Day 475 of 1461 · 2028-04-19

2 Chronicles 4:1–22

My plan starts

¹Then he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.

²Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim. It was round, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference.

³Under it was the likeness of oxen, which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.

⁴It 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.

⁵It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.

⁶He 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 offering were washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

⁷He made the ten lamp stands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

⁸He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold.

⁹Furthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze.

¹⁰He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

¹¹Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Huram finished doing the work that he did for king Solomon in God’s house:

¹²the two pillars, the bowls, the two capitals which 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,

¹³and 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.

¹⁴He also made the bases, and he made the basins on the bases;

¹⁵one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.

¹⁶Huram his father also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for king Solomon, for Yahweh’s house, of bright bronze.

¹⁷The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

¹⁸Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance; for the weight of the bronze could not be determined.

¹⁹Solomon made all the vessels that were in God’s house, the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them;

²⁰and the lamp stands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold;

²¹and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold that was perfect gold;

²²and the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.

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Drawn from the public-domain commentaries and Spurgeon sermons that cover this exact passage · ~705 words.

Matthew Henry. The altar for burnt-offerings (Ch2 4:1), the sea and lavers to hold water (Ch2 4:2-6), the plates with which the doors of the court were overlaid (Ch2 4:9), the vessels of the altar, and other things (Ch2 4:10-18). This altar was much larger than that which Moses made in the tabernacle; that was five cubits square, this was twenty cubits square. It was put just at the entrance into the court of the priests, like the font at the church door. It was ten cubits high, so that the people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifice burnt, and their eye might affect their heart with sorrow for sin: "It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not thus consumed, and that this is accepted as an expiation of my guilt." They might thus be led to consider the great sacrifice which should be offered in the fulness of time to take away sin and abolish death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. There were ten golden tables (Ch2 4:8), tables whereon the show-bread was set, Ch2 4:19. David often speaks with much affection both of the house of the Lord and of the courts of our God. There were ten lavers of brass, in which they washed such things as they offered for the burnt-offerings, Ch2 4:6. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, Ch2 4:2, Ch2 4:6. Moses set up but one, the church of the Jews; but, in the gospel temple, not only believers, but churches, are multiplied. 2. Probably it was a sort of nickname by which he was commonly known, Father Huram; for the king of Tyre called him Huram Abi, my father, in compliance with whom Solomon called him his, he being a great artist and father of the artificers in brass and iron. He made all the vessels in great abundance (Ch2 4:18), many of a sort, that many hands might be employed, and so the work might go on with expedition, or that some might be laid up for use when others were worn out. That Huram the workman was very punctual: He finished all that he was to make (Ch2 4:11), and left no part of his work undone.

Jamieson–Fausset–Brown. MOLTEN SEA. (Ch2 4:2-5) he made a molten sea--(See on Kg1 7:23), as in that passage "knops" occur instead of "oxen." It is generally supposed that the rows of ornamental knops were in the form of ox heads. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast--The meaning is, that the circular basin and the brazen oxen which supported it were all of one piece, being cast in one and the same mould. When the basin played as a fountain, and all its parts were filled for that purpose, the latter, together with the sea itself, received three thousand baths; but the sea exclusively held only two thousand baths, when its contents were restricted to those of the circular basin. There is a difference in the accounts given of the capacity of this basin, for while in Kg1 7:26 it is said that two thousand baths of water could be contained in it, in this passage no less than three thousand are stated. It has been suggested that there is here a statement not merely of the quantity of water which the basin held, but that also which was necessary to work it, to keep it flowing as a fountain; that which was required to fill both it and its accompaniments. In support of this view, it may be remarked that different words are employed: the one in Kg1 7:26 rendered contained; the two here rendered, received and held. The ten new ones were placed between the porch and the altar, and while the molten sea was for the priests to cleanse their hands and feet, these were intended for washing the sacrifices. The increased number was not only in conformity with the characteristic splendor of the edifice, but also a standing emblem to the Hebrews, that the growing light of the word was necessary to counteract the growing darkness in the world [LIGHTFOOT].

Full commentary on this passage

Matthew Henry

chapter

We have here a further account of the furniture of God's house. I. Those things that were of brass. The altar for burnt-offerings (Ch2 4:1), the sea and lavers to hold water (Ch2 4:2-6), the plates with which the doors of the court were overlaid (Ch2 4:9), the vessels of the altar, and other things (Ch2 4:10-18). II. Those that were of gold. The candlesticks and tables (Ch2 4:7, Ch2 4:8), the altar of incense (Ch2 4:19), and the appurtenances of each of these (Ch2 4:20-22). All these, except the brazen altar (Ch2 4:1), were accounted for more largely, Kg1 7:23, etc.

