were looking toward the right side of the temple; for the lavers were not in the Temple, but in the court of the priests (Menochius out of Sanchez).  ‎עַל־כֶּ֤תֶף הַבַּ֙יִת֙, on the side (at the side [Pagnine]) of the house; that is, of the court of the priests, which was connected to the house or Temple (Vatablus).

On the right side, that is, in the south side, as is expressed in the end of the verse, and as the right side is used above, 1 Kings 6:8; Psalm 89:12.[4]  On the right side of the house; not within the house, but in the priests’ court, where they washed either their hands or feet, or the parts of the sacrifices.  On the left side of the house, that is, on the north side; for this is here opposed to the right or south side.

[Eastward toward the south, ‎קֵ֖דְמָה מִמּ֥וּל נֶֽגֶב׃]  Toward the east over against, or on the side of, the midday, or south (Septuagint, Jonathan, Montanus).  In that part of the courtyard that faces East, toward the Southern side of the tabernacle (Menochius out of Sanchez).  The Altar [but concerning the Altar there is not a word here:  Read, therefore, on my responsibility, Sea] of bronze he placed toward the Southern quarter in the lowest part toward the entrance, which was in the East, where the Priests, having entered the court, had water in readiness immediately to wash their hands and feet (Martyr).  Between the South and the East (Arabic, Syriac), toward the south (Syriac).  Toward the East and over against the south (Munster, thus Pagnine).  That is, in the northern part; for to those entering the Temple this was on the right (Munster).  The entrance of the Temple was Eastward.  The Sea was first presenting itself, then the Lavers.  Neither in the Sea were the Priests washing themselves; nor in the Lavers were they washing the burnt-offerings:  But with water that they were drawing through spouts from the sea itself were the Priests washing their hands and feet:  but the burnt-offerings they washed only with cold water taken from the Lavers through spouts (Vatablus).  Moreover, out of Aristeas,[5] etc.,[6] we learn that there were in the Temple hidden and subterranean receptacles of water, of astounding size, to wash away the blood of the sacrifices, and to cleanse and purify all things (Lapide).  Sacred history, in describing these ornaments, can seem hair-splitting and curious, and not manifesting anything of use:  But in the divine books all things are useful for edification.[7]  But if to us it appears otherwise concerning some passages, it is to be ascribed, certainly not to those passages, but to our dullness.  Neither do I doubt that many uses are able to be drawn from this construction.  1.  Thus God willed to rebuke the pride of the Heathen, who were despising the people of God as destitute of wisdom and good arts, while nevertheless it was otherwise; as it is even evident from this, that the enemy first led away as captives those who were craftsmen.[8]  2.  In these things God condescended to the capacity of rude men in that more backward age; for, when they beheld those ornaments and works of art in the house of the Lord, they were lifted up in their spirits earnestly to worship His majesty.  3.  These were symbols of internal adornment, namely, of the virtues, which we ought to put on in order to adorn the internal temple of the spirit, that is, our hearts (Martyr).

Over against the south, that is, in the southeast part, where the offerings were prepared.

Verse 40:[9]  And Hiram (Heb. Hirom:[10]  see ver. 13[11]) made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons.  So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD…

[And the small hooks, ‎וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקוֹת [12]]  And the shallow bowls (Pagnine, Vatablus).  They were vessels from which water and blood were sprinkled (Menochius).

Verse 41:[13]  The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two (1 Kings 7:17, 18) networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars…

[And the cords of the chapiters, ‎וְגֻלֹּ֧ת הַכֹּתָרֹ֛ת [14]]  And the vessels round (or double hemispheres, or halved spheres [Vatablus], rotundity; that is, the round belly [Osiander]) of the chapiters (Pagnine, Mariana), or of the garland-crowns (Montanus), of the crowns (Jonathan).  He called them vessels, by comparison with the pomegranates that they were containing (Menochius).  He calls the very chapiters round vessels (Mariana):  round capitals (Munster), or small heads (Castalio), the windings of the bands (Malvenda), round crowns (Strigelius), the cross-beams with the cornices (Tigurinus), flasks[15] (Syriac), discs (Arabic), spheres of the crowns (Junius and Tremellius), wreaths (Septuagint in Lapide).  The middle capitals he calls the cords of the chapiters, because after the manner of a cord they had coils and windings (which went around the capital all around); the Hebrew signifies the rotations of the crown, or the capitals surrounded in a circle by their own spirals and crowned (Lapide).

