1 Kings 7:40-47

C. SUMMARY OF HIRAM'S WORKS 7:40-47

TRANSLATION

(40) And Hiram made the pots,[212] the shovels, and the bowls. So Hiram finished making all the work that he made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD. (41) The two pillars and the bowls of the capitals which were atop the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were atop the pillars; (42) And the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for one network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the surface of the pillars; (43) and the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; (44) and one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea; (45) and the pots and the shovels and the bowls; even all these vessels which Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright bronze. (46) In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. (47) And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because they were exceeding many, neither was the weight of the bronze discovered.

[212] The standard Hebrew text has hakkiyoroth lavers. However, the Septuagint and some Hebrew manuscripts suggest the more ancient reading may have been hassiroth pots. 1 Kings 7:45 and 2 Chronicles 4:11 also suggest that the reading should be pots. In the unvocalized Hebrew text there is only one letter difference between the two words.

COMMENTS

1 Kings 7:40-45 contain a summary of the objects for which Hiram was responsible in Solomon's Temple. His work was as follows:

1. Some of the smaller implements used in the Temple service. He made the pots used for boiling the flesh of the peace offering (cf. 1 Samuel 2:13-14); the shovels used for taking away the ashes from the altar (cf. Exodus 27:3; Numbers 4:14); and the bowls used for receiving the blood of the sacrificial animals (cf. Exodus 38:3; Numbers 4:14).

2. The two massive pillars called Jachin and Boaz.
3. The bowls of the capitals which were atop the bronze pillars.

4. The two networks which covered the bowls of the capitals (1 Kings 7:41).

5. The four hundred pomegranates which were attached to the networks, two rows of one hundred each on each network (1 Kings 7:42).

6. The ten portable stands and ten lavers which they sup ported (1 Kings 7:43).

7. The great sea which rested on the twelve oxen (1 Kings 7:44).

8. The smaller implementsthe pots, shovels and bowls or basins (1 Kings 7:45).

In this summary there is no mention of the bronze altar as in 2 Chronicles 4:1, possibly because it was not made by Hiram. All the objects in this list were made of bright bronze, i.e., bronze polished after casting (1 Kings 7:45). The casting was done in Gilead between Succoth and Zarethan. Hiram chose this site because it had an adequate supply of water and good clay readily available and was a convenient place from which to transport the finished product to Jerusalem.[213] Apparently earthen boundaries or clay molds were used to form these objects. The casting was done by Hiram, but since Hiram worked for the king, the king is credited with the achievement. Despite the large number of vessels, the quantity of bronze used for making them was insignificant in comparison with the enormous quantity required in making the sea, the bases, the lavers, and the two pillars (1 Kings 7:47).[214]

[213] Honor, JCBR, p. 108.
[214] Another interpretation is that no attempt was made to discover the exact weight of the metal on account of the vast quantities of bronze employed.