2Ch 4:1 Moreover
he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits
the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.
he made an altar
of brass — The supplementary character of Chronicles is here once more
apparent. The author of Kings had omitted to record the dimensions of the brass
altar. It stood in the great court 2Ch_6:12-13.
he made an altar
of brass — Steps must have been necessary for ascending so elevated an
altar, but the use of these could be no longer forbidden Exo 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps
unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. after
the introduction of an official costume for the priests Exo 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen
breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they
shall reach: It measured roughly thirty-five feet by thirty-five,
and in height seventeen and a half feet, depending on the length of the cubit.
2Ch 4:2 Also he
made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five
cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round
about.
2Ch 4:3 And under
it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit,
compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
Under it was the
similitude of oxen - For “oxen” we find in 1Ki_7:24, “knops” or “gourds.”
An early copyist, not comprehending the comparatively rare word here used for
“gourd,” and expecting to hear of oxen, as soon as the molten sea was
mentioned, changed the reading. What we call knops may signify grapes,
mushrooms, apples, or some such ornaments placed round about under the turned
over lip or brim of this caldron.
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 mold.
2Ch 4:4 It stood
upon 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 above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
2Ch 4:5 And the
thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the
brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand
baths.
Three thousand
baths - In 1Ki_7:26, it is said to hold only two thousand baths. As this
book was written after the Babylonian captivity, it is very possible that
reference is here made to the Babylonian measure of bath which might have been
less than the Jewish measure. We have already seen that the cubit of Moses, or
of the ancient Hebrews, was longer than the Babylonian one. Another commentary
states that some think it may be reconciled by supposing that the quantity of
water which was commonly in it was 2,000 baths, but that, if filled up to the
top, it would hold 3,000. The Targum claims: "It received 3,000 baths of
dry measure, and held 2,000 of liquid measure."
Three thousand
baths - There is a difference in the accounts given of the capacity of this
basin, for while in 1Ki_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 1Ki_7:26 rendered contained; the two here
rendered, received and held. There was a difference between receiving and
holding. 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. It received and held three
thousand baths
2Ch 4:6 He made
also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash
in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in
them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
He made also ten
lavers - The lavers served to wash the different parts of the sacrifices
in; and the molten sea was for the use of the priests. In this they bathed, or
drew water from it for their personal purification.
He made also ten
lavers - The ten lavers 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.
He made also ten
lavers - The ten lavers which, according to 1Ki_7:38, stood upon ten brazen
stands, i.e., chests provided with carriage wheels. These stands, the artistic
work on which is circumstantially described in 1Ki_7:27-37, are omitted in the
Chronicle, because they are merely subordinate parts of the lavers. The size or
capacity of the lavers is not stated, only their position on both sides of the
temple porch, and the purpose for which they were designed being mentioned.
2Ch 4:7 And he
made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the
temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
According to their
form - Rather, “after their manner”. There is no allusion to the shape of
the candlesticks, which were made, no doubt, after the pattern of the original
candlestick of Moses.
ten candlesticks —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
2Ch 4:8 He made
also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and
five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.
Ten golden tables
- corresponding to the ten candlesticks, and, like these, placed five on the
right and five on the left side of the holy place. The tables were not intended
to bear the candlesticks but for the shewbread; 2Ch 4:19 And Solomon made all the vessels
that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon
the shewbread was set; 1Ch 28:16 And by
weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise
silver for the tables of silver:
And a hundred
golden basins - not for the catching and sprinkling of the blood, but, as
their connection with the tables for the shewbread shows, wine flagons, or
sacrificial vessels for wine libations, probably corresponding to those on the
table of shewbread in the tabernacle Exo
25:29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and
spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure
gold shalt thou make them.
2Ch 4:9
Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and
doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.
He made the court
of the priests - This was the inner court. The two courts are not further
described. For the court of the priests, see on 1Ki_6:36 and 1Ki_7:12.
And the great
court - This was the outer court, or place for the assembling of the
people.
2Ch 4:10 And he
set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.
2Ch 4:11 And Huram
made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work
that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;
2Ch 4:12 To wit,
the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of
the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters
which were on the top of the pillars;
2Ch 4:13 And four
hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each
wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.
2Ch 4:14 He made
also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;
2Ch 4:15 One sea,
and twelve oxen under it.
2Ch 4:16 The pots
also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram
his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.
Huram his father -
ab, father, is often used in Hebrew to signify a master, inventor, chief
operator, and is very probably used here in the former sense: All these Chiram
his master made for King Solomon; or Chiram Abi, or rather Hiram, made for the
king
2Ch 4:17 In the
plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and
Zeredathah.
In the clay ground
- Some suppose that he did not actually cast those instruments at those
places, but that he brought the clay from that quarter, as being the most
proper for making molds to cast in.
2Ch 4:18 Thus
Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass
could not be found out.
2Ch 4:19 And Solomon
made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and
the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
The tables - A
single table only is mentioned in 1Ki
7:48 And Solomon made all the vessels that
pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold,
whereupon the shewbread was, 2Ch 29:18 Then
they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of
the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and
the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. It is supposed
that Solomon made ten similar tables, any one of which might be used for the
showbread; but that the bread was never placed on more than one table at a
time.
2Ch 4:20 Moreover
the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner
before the oracle, of pure gold;
2Ch 4:21 And the
flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;
And the flowers,
and the lamps - Probably each branch of the chandelier was made like a
plant in flower, and the opening of the flower was either the lamp, or served
to support it.
perfect gold -
That is, the purest and best gold.
2Ch 4:22 And the
snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and
the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and
the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.
