2 Chronicles 4

2 Chronicles Chapter 4

1Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

2Also 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. from: Heb. from his brim to his brim

3And 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.

4It 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.

5And 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. with flowers: or, like a lilyflower

6He 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. such: Heb. the work of burnt offering

7And 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.

8He 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. basons: or, bowls

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

10And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

11And 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; basons: or, bowls finished: Heb. finished to make

12To 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;

13And 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. upon: Heb. upon the face of

14He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases; lavers: or, caldrons

15One sea, and twelve oxen under it.

16The 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. bright: Heb. made bright, or, scoured

17In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. clay: Heb. thicknesses of the ground

18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

19And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;

20Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;

21And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold; perfect: Heb. perfections of gold

22And 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. basons: or, bowls

Footnotes (8)

Verse 1 [*]2 Chronicles 4 Section 1: The furniture of the temple.
Verse 1 [*]Altar: Altar of holocausts, much larger than that of Moses. The one which was built after the captivity, was a square of fifteen cubits. This of Solomon was only ten in height. A sloping ascent was made up to it, according to J...
Verse 1 [*]2 Chronicles 4 Section 5: 1. There was the brazen altar, v. 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 ta...
Verse 2 [*]Sea: Sea, or great brazen vessel, and some other things that were not in the tabernacle of Moses, whose plan was followed, but with greater magnificence. (Worthington)
Verse 2 [*]2 Chronicles 4 Section 2: - Here is a further account of the furniture of God's house. 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. T...
Verse 2 [*]2 Chronicles 4:2 Study Note: A great vessel of brass, so called, because of the great quantity of water, which it contained, 1 Kings 7:24 .
Verse 2 [*]2 Chronicles 4 Section 6: 2. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, v. 2, 6. It was put just at the entrance into the court of the priests, like the font at the church door. If it wer...
Verse 3 [*]2 Chronicles 4 Section 3: 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,...

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Verse 1 • 2 Chronicles 4 Section 1Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

The furniture of the temple.

Verse 1 • AltarGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Altar of holocausts, much larger than that of Moses. The one which was built after the captivity, was a square of fifteen cubits. This of Solomon was only ten in height. A sloping ascent was made up to it, according to Josephus; (Jewish Wars vi. 5., or v. 14.) or the steps were closed in, if we believe others. See Exodus xxvii. 1., and xx. 26. It is thought (Calmet) that the inside of the altar was filled with earth, (Menochius) or with rough stones: (Exodus xx. 24.; Du Hamel) but that is not certain, with regard to the brazen altar. See 1 Machabees iv. 44, 47. (Calmet)

Verse 1 • 2 Chronicles 4 Section 5Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)

1. There was the brazen altar, v. 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 Exod 20 26) might be answered.

Verse 2 • SeaGeorge Leo Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary

Sea, or great brazen vessel, and some other things that were not in the tabernacle of Moses, whose plan was followed, but with greater magnificence. (Worthington)

Verse 2 • 2 Chronicles 4 Section 2Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

- Here is a further account of the furniture of God's house. 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. There was the brazen altar. The making of this was not mentioned in the book of Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. The people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifices burned. They might thus be led to consider the great Sacrifice, to be offered in the fulness of time, to take away sin, and put an end to 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 furniture of the temple, compared with that of the tabernacle, showed that God's church would be enlarged, and his worshippers multiplied. Blessed be God, there is enough in Christ for all.

Verse 2 • 2 Chronicles 4:2 Study NoteGeneva Study Bible Notes

A great vessel of brass, so called, because of the great quantity of water, which it contained, 1 Kings 7:24 .

Verse 2 • 2 Chronicles 4 Section 6Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)

2. There was the molten sea, a very large brass pan, in which they put water for the priests to wash in, v. 2, 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, v. 5), but ordinarily there were only 2000 baths in it, 1 Kings 7 26. The Holy Ghost by this signified, (1.) Our great gospel privilege, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, 1 John 1 7. To us there is a fountain opened for all believers (who are spiritual priests, Rev 1 5, 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, John 13 10.

Verse 3 • 2 Chronicles 4 Section 3Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)

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.

2 Chronicles 4

Footnotes (8)

2 Chronicles 4 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

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