Back to 1 Kings 7

1 Kings 7:38-39

He made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on every one of the ten bases one basin. He set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward and toward the south.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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1 Kings 7:38-39 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. For he built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. It was covered with cedar above over the forty-five beams, that were on the pillars, fifteen in a row. There were beams in three rows, and window was facing window in three ranks. All the doors and posts were made square with beams: and window was facing window in three ranks. He made the porch of pillars. Its length was fifty cubits and its width thirty cubits; with a porch before them, and pillars and a threshold before them. He made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor. His house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter (whom Solomon had taken as wife), like this porch. All these were of costly stones, even of cut stone, 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. The foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. Above were costly stones, even cut stone, according to measure, and cedar wood. The great court around had three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar beams; like the inner court of Yahweh’s house and the porch of the house. King Solomon sent and brought Hiram out of Tyre. He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in bronze. He came to king Solomon, and performed all his work. For he fashioned the two pillars of bronze, eighteen cubits high apiece; and a line of twelve cubits encircled either of them. He 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. There were nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. So he made the pillars; and there were two rows around on the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars: and he did so for the other capital. The capitals that were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily work, four cubits. There were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network. There were two hundred pomegranates in rows around the other capital. He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz. On the top of the pillars was lily work: so the work of the pillars was finished. He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in shape. Its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it. Under its brim around there were buds which encircled it for ten cubits, encircling the sea. The buds were in two rows, cast when it was cast. It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward. It was a hand width thick. Its brim was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths. He made the ten bases of bronze. The length of one base was four cubits, four cubits its width, and three cubits its height. The work of the bases was like this: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges; and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. Every base had four bronze wheels, and axles of bronze; and the four feet of it had supports. The supports were cast beneath the basin, with wreaths at the side of each. Its mouth within the capital and above was a cubit. Its mouth was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its mouth were engravings, and their panels were square, not round. The four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axles of the wheels were in the base. The height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel. Their axles, and their rims, and their spokes, and their naves, were all of cast metal. There were four supports at the four corners of each base. Its supports were of the base itself. In the top of the base there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the base its supports and its panels were the same. On the plates of its supports, and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, each in its space, with wreaths all around. He made the ten bases in this way: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form. He made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on every one of the ten bases one basin. He set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward and toward the south. Hiram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished doing all the work that he worked for king Solomon in Yahweh’s house: the two pillars; the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; the ten bases; the ten basins on the bases; the one sea; the twelve oxen under the sea; the pots; the shovels; and the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in Yahweh’s house, were of burnished bronze. The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them. The weight of the bronze could not be determined. Solomon made all the vessels that were in Yahweh’s house: the golden altar and the table that the show bread was on, of gold; and the lamp stands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; the cups, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans, 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, of the temple, of gold. Thus all the work that king Solomon did in Yahweh’s house was finished. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of Yahweh’s house.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    He made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on every one of the ten bases one basin.

    He set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward and toward the south.

  • KJV King James Version

    Then 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.

    And he put five bases on the right side 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.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And he made 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.

    And he set the bases, five on the right side 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, toward the south.

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Cross-references (12)

  • Exodus 30:17-21 (v38) Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also make a basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, in which to wash. You shall put it between…
  • Exodus 30:28 (v38) the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base.
  • Exodus 38:8 (v38) He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of…
  • Exodus 40:11-12 (v38) You shall anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it. “You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall…
  • 2 Chronicles 4:6 (v39) He also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. The things that belonged to the burnt…
Show all 12 cross-references
  • 2 Chronicles 4:6-22 (v38) He also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. The things that belonged to the burnt…
  • 2 Chronicles 4:10 (v39) He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.
  • Zechariah 13:1 (v38) “In that day there will be a spring opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
  • Hebrews 9:10 (v38) being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
  • Hebrews 10:22 (v38) let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed…
  • 1 John 1:7 (v38) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses…
  • Revelation 7:14 (v38) I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.They washed their robes, and made them…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (14 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv38–39 To keep waters for the use of the sacrifices.

To keep waters for the use of the sacrifices.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv38–39 1Ki 7:38 Then made he ten lavers of brass:…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv38–39 Forty baths; ten barrels; of which See Poole "1Ki…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv38–39 And he put five bases on the right side…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v39 Right side - In the south side, not within…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v38 Verse 38. Then made he ten lavers] These were…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v38 1Ki 7:38-39. He made ten lavers of brass —…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v38 Every laver was four cubits - Assuming height to…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv38–39
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv38–39 38. Ten lavers — One laver to stand on…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv38–39 38. Then made he] It is only the simple…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v39 (39) The sea.—This was placed on the south-eastern side…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv38–39 Then made he ten layers of brass: one laver…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v38 Huram made ten ... He made five ... He…
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