Verse 42:[16]  And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars (Heb. upon the face of the pillars[17])…

Verse 43:[18]  And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases…

Verse 44:[19]  And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea…

Verse 45:[20]  (Ex. 27:3; 2 Chron. 4:16) And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons:  and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright (Heb. made bright, or, scoured[21]) brass.

The pots, to seethe those parts of the sacrifices which the priests or officers were to eat.  To these fleshhooks are added, 2 Chronicles 4:16.

[Of golden brass, ‎נְחֹ֖שֶׁת מְמֹרָֽט׃ [22]]  Of brass polished, or scoured (Pagnine, Tigurinus, Vatablus, Osiander), or pure (Strigelius), purged (Munster), good (Jonathan), Corinthian[23] (Syriac), Greek[24] (Arabic), clear of all rust (Vatablus).

Verse 46:[25]  (2 Chron. 4:17) In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground (Heb. in the thickness of the ground[26]) between (Gen. 33:17) Succoth and (Josh. 3:16) Zarthan.

[In clay ground (thus Junius and Tremellius, similarly Castalio, Jonathan), ‎בְּמַעֲבֵ֖ה הָאֲדָמָ֑ה [27]]  In the thickness, or compactness, of the ground (Malvenda, Septuagint, Pagnine, thus Malvenda, Mariana).  In dense ground; that is, of clay, fit, that is, so that from it molds might be made in which metal vessels are cast (Vatablus).  In dense clay (Munster, Tigurinus, Strigelius).  In the fatness of the earth; that is, in fat earth (Mariana).  Clay, which especially, and more than all metals, resists fire, is most fit for casting (Menochius).  Whoever forges anything out of brass, makes for himself molds out of compact earth, which would give form to the brass already liquefied by fire, and mold it.  But huge vessels, or masses, such as siege-engines, bronze columns, and such as these of Solomon, are not able to be cast except in excavated earth, lest the force of the melted bronze rupture the molds (Sanchez).

In the clay ground, or, in thick clay; fat, and tough, and tenacious, and therefore fittest to make moulds of all sorts, into which the melted brass was to be poured.

[Between Succoth and Zarthan]  These two places were situated in the tribe of Gad on the other side of the Jordan, as Adrichomius testifies (Menochius).  Succoth is in the tribe of Gad on the other side of Jordan:  see Genesis 33:17; Joshua 13:27.  Zarthan is in the tribe of Ephraim on this side of Jordan, Joshua 3:16 (Piscator out of Junius).

Verse 47:[28]  And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many (Heb. for the exceeding multitude[29]):  neither was the weight of the brass (1 Chron. 22:14) found out (Heb. searched[30]).

[And he placed all the vessels:  because of the multitude, etc., ‎וַיַּנַּ֤ח שְׁלֹמֹה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים מֵרֹ֖ב מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד [31]]  He omitted (Munster, Montanus, Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius) (or he deposited [Malvenda], left [Tigurinus], stored [Jonathan]), understanding, to weigh, etc. (Junius and Tremellius, similarly Munster).  He dismissed; that is, he neglected to look into the account of the weight of the brass (Vatablus).  He placed the vessels, that is, in their places (Menochius).

Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because the weighing of them was very troublesome, and to no purpose.

[There was no weight to the brass, ‎לֹ֥א נֶחְקַ֖ר מִשְׁקַ֥ל הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃ [32]]  The weight of the brass was not searched out or investigated (Montanus, Junius and Tremellius).

[1] Hebrew: ‎וַיַּ֛עַשׂ עֲשָׂרָ֥ה כִיֹּר֖וֹת נְחֹ֑שֶׁת אַרְבָּעִ֙ים בַּ֜ת יָכִ֣יל׀ הַכִּיּ֣וֹר הָאֶחָ֗ד אַרְבַּ֤ע בָּֽאַמָּה֙ הַכִּיּ֣וֹר הָאֶחָ֔ד כִּיּ֤וֹר אֶחָד֙ עַל־הַמְּכוֹנָ֣ה הָאַחַ֔ת לְעֶ֖שֶׂר הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃

[2] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֔וֹת חָמֵ֞שׁ עַל־כֶּ֤תֶף הַבַּ֙יִת֙ מִיָּמִ֔ין וְחָמֵ֛שׁ עַל־כֶּ֥תֶף הַבַּ֖יִת מִשְּׂמֹאל֑וֹ וְאֶת־הַיָּ֗ם נָתַ֞ן מִכֶּ֙תֶף הַבַּ֧יִת הַיְמָנִ֛ית קֵ֖דְמָה מִמּ֥וּל נֶֽגֶב׃ ס

[3] Hebrew:  ‎כֶּתֶף.

