Part 202 (1/2)

7:19. And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars, were of lily work, in the porch of four cubits.

7:20. And again there were other chapiters on the top of the pillars above, according to the measure of the pillar over against the network: and of pomegranates there were two hundred, in rows round about the other chapiter.

7:21. And he set up the two pillars in the porch of the temple: and when he had set up the pillar on the right hand, he called the name thereof Jachin: in like manner he set up the second pillar, and called the name thereof Booz.

Jachin... That is, firmly established.-Ibid. Booz... That is, in its strength. By recording these names in holy writ, the spirit of G.o.d would have us understand the invincible firmness and strength of the pillars on which the true temple of G.o.d, which is the church, is established.

7:22. And upon the tops of the pillars he made lily work: so the work of the pillars was finished.

7:23. He made also a molten sea, of ten cubits, from brim to brim, round all about; the height of it was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits compa.s.sed it round about.

7:24. And a graven work, under the brim of it, compa.s.sed it for ten cubits going about the sea: there were two rows cast of chamfered sculptures.

7:25. And it stood upon twelve oxen, of which three looked towards the north, and three towards the west, and three towards the south, and three towards the east: and the sea was above upon them, and their hinder parts were all hid within.

7:26. And the laver was a hand breadth thick: and the brim thereof was like the brim of a cup, or the leaf of a crisped lily: it contained two thousand bates.

Two thousand bates... That is, about ten thousand gallons. This was the quant.i.ty of water which was usually put into it: but it was capable, if brimful, of holding three thousand. See 2 Par. 4.5.

7:27. And he made ten bases of bra.s.s, every base was four cubits in length, and four cubits in breadth, and three cubits high.

7:28. And the work itself of the bases, was intergraven: and there were gravings between the joinings.

7:29. And between the little crowns and the ledges, were lions, and oxen, and cherubims; and in the joinings likewise above: and under the lions and oxen, as it were bands of bra.s.s hanging down.

7:30. And every base had four wheels, and axletrees of bra.s.s: and at the four sides were undersetters, under the laver molten, looking one against another.

7:31. The mouth also of the laver within, was in the top of the chapiter: and that which appeared without, was of one cubit all round, and together it was one cubit and a half: and in the corners of the pillars were divers engravings: and the s.p.a.ces between the pillars were square, not round.

7:32. And the four wheels, which were at the four corners of the base, were joined one to another under the base: the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.

7:33. And they were such wheels as are used to be made in a chariot: and their axletrees, and spokes, and strakes, and naves, were all cast.

7:34. And the four undersetters, that were at every corner of each base, were of the base itself, cast and joined together.

7:35. And on the top of the base, there was a round compa.s.s of half a cubit, so wrought that the laver might be set thereon, having its gravings, and divers sculptures of itself.

7:36. He engraved also in those plates, which were of bra.s.s, and in the corners, cherubims, and lions, and palm trees, in likeness of a man standing, so that they seemed not to be engraven, but added round about.

7:37. After this manner, he made ten bases, of one casting and measure, and the like graving.

7:38. He made also ten lavers of bra.s.s: one laver contained four bates, and was of four cubits: and upon every base, in all ten, he put as many lavers.

7:39. And he set the ten bases, five on the right side of the temple, and five on the left: and the sea he put on the right side of the temple, over against the east southward.

7:40. And Hiram made cauldrons, and shovels, and basins, and finished all the work of king Solomon in the temple of the Lord.

7:41. The two pillars and the two cords of the chapiters, upon the chapiters of the pillars: and the two networks, to cover the two cords, that were upon the top of the pillars.

7:42. And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks: two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the cords of the chapiters, which were upon the tops of the pillars.