CHAPTER 4
1Then he made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.a 2b He also made the molten sea. It was made with a circular rim, and measured ten cubits across, five in height, and thirty in circumference. 3Under the brim a ring of figures of oxen* encircled it for ten cubits, all the way around the compass of the sea; there were two rows of oxen cast in one mold with the sea. 4This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center; upon them was set the sea. 5It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim resembled that of a cup, being lily-shaped. It had a capacity of three thousand baths.*
6Then he made ten basins for washing, placing five of them to the right and five to the left. In these the victims for the burnt offerings were washed; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.c
7He made the menorahs of gold, ten of them as was prescribed, and placed them in the nave, five to the right and five to the left.d 8He made ten tables and had them set in the nave, five to the right and five to the left; and he made a hundred golden bowls.e 9He made the court of the priests and the great courtyardf and the gates of the courtyard; the gates he covered with bronze. 10The sea he placed off to the southeast from the south side of the house.g
11h When Huram had made the pots, shovels, and bowls, he finished all his work for King Solomon in the house of God: 12two columns; two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; and two pieces of netting covering the two nodes for the capitals on top of the columns; 13four hundred pomegranates in double rows on both pieces of netting that covered the two nodes of the capitals on top of the columns. 14He made the stands, and the basins on the stands; 15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it; 16pots, shovels, forks, and all the articles Huram-abi made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD; they were of burnished bronze. 17The king had them cast in the neighborhood of the Jordan, between Succoth and Zeredah, in thick clay molds. 18Solomon made all these vessels, so many in number that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.
19Solomon made all the articles that were for the house of God: the golden altar, the tables on which the showbread lay, 20the menorahs and their lamps of pure gold which were to burn as prescribed before the inner sanctuary, 21flowers, lamps, and gold tongs (this was of purest gold), 22snuffers, bowls, cups, and firepans of pure gold. As for the entrance to the house, its inner doors to the holy of holies, as well as the doors to the nave of the temple, were of gold.
* [4:3] Oxen: in 1 Kgs 7:24 this double row of ornaments is described as consisting of gourds. The text of Kings available to the Chronicler may have been corrupt at this point since the two words sound similar in Hebrew. In 4:16 the Chronicler speaks of forks while 1 Kgs 7:40 refers to bowls.
* [4:5] Three thousand baths: two thousand baths according to 1 Kgs 7:26; see note on 1 Kgs 7:23–26.
b. [4:2–5] 1 Kgs 7:23–26.
c. [4:6] 1 Kgs 7:38–39; Ez 40:38.
d. [4:7] 1 Kgs 7:49.
e. [4:8] 1 Kgs 7:50; 1 Chr 28:16.
f. [4:9] 1 Kgs 7:12.
g. [4:10] 1 Kgs 7:39.
h. [4:11–22] 1 Kgs 7:40–51.
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