[4] Psalm 89:12:  “The north and the south (‎וְיָמִין, and the right) thou hast created them:  Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.”

[5] The Letter of Aristeas was probably written in the second century BC by an Alexandrian Jew.  It purports to be a letter written by a pagan courtier of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (who reigned from 285 to 246 BC).  Its purpose appears to have been a positive presentation of the Jewish history, Law/Scripture, and Temple to the Greek-speaking world.

[6] Ecclesiasticus 50:3; Alexander Polyhistor in Eusebius’ Preparation of the Gospel 9:36:1; Philo the Elder in Eusebius’ Preparation of the Gospel 9:37:1-3; Tacitus’ Histories 5:12

[7] See 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

[8] 2 Kings 24:14-16.

[9] Hebrew: ‎וַיַּ֣עַשׂ חִיר֔וֹם אֶת־הַ֙כִּיֹּר֔וֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֑וֹת וַיְכַ֣ל חִירָ֗ם לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

[10] Hebrew:  ‎חִירוֹם.

[11] 1 Kings 7:13:  “And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram (‎חִירָם) out of Tyre.”

[12] מִזְרָק/bason is related to the verbal root זָרַק, to toss.

[13] Hebrew: ‎עַמֻּדִ֣ים שְׁנַ֔יִם וְגֻלֹּ֧ת הַכֹּתָרֹ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָֽעַמֻּדִ֖ים שְׁתָּ֑יִם וְהַשְּׂבָכ֣וֹת שְׁתַּ֔יִם לְכַסּ֗וֹת אֶת־שְׁתֵּי֙ גֻּלֹּ֣ת הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃

[14] גֻּלָּה/bowl is related to the verbal root גָּלַל, to roll.

[15] Probably because of their swollen bodies.

[16] Hebrew: ‎וְאֶת־הָרִמֹּנִ֛ים אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת לִשְׁתֵּ֣י הַשְּׂבָכ֑וֹת שְׁנֵֽי־טוּרִ֤ים רִמֹּנִים֙ לַשְּׂבָכָ֣ה הָֽאֶחָ֔ת לְכַסּ֗וֹת אֶת־שְׁתֵּי֙ גֻּלֹּ֣ת הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃

[17] Hebrew: ‎עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃ .

[18] Hebrew:  ‎וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֖וֹת עָ֑שֶׂר וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ת עֲשָׂרָ֖ה עַל־הַמְּכֹנֽוֹת׃

[19] Hebrew:  ‎וְאֶת־הַיָּ֖ם הָאֶחָ֑ד וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֥ר שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר תַּ֥חַת הַיָּֽם׃

[20] Hebrew: ‎וְאֶת־הַסִּיר֙וֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֗וֹת וְאֵת֙ כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֣ים הָאֵ֔הֶל אֲשֶׁ֙ר עָשָׂ֥ה חִירָ֛ם לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה נְחֹ֖שֶׁת מְמֹרָֽט׃

[21] Hebrew:  ‎מְמֹרָט.

[22] מָרַט, to make smooth, or to polish, in the Pual signifies to be scoured or polished.

[23] A story is told, that, when Corinth burned in 146 BC, gold, silver, and bronze statues melted together and produced a new alloy, exquisite and of the finest quality.

[24] The peoples of the East highly esteemed the metallurgy of Greece; so, this is a way of saying the finest.

[25] Hebrew:  ‎בְּכִכַּ֤ר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ יְצָקָ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּמַעֲבֵ֖ה הָאֲדָמָ֑ה בֵּ֥ין סֻכּ֖וֹת וּבֵ֥ין צָרְתָֽן׃

[26] Hebrew:  ‎בְּמַעֲבֵ֖ה הָאֲדָמָ֑ה.

[27] מַעֲבֶה/thickness/compactness is related to the verbal root עָבָה, to be thick.

[28] Hebrew:  ‎וַיַּנַּ֤ח שְׁלֹמֹה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים מֵרֹ֖ב מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד לֹ֥א נֶחְקַ֖ר מִשְׁקַ֥ל הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃

[29] Hebrew:  ‎מֵרֹ֖ב מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד.

[30] Hebrew:  ‎נֶחְקַר.

[31] נוּחַ, to rest, in the Hiphil signifies to give rest, to deposit, to leave.

[32] חָקַר signifies to search.