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1–10

David often speaks with much affection both of the house of the Lord and of the courts of our God. Both without doors and within there was that which typified the grace of the gospel and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ. I. There were those things in the open court, in the view of all the people, which were very significant. 1. There was the brazen altar, Ch2 4:1. The making of this was not mentioned in the Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. This altar was much larger than that which Moses made in the tabernacle; that was five cubits square, this was twenty cubits square. Now that Israel had become both numerous and more rich, and it was to be hoped more devout (for every age should aim to be wiser and better than that which went before it), it was expected that there would be a greater abundance of offerings brought to God's altar than had been. It was therefore made such a capacious scaffold that it might hold them all, and none might excuse themselves from bringing those temptations of their devotion by alleging that there was not room to receive them. God had greatly enlarged their borders; it was therefore fit that they should enlarge his altars. Our returns should bear some proportion to our receivings. It was ten cubits high, so that the people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifice burnt, and their eye might affect their heart with sorrow for sin: "It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not thus consumed, and that this is accepted as an expiation of my guilt." They might thus be led to consider the great sacrifice which should be offered in the fulness of time to take away sin and abolish death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And with the smoke of the sacrifices their hearts might ascend to heaven in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ, the great propitiation. How they went up to this altar, and carried the sacrifices up to it, we are not told; some think by a plain ascent like a hill: if by steps, doubtless they were so contrived as that the end of the law (mentioned Exo 20:26) might be answered. 2. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, Ch2 4:2, Ch2 4:6. It was put just at the entrance into the court of the priests, like the font at the church door. If it were filled to the brim, it would hold 3000 baths (as here, Ch2 4:5), but ordinarily there were only 2000 baths in it, Kg1 7:26. The Holy Ghost by this signified, (1.) Our great gospel privilege, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, Jo1 1:7. To us there is a fountain opened for all believers (who are spiritual priests, Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6), nay, for all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in, from sin, which is uncleanness. There is a fulness of merit in Jesus Christ for all those that by faith apply to him for the purifying of their consciences, that they might serve the living God, Heb 9:14. (2.) Our great gospel duty, which is to cleanse ourselves by true repentance from all the pollutions of the flesh and the corruption that is in the world. Our hearts must be sanctified, or we cannot sanctify the name of God. Those that draw nigh to God must cleanse their hands, and purify their hearts, Jam 4:8. If I was thee not, thou hast no part with me; and he that is washed still needs to wash his feet, to renew his repentance, whenever he goes in to minister, Joh 13:10. 3. There were ten lavers of brass, in which they washed such things as they offered for the burnt-offerings, Ch2 4:6. As the priests must be washed, so must the sacrifices. We must not only purify ourselves in preparation for our religious performances, but carefully put away all those vain thoughts and corrupt aims which cleave to our performances themselves and pollute them. 4. The doors of the court were overlaid with brass (Ch2 4:9), both for st…

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11–22

We have here such a summary both of the brass-work and the gold-work of the temple as we had before (Kg1 7:13, etc.), in which we have nothing more to observe than, 1. That Huram the workman was very punctual: He finished all that he was to make (Ch2 4:11), and left no part of his work undone. Huram, his father, he is called, Ch2 4:16. Probably it was a sort of nickname by which he was commonly known, Father Huram; for the king of Tyre called him Huram Abi, my father, in compliance with whom Solomon called him his, he being a great artist and father of the artificers in brass and iron. He acquitted himself well both for ingenuity and industry. 2. Solomon was very generous. He made all the vessels in great abundance (Ch2 4:18), many of a sort, that many hands might be employed, and so the work might go on with expedition, or that some might be laid up for use when others were worn out. Freely he has received, and he will freely give. When he had made vessels enough for the present he could not convert the remainder of the brass to his own use; it is devoted to God, and it shall be used for him.

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Jamieson–Fausset–Brown

MOLTEN SEA. (Ch2 4:2-5) he made a molten sea--(See on Kg1 7:23), as in that passage "knops" occur instead of "oxen." It is generally supposed that the rows of ornamental knops were in the form of ox